Steal Alert: Orient Polaris GMT Automatic for $310

Orient Polaris GMT – $310.50 w/ VAL2019 ($345 – $575)

This watch, right here, is going to fall squarely into the “perfect” category for many. A couple of extra complications, but nothing garish. A useful power-reserve indicator. Those cobalt blue hands. The well executed, extremely subtle GMT hand. It hacks and hand winds.

And for a few years there, you couldn’t find the darn things. The white dial / blue hands shown here was plumb sold out. Now? They’re back. And still kinda hard to find. But Orient has them on hand, for now, and they’re an extra 10% off thanks to their Valentine’s Day sale. That VAL2019 code drops them to $310.50, and it’s a hell of a lot of wristwatch for that price.

Case diameter is an easy to wear 42mm, with a dial that has multiple textures to it. The outermost ring, where the indices and GMT ring are located, is smooth. At the center there’s a diamond pattern of texture, and the power reserve indicator at noon has a subtly contrasting wave pattern to it. That change from the diamonds to the waves makes it look like a much more expensive piece (something in the four digits) when you give it a look.

Most guys who wear automatic or mechanical watches appreciate having a power reserve indicator. It’s a gas gauge for your watch. Knowing just how much wind is left in the guts helps prevent constant re-setting of the time. And since it hand winds at the crown, instead of just having to move the watch around to get the oscillating automatic weight to move, you can keep that thing up to speed even easier

So why a GMT hand? Well, it looks nice. But, it’s also helpful if you travel a lot. It’s nice to know what time it is at “home” at a glance. If you don’t travel a lot, but have someone or something (say, a sports team you follow) you like in a far off land, you can more easily get an idea as to when to send a text, make a call, or turn the tv on to see the game.

Orient lists the dial color as “white,” but it’s not a stark white. Not quite eggshell either though. Crystal is sapphire and there’s an exhibition case back. Only drawback seems to be that the band is a bit long. On my average sized wrists, the point of the band shot out and into the open after I put it on my wrist. But, with some break in time, it’ll soften up and curve towards your wrist. And if it doesn’t, a band change isn’t the worst thing in the world. All the better if you’ve got thick wrists and need that extra distance.

The exhibition case back is gorgeous. The logo and date window are well balanced at 3 and 9 o’clock. And overall, it’s a watch that can be had for around $350 – $400 with codes and sales, yet it also will get get plenty of stares and honest, bewilderment-fueled questions from the high-end watch wearers too.

Code VAL2019 expires on the 15th. No word if the Polaris is here to stay, or, on the way out. Fingers crossed it’s not the latter.

That’s all. Carry on.