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This may sound a little controversial but bear with me. I was recently walking with my wife through a small town in the UK while on vacation, and we stumbled upon a small jewelry store. As we often do, given our profession, we spent a few seconds gazing through the window at their displays.

Among the typical low-end and mid-tier brands were far more expensive luxury pieces from IWC. I've never reviewed them before, but they were very close to the window, so I got a really good look. You know what? We both preferred the $350 watch I already had on my wrist! No word of a lie; we mutually agreed that the dial looked more attractive, at least from arm's length.

The mystery piece in question was the Orient Star Classic, a member of Orient's 'higher-end' mechanical lineup.

I'm sure there's more to it. Undoubtedly, the finishing of the IWC will be superior on a macro level, but it got me thinking. How close is this 'premium' Orient to a luxury watch? Is it noticeably better than some of their cheaper offerings?

Luckily, Jomashop originally sent me the Orient Star for review purposes, which puts me in the perfect position to answer some of those questions. I'll link both the Orient Star and a lower-cost Orient I'm featuring throughout this article. Jomashop has an extensive range of other pieces, which are worth a look if you haven't seen their site before. As always, I have complete creative control over this post, meaning I could condemn this watch if I wanted to. But, do I want to?

Sure the watch may look nice, but does that make it a good watch, or worth the extra money over a standard Orient?

Packaging

For starters, the improved packaging indicates that this Orient Star could be a step up. By no means is this overly extravagant, though it is an upgrade over the basic box provided with most Orient watches. It's more padded and plush, giving a pleasant first impression that you'd expect with a higher-priced watch.

There's also a $700 Orient sticker on this box. I reckon Orient is pulling an Invicta here, as I can't recall ever seeing this watch for close to $700 on any site. At $700, there are many better options (unless inflation gets totally out of control). The $350 I paid is much more realistic.

Dimensions

Despite the dodgy RRP strategy, I was immediately pleased with the sizing. Here we have a 38.5mm case size, paired with a 12.9mm thickness and a resultant lug to lug of just 44.3mm. On paper, the chunkiness seems disproportionate, though a notable proportion of that is constituted of the domed crystal. Like the Bambino, this glass features heavy curving at the circumference, which levels out across the top. As a result, the watch does wear thinner than the measurements indicate.

From my experience, it is just slim enough for a dress watch and narrowly squeezes under most sleeves when needed. A couple of millimeters more, and I probably wouldn't be saying that, so a slimmer revision would still be ideal. Regardless, it fits my thin 15.5cm wrist near-perfectly and provides that vintage-sized look for those with larger wrists.

Watch Case

Compared to the similarly-sized $130 open heart Orient I recently reviewed, the case shape is more formal, with narrower lugs that jut out from the predominantly round profile. Despite both models having comparable brushing, when together, it's clear that the Orient Star is done to a higher standard. The edges are markedly sharper, with neater transitions between different sections, and the polishing provides cleaner reflections than that on the more budget-oriented model. I'm unsure how accurately this comes through on camera.

*Orient FAG Open Heart (Left) Orient Star (Right)*

Movement

Both are constructed of 316L stainless steel, the industry standard, and screwed exhibition rears that help secure both pieces to a reasonable 5bar water resistance. This method reveals another one of the primary differences between the two models; the movement. Unfortunately, there's little information about either of these automatics online, though there are some immediately notable differences. The main visual change comes in the form of decoration. As expected, the Orient FAG has an entry-level, undecorated F6922 movement, which has plenty of functionality but isn't the most visually impressive. On the other hand, the Orient Star houses the caliber 40N5A, which offers a nicer custom rotor with attractive perlage brushing across the various support plates.

Not only does it look nice, but it offers improved functionality in the form of the power reserve indicator, present at the top of the dial. This complication is a rare addition to a watch at this price point and is, in fact, the first time one has appeared on this blog. As you can see, this scale maxes out at 40 hours, the maximum power reserve of this movement. If you like switching watches or prefer not to wear your automatic watch every day, this can prove to be a useful instrument. It essentially allows you to keep tabs on the current level of 'charge' left in the movement (or, more accurately, the main spring).

Despite this, I doubt you'd notice a substantial performance difference between these movements, which both pulsate at a moderate 21,600 beats per hour. Both hack and hand-wind, the latter of which looks superb on the Orient star, as you can see the power reserve meter filling up right before your eyes.

Dial Design

The Orient Star also features alterations and upgrades that contribute to its handsomeness. First up, this model foregoes a sunburst, rocking a black matte texture with a leatherette-style surface, giving an unusual air of quality. The applied hour markers don't significantly improve over those on the FAG; this time, they sit within the chapter ring, stretching further into a sword shape. I think these look better, though they're not the cleanest on a macro level.

Some of you reading may be pleased to see the replacement of the divisive Orient logo with the Orient Star line. While I'm okay with the elaborate original, I think this version is sleeker, given the classier font style.

Watch Handset

I immediately noticed something mysterious about the hands. They seemed to catch the light nicer than the previous Orient, while in identical lighting conditions. Some quick work with a super-macro lens revealed the secret. While this dauphine handset may look identical from a distance, the Orient Star has a matte blasted portion occupying half of each hand. This is done to such a standard that it resembles frosting on a window and helps the watch look much more expensive – I'd love to see this technique brought into more watches.

Bracelet

All looks good so far, but are there any parts that let down this mid-tier package? Well, you'll notice that most of the photographs in this post have been taken with the watch on a brown strap. Fortunately, that's not because the bracelet sucks or is faulty. I just think the watch looks better on a leather band instead. The stock option is solid and a noteworthy upgrade over the regular Orient. While the clasp appears the same, this one is milled rather than pressed, providing a more satisfying and secure feeling. As you might expect, all of the links here are solid, including the end links this time, and the overall finishing is enhanced too.

You can go a couple of ways with this wristwatch. I've opted for a simple option from Barton, which I'll link here. If you wanted to dress this up, you could go for something with more of a taper or stick with the steel bracelet, should that suit your preferences.

Final Thoughts

While in many ways, it's clear why so many reviewers consider this a real 'affordable luxury' watch. It looks beautiful, is well made, and isn't overpriced. Nevertheless, I'd like to highlight a few small drawbacks to keep it in check. First up, I'd love to see a smoother, higher beat-rate movement in here. I'm not sure that's possible while maintaining the power reserve complication at this price, but a smoother sweep would boost the elegance of this Orient Star even further. Currently, it ticks along at the same rate as many more affordable watches, reducing the air of sophistication.

Furthermore, while the domed crystal looks great, it is only mineral, not sapphire, meaning the watch will inevitably accrue scratches over its lifetime, with no way of removing them. As stated in my watch glass guide, I always prefer sapphire crystal to prevent scratches, so it's a shame that the premium material is absent from the 'premium' wristwatch. Some cost-cutting has taken place here.

Nevertheless, for the most part, the watch has lived up to my expectations. The brand hasn't poured loads of money into marketing and has produced a beautiful watch that would be a good fit for almost any wrist. In most aspects, it looks and feels like an understated entry-level luxury watch and is a distinct step-up from their similarly styled budget watches.

That being said, I'm not sure it offers the same bang-for-buck value as some of the budget Orient offerings. Like with many products, you get diminishing returns as you spend more on a watch. Only you can decide how far down the spectrum you're willing to travel.