Hands-On with the Orient Star M45 F8 Skeleton
In 2021, Orient celebrated its 70th anniversary and did so by launching an improved version of its Orient Star Skeleton. Orient Star is the most premium line of the Japanese watch manufacturer, which was founded in 1951 and has, for quite some years now, been part of the Seiko Epson conglomerate. In fact, this Orient Star M45 F8 Skeleton (reference RE-AZ0004S) is made in Shiojiri, an expansive manufacturing facility that is also the place where Grand Seiko is making its high-end quartz and Spring Drive movements, but also serves as the home of its renowned Micro Artists Studios.
Skeleton watches play an important role in the world of Orient Star. The first skeleton watch joined its ranks in 1991, making it a double anniversary. For the brand, it is a way to highlight the mechanical movements that power its watches, something on which they are rightfully proud, of course, in a modest, Japanese way. In the Orient Star M45 F8 Skeleton, the movement is a treat not only in a technical sense but also in an aesthetic one. It houses caliber F8B62, for which Orient upgraded the power reserve from an already decent 50 hours to a generous 70 hours, just as the anniversary they were celebrating. The Orient Star gets this power reserve from a single barrel, which can be admired at the twelve o'clock position and runs at 21,600 VpH/3HZ.
Making a skeleton watch is not that difficult, but getting it visually right is another thing. Orient Star took the most challenging path here, as they wanted to give you a tour through the inside of the movement without compromising reliability, showcase their decoration techniques, and all that without compromising legibility. They not only achieved all that but also placed a cherry on top by doing so in a rather sophisticated way. The movement is nicely skeletonized, but not overly so. This means that the bridges are not cut away to the bare minimum, which not only makes them more robust but also allows Orient to finish them with a perlage. This gives, combined with the chamfered edges, an incredible play of light. The hand-blued hands also happily join in this firework-like spectacle, but then you notice another dash of blue on the top-left side just under the seconds hand. This is the silicon escape wheel that was developed and made in-house as well in collaboration with Epson, using its proprietary MEMS technology.
Orient takes getting the proportions right very seriously, and that's why this M45 F8 Skeleton has a diameter of 38.8mm. Combined with a thickness of 10.6mm, it results in a classically proportioned watch that looks good on a wide variety of different wrist sizes. It is known that the Japanese are always very eager to obtain perfection, and happy to go the extra mile to obtain this. This is also present in the Orient Star, as the brand utilizes a super anti-reflective coating on the sapphire crystal to ensure that as little glare as possible distracts you from admiring the movement or, of course, telling time. However, you probably do more of the first without even noticing the latter. Another aspect where Orient went all in, is the finishing of the case. This is done by hand using the Sallaz method, and the result is quite similar to Grand Seiko's Zaratsu polishing. As the M45 F8 Skeleton is a manual wound watch, a good feel of the crown is an essential part of the overall experience. While modest in size, the crown offers a nice grip, the right amount of resistance, and a smooth winding experience. When you pull the crown you notice that the Orient Star is also fitted with a stop on the balance wheel, allowing you to set the watch down to the right second.
Skeleton watches are often not among the most legible, but the M45 F8 Skeleton is the exception to this rule. Orient gave all the functions their own outlined segment, which for the power reserve and the small seconds are screwed into the movement. The same goes for the small plate on the right side of the watch, showing the Orient Star name and logo. The outer ring features a crosshatched decoration with a pad-printed railroad track for the minutes and stainless steel hour markers. Orient also applied a very fine finish on these as well, and when the sun hits them under certain angles, the give flashes of color.
The caseback is kept clean, and the caliber F8B62 shows the traditional layout of a high-end manual wound movement. The finish is also very pleasing here, as Orient Star opted for their version of 'Geneva Stripes,' and applied it in such a way that there is quite a bit of play of light and even some added visual depth. This version of the M45 F8 Skeleton features a yellow gold plated movement with a champagne-colored hour ring, but Orient also offers the Orient Star with a rhodium-plated movement and white hour ring (reference RE-AZ0005S), which is a bit more contemporary and even more under the radar.
A strap is often considered the finishing touch of a watch but also an essential one. It is interesting to see that Orient forgo the traditional alligator, but went for a very high grade of shell cordovan. The strap breathes the atmosphere of a pair of very expensive, handmade shoes. As I am unfortunately not familiar with Japanese shoe manufacturers of this level, I would say that a pair of Alden's comes very close to the experience of this strap. Orient even went through the trouble of fitting it with a folding clasp with a very thin design so that the closure doesn't get too bulky. This makes the Orient Star M45 F8 Skeleton, which retails for $3,150 not only a refined choice, but also a comfortable one.
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