I mean, I’m not exactly saying I have the cash handy, but anyway … Orient Star has added a new reference to its M45 Classic collection that clearly reinforces where the brand has been positioned for several years now. The Orient Star M45 F8 Mechanical Moon Phase pairs a traditional layout with a manually wound in-house movement, and pricing that sits firmly within familiar Orient Star territory. Still, once the conversation moves north of $3,000, collectors tend to pause, myself included, and this release naturally invites that hesitation.
The M45 F8 is offered in two versions. A standard-production model with a silvery white dial joins the regular collection, while a 140-piece limited edition features a textured gray gradient dial inspired by the Pleiades star cluster. Both share the same restrained design language.
The dial layout is classically structured. Elongated Roman numerals sit alongside a rail-track minute scale, with blue leaf-shaped hands providing contrast. The moonphase is positioned at six o’clock and presented on its own, without a pointer date or running seconds integrated into the aperture, keeping the lower half of the dial open. At twelve o’clock, the power reserve indicator remains a signature Orient Star element and balances the composition.
The white dial version uses a subtle radial pattern, paired with a blue moonphase background and a mother-of-pearl moon. The limited edition takes a darker approach, with a grainy gray ombré dial and a black moonphase background that makes the moon stand out more prominently. Steel dots replace a traditional minute track, and black printing is used for the numerals and logo, giving the watch a more subdued character. If you ask me, I’m actually more attracted to the white dial version.
Both versions are housed in a 39.5 millimeter stainless steel case with an 11.9 millimeter thickness, proportions that sit comfortably within modern dress-watch expectations. Inside is the hand-wound F8A62 caliber, featuring a silicon escape wheel and a 70-hour power reserve, with stated accuracy of plus fifteen to minus five seconds per day. The sapphire caseback reveals cut-away bridges and the blue escape wheel beneath.
Moonphase adjustment is handled via a pusher at four o’clock, operated with the included tool. Each watch is delivered on a black 20mm cordovan strap with a triple-fold steel clasp. Water resistance is rated at 3 bar, and there is no lume. So yeah, don’t go cave diving with this thing.
Pricing places the standard-production white dial at $3,435, with the limited-edition gray dial at $3,705. These figures are not unheard of for Orient Star, but they inevitably invite comparison with Swiss alternatives in the same range.
Where I land is this. The price is steep, and it is fair for collectors to hesitate. At the same time, it feels appropriate for what Orient Star is capable of and what is being offered here. A hand-wound in-house movement, a disciplined moonphase layout, and design choices that don’t chase validation. This is very much a watch nerd’s watch. Anyone buying it is not trying to impress a room or justify the purchase to anyone else. It feels like a piece chosen in a personal vacuum, guided by taste, curiosity, and an appreciation for details that only other collectors might notice, if they notice at all.
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.