Orient Star Diver Review: The Latest Blue Orient Star Diver

Who doesn’t fall over heels for the nice, active look of diving watches? Alright, maybe not everyone in the watch world but I do. I’ve been an avid fan of tool watches for several years. And, affordable dive watches just come in right with a robust, sporty appearance. As I am here, I will share my views on the Orient Star diver watch reference RK-AU0302L with you, guys.

Dive watches are everywhere from the micro to major watch brands. With each brand’s symbols and designs, there is the right fit one for everyone’s wrists and eyes. We are familiar with the standardization of a dive watch must-have; unidirectional bezel, sufficient readability, durable material, plus resistance to water, shock, and magnetic field.

Because, yes, dive watches are made to suit professional tastes such as the military and any underwater occupations. Through the passage of trends, dive watches go beyond the initial goal as just a tool watch. Now, these durable and flexible watches have been popular picks as sports watches to match one’s style.

And, yeah, I am not the guy who enjoys the wet of water anymore. It might be because of sitting behind a desk as your typical company guy. Though, I do appreciate the beauty of dive watches in my collection, especially the Orient Star diver watch reference RK-AU0302L. It’s versatile to my regular business casual attire and it has been a good weekday beater for months now.

A glance at Orient history

Orient Watch was founded in 1950. It had been in the face of adversity, largely due to the result of World War II. In 2009, Orient became a subsidiary of Seiko Epson Corporation or Epson (the year of 2017 is when Orient became entirely integrated into Epson). At the present day, it has gained a stable footing as a watch brand through years of assiduous and innovative work.

Without further ado, let’s jump to this orient star diver review of Diver Blue Pwr Rsv Ref. RK-AU0302L.

The first look

I came across this robust one in my leisure time after work. At first, I was in doubt. It appeared bigger than the rest of my collection. The sizes of 43.6mm case diameter and 51.1mm lug to lug are indeed on the larger side than any typical dive watch. The roundish shape and sunburst blue dial however haunted me for hours. I like the symmetrical round case and dark color dial, they help the watch adaptability to my choice of clothes.

When I try it several times, this Orient Star diver surprisingly gives a nice feel to my seven-inch wrist. The “large” size with 14mm thickness only further a strong presence. The combination of stainless steel case and bracelet with a double folding clasp with diver extension shows the classic yet sporty look. I bet the watch is also comfortable for guys who are fond of underwater adventures.

Basic components

To complete the sturdy shape, the crystal on top is made with sapphire crystal. It has remarkable clarity. Also, the hardness of the sapphire crystal makes the Orient Star diver has strong resistance against scratches. The deep blue unidirectional bezel is made of aluminum for the insert. It rotates with 120 clicks and has a nice feel to it. I have no problem with the aluminum material of the bezel as I am not into the wilderness. However, if you plan to wear the watch daily in harsh environments, the aluminum bezel might not suit your schedule. The reason? Because it neither has strong resistance to scratches nor fades compared to stainless steel or ceramic.

RK-AU0302L receives satin-brushed treatment for the visible parts of the case between the lugs; the aluminum bezel also gets a satin finish. Its screw-down crown without the crown guard has the logo of Orient. Albeit small, it’s easy to set the time and wind the watch.

Moving on to the dial, I can see Orient trying to create a spacious yet roundish space. The contrast of sunburst blue dial and white capsule-shaped indices, again, give away clear legibility. Though, you can notice the odd rectangular shape of the 12 o’clock hour marker. But, I like the indicator of power reserve on the dial as someone who doesn’t move around so much. It helps to tell when I should wind the watch before it stops ticking. A date complication at 3 o’clock position and the mark of diver’s 200m also fill the activity on the dial.

Performance

This Orient star diver watch has superb performance in my opinion. The indices and semi-skeleton hands shine a bright color of green from the luminous treatment. It really glows clearly which gives another splendid legibility under the darkness.

Moreover, the watch is powered by the latest Orient’s in-house caliber F6N47 automatic movement. It has a 50-hours power reserve and allows hand-winding and hacking of the hour and minute hands. The movement accuracy is at +25/-15 seconds per day and beats at 21,600bph. You can get all of these at the price of under $700 USD.

Final Thoughts

For me, this Orient Star diver is an excellent piece, though it has several downsides. Still, it is my good companion as a desk diver. If you’re okay with its features, then this watch is worth the shot. If not, I guess you need to find another one for your collection.