I’ve been spending more time than expected with recent Orient Star announcements. For years, the brand sat just outside my personal buying instincts. I respected the mechanics and the consistency, but when it came time to actually consider a purchase, my attention usually drifted toward Seiko or, occasionally, an entry-level Swiss option that felt safer by default. Lately, that hierarchy has started to feel less fixed. This Orient Star 75th anniversary collection does a good job of explaining why.
Rather than leaning on a single commemorative design, Orient Star is using the milestone to show a level of confidence that feels more deliberate than celebratory. Five limited editions, spread across core collections, tell a broader story about where the brand sees itself heading.
M34 F8 Date Meteorite Dial
The most overt statement in the lineup is the M34 F8 Date with a Muonionalusta meteorite dial, limited to 255 pieces. Meteorite is not a material you introduce casually, and its presence here signals a willingness to compete visually and conceptually with watches that often rely on much louder branding.
The 40mm stainless steel case houses the in-house Calibre F8N64 automatic movement with a 60-hour power reserve, along with a date display and Orient Star’s familiar power reserve indicator. Sapphire crystals on both sides and 100 meters of water resistance keep the specs tight, while the meteorite dial does the expressive work. At the upper end of the anniversary pricing, this model clearly aims beyond the brand’s traditional comfort zone.
M34 F8 Full Skeleton
My least favorite, the M34 F8 Full Skeleton takes a more modern and mechanically focused approach. Limited to 430 pieces, it uses a 39mm black-coated stainless steel case and a fully open-worked dial that places the movement at the center of the design rather than treating it as a novelty.
Inside is the hand-wound Calibre F8B65 with a 70-hour power reserve, which positions this watch as more than an aesthetic exercise. Sapphire crystals front and back, along with a coated steel bracelet, reinforce the idea that Orient Star is continuing to refine this design language rather than testing it. This is a direction the brand has been building toward for a few years, and the anniversary context makes that progression more visible.
M45 F7 Small Seconds
The M45 F7 Small Seconds feels like the most restrained entry in the collection, and possibly the most revealing. Limited to 500 pieces, it pairs a 39mm stainless steel case with a textured grey dial, small seconds layout, and subtle railway detailing.
Power comes from the automatic Calibre F7H44 with a 50-hour power reserve, again paired with a power reserve indicator. The watch is delivered on a brown leather strap with a deployant clasp, which reinforces its positioning as a more traditional, everyday piece. This is the model that sits directly in the crosshairs of common Seiko recommendations and entry Swiss watches, and it does so without leaning on nostalgia or excess complication.
M42 Diver 1964 1st Edition
The M42 Diver 1964 1st Edition brings historical context into the anniversary mix. Inspired by one of Orient Star’s most sought-after archival divers, this version is limited to 660 pieces and features a 41mm stainless steel case with 200 meters of water resistance.
The gradient dial shifts from blue-grey at the center to darker tones toward the perimeter, paired with arrow-shaped hands and cut indexes that reference the original design. Inside is the automatic Calibre F6N47 with a 50-hour power reserve, along with a date and power reserve display. A solid screw-down caseback and sapphire crystal round out a specification that stays true to the tool-watch brief without overplaying the heritage angle.
Contemporary Date 75th Anniversary Limited Edition
My absolute favorite out of the bunch. The Contemporary Date anniversary model is limited to 1,200 pieces and features a 38.5mm stainless steel case, aqua-green dial, and a simplified power reserve indicator that prioritizes clarity.
Powered by the automatic Calibre F6N43 with a 50-hour power reserve, the watch includes a sapphire crystal, open caseback, and 100 meters of water resistance. This is the model most likely to serve as someone’s first Orient Star (maaaybe me?), and its pricing reflects that role without feeling stripped back or compromised.
Where This Leaves Me
All five anniversary models point to the same underlying reality. Orient Star is no longer content to sit in the background of value discussions while others dominate the conversation by habit. The brand is presenting coherent design, in-house movements, and thoughtful limitations across a wide price range from roughly €660 to just over €3,200.
My TBWS partner Kaz has already taken the plunge into Orient Star territory. I still have not, but that gap feels narrower than it used to. These releases don’t demand immediate conversion, but they do make it harder to dismiss the brand as a secondary option.
At 75 years in, Orient Star looks less like an alternative and more like a manufacturer actively challenging where it belongs in a modern collection. That, at the very least, has my attention.
Co-Founder & Senior Editor
Michael Peñate is an American writer, photographer, and podcaster based in Seattle, Washington. His work typically focuses on the passage of time and the tools we use to connect with that very journey. From aviation to music and travel, his interests span a multitude of disciplines that often intersect with the world of watches – and the obsessive culture behind collecting them.