Orient Tristar Review - A Viable Seiko 5 Alternative Under £100?
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For many years now, the highly popular Orient ‘Bambino’ has been arguably the go-to entry-level automatic watch.
For around one hundred pounds, it packs a mighty punch and looks fantastic, making it an ideal dress watch. Nevertheless, it’s not a perfect piece. The lugs are awkwardly sized and the watch is still a little large size for smaller wrists.
I’ve covered the Seiko 5 models before, which offer similarly good value for a low cost, so I was after something a bit different; that you may not have considered before. Something a little smaller that could be worn in a range of environments.
After a little bit of research, I pulled the trigger on a different Orient watch, that hasn’t seen a great deal of coverage online. Introducing the Orient FAB00006B9. This is part of Orient’s ‘Tri-star’ or ‘three-star’ line, which seems to be their answer to the Seiko 5 range. Often these are available for even less money, I picked this one up for well under £100.
I’m gonna tell you upfront, this piece has really impressed me. It takes a different approach to the Bambino, but if it’s to your taste, you’ll find some enjoyment here.
Watch Case
This watch comes in at 37mm in diameter, 10.7mm depth and a fraction over 42mm lug-to-lug. I want to start with the case first because it reminds me of that on the Seiko SNKL23 and its contemporaries. This features a high-shine bezel, with alternating glossy and brushed finishes down the flanks and to the rear. While the case isn’t particularly weighty, for the low price, I think it looks much better than you’d expect and the transitions are pretty neat. At the 3 o'clock position, you also have a recessed crown, which looks great and tucks away nicely. This is easy enough to use and you can adjust the time and date with no issues. Overall, the bulk of the watch looks much better than the rubbish online photos suggest. I can see something a little bit Rolex Datejust about the overall shape and look.
The notched case-back is very simple but doesn’t provide any visual exposure to the movement inside. This provides a limited 30m of water resistance, which is similar to many other watches of this style and cost. This essentially means you should avoid getting this wet, aside from rain.
Strap
The worst part of this watch is the included 19mm bracelet. This is made of steel folded links and is outright awful. It feels light, tinny and is a real hair pincher. It might even be worse than that found on some of the Casio digital models, which are a sixth of the retail price. It’s so poor that I easily warped one of the links whilst removing the adjacent ones.
This watch definitely benefits from a replacement strap, though the typically awkward lug width does leave you with fewer options than would be ideal. I chucked on this simple leather strap from Amazon and it feels much better straight away. Alternatively, there are some other options on Aliexpress if you wanted a better steel bracelet. The stock bracelet does at least include plenty of micro-adjustments, which could be useful.
Watch Design
When it comes to the overall aesthetic, this Tristar model is pretty bold. The gold-coloured applied indices and logo give this watch a touch of bling and I think pairs surprisingly well with the black dial. I love the proportions of the hour markers and the tiny lume pips that are positioned below each. These reflect very nicely under the right lighting conditions and give the watch more depth, contributing to somewhat of a premium feel.
The main bulk of the dial is rather reflective, which may be a bit divisive; this features a ridged circular area towards the centre, which provides a near-sunburst effect. I think I’d prefer more of a matte finish as from certain angles it can look a little tacky for my taste, though if you’re looking for a watch that stands out, this dial will certainly do that.
I wish Orient would take the time to put a dark date wheel here, unfortunately, we are left with a white one, but at least the surround is gold, which does match the indices. You’ll notice the second hand beating along rapidly, as we are even getting a mechanical movement in this budget watch.
Movement
Inside is an in-house 21-Jewel Orient automatic movement, which I believe is the Calibre F4902. This movement isn’t much of a looker, which is why there’s no exhibition case-back, though is known to be a very reliable workhorse that should last well over time. This one runs about 10 seconds fast per day, which is perfectly fine for me. Just having an automatic movement and a smooth second-hand present make this watch feel more expensive than the retail price. This gives the watch both day and date functionality, which are adjustable by rotating the crown clockwise for the day and anticlockwise for the date.
Watch Glass
Covering the watch is a piece of mineral crystal. This is absolutely what I would have expected and is okay. It will provide a bit of scratch protection but is very reflective.
Size
Overall, I think the watch looks great on the wrist. The smaller size might not suit larger wrists, but for most guys, this will sit there very nicely indeed. From a distance to an untrained eye, I’m under no doubts that people would mistake this for a much more expensive watch. When you look at the design, I’m pretty sure that’s what Orient was aiming for. From the shiny logo to the gold hands, this is a watch that demands attention and while it might not have the finer details of a luxury watch, it does a fairly good job of imitating that overall look.
Is The Orient Tristar Any Good?
Is the quality as good as the Bambino? Well, I think the Bambino still has a slight edge. The dial looks more premium and the finishing seems to be a step above. Nevertheless, that’s not to say this three-star watch underperforms, because compared to the majority of the competition below £100, this watch still holds up excellently. I also think it’s more versatile than the Bambino, thanks to its styling and size.
If you are after a touch of bling and don’t want to splash out too much, this could be up your street. I think it has a bit more personality than some of the Seiko 5s and certainly makes a statement.
