Seiko & Orient...what’s the quick & dirty?

Better go for Seiko. Getting spare parts for Orient is a nightmare.

Just my 2 cents

Men

Seiko Alpinist is a great watch and comes at a good price.

I don’t agree. Never have any issues getting parts. Smooth and fast delivery. Super reasonable prices. Very good customer service responding quick on questionts etc. With Orient it’s a nightmare. Takes days before even a responce. Availability of parts is limited to buying compleet movements after a lot of patients.

At least that’s my experience.

Men

Skx013 I think is vastly better

Why? Just a different size...

They also made the iconic 6309-7040 in 1978... I have one from the month and year I was born (Dec 1982) and I love it, especially as it's starting to show it's age (much like it's owner!)

Just ordered a Orient Three Star "Crystal" automatic.
Its a nice enough looker and fairly cheap. The reviews I've found all seem favorable, though the metal band doesn't get much love.
It seems to be considered a good entry level automatic. I've been avoiding automatics for no particularly good reason.

It cost less than 60 USD shipped NIB with all box and papers etc from a reputable seller, if I decide later that I don't like it I'll put it aside as a birthday or Christmas gift for a nephew.

Its size was a major point in its favor, a compact 37mm and 11mm thick. Said to be light weight.

These use a Japanese movement but no one seems to know much about it. They seem to have changed a few things compared to earlier versions. There's no visible pusher to change the day as found on some I've seen reviewed.

Not sure about the movement in my Orient but apparently they have been using a ball bearing system to make self winding easier and more certain. It appears these require about half as much wrist movement to keep them wound and there's a clutch to prevent over winding.
That sound perfect for my uses. For years I didn't have enough mobility in my left arm to keep an automatic wound.

The reviews say there's no hand wind option. But the reviews and specs say it has a pusher to change the day and none is visible in the images.

If it self winds easily the hand wind option is not important.

This was an impulse buy, hope I made the right choice.

PS

Just received the Orient and its a rare beauty. I doubt there's a better value for the money watch out there.
The dial looks much better in real life than in adverts.

I had ordered the Block and Ball markers before realizing that dial option has no minute markers but luckily the seller was willing to make a last minute substitution and I got the more standard stick hour markers with minute markers in between.

Barely moving the watch got it running. The band is not as cheap looking as reviews of earlier versions would lead one to believe. It is rather thin compared to most metal bracelets in this size class but very well made and finished with deeply and neatly stamped Orient brand name and logo on the clasp.

There is no separate pusher to set the day as there was on an earlier version. I've seen some of the early versions up for bids and considered getting one just to have one of each style.

The same basic watch is available with many dial variations. I got a satiny blue dial with gold markers. The company logo stands proud in gold and red, and the three small gold stars are nicely done.

The watch sits comfortably on my wrist, it seems very light for such a substantial piece. There's no rear window with these, and thats a plus in my book. Cases with rear windows seem to be too thick. With the 11mm thickness and very flat case back weight is well distributed.

There's a family resemblance to both Seiko and Citizen watches of this class.