Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Orient Star M34 F8 Skeleton Hand Winding, a Dark, Compact Openworked Watch
Orient Star squeezes more performance out of its M34 F8 through a silicon escape wheel with a rather novel geometry!
Skeleton watches are clearly a big part of Orient Star. Between the sporty Avant-Garde Skeleton, the more refined Orient Star Skeleton in the brand’s Contemporary Collection, and now this new Orient Star M34 F8 Skeleton Hand Winding created for the brand’s 75th anniversary, the Japanese brand has built a broad range of openworked watches over the years. The M34 collection also plays around space-inspired themes, something we again saw with the Orient Star M34 F8 Date Meteorite 75th Anniversary released earlier this year. Sitting closer to the top end of the Orient Star catalogue than most, this latest M34 F8 Skeleton takes that same dreamy-space idea and gives it a darker twist with meteorite-like textures and a sharp skeletonised display.
But there is more going on here than just the styling. Like some of Orient Star’s higher-end skeleton watches, the hand-wound movement uses a silicon escape wheel – not so common in Japanese mechanical watches around this price range. Orient and Orient Star became part of Seiko Epson in 2017, which is how the brands now use manufacturing processes originally developed for things like semiconductors and high-precision printer components. Here, it is used to produce the silicon escape wheel using micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). And to be honest, looking at what they’ve done, it looks pretty intriguing, to say the least!
Not only does a silicon escape wheel help improve the efficiency of the movement, but it also reduces wear in one of the most crucial places in a movement. The design of Orient’s silicon escape is patented through the Seiko Epson corporation and has flexible sort-of F-shaped inner arms (see close-up above, and sketches below) that grip the escape pinion, pushed in place over a metal washer to fix it and eliminate vertical movement along the pinion. There’s no other type of connection than a purely mechanical one. No screws, no clamps, no glue. More details about this can be found in patent no. JP6891622B2 and patent no. JP6891646B2.
The M34 F8 Skeleton Hand Winding measures 39mm across and is 10.8mm thick, going up the alley of those looking for a compact skeleton watch with an understated watch face. Its dark tone and sharp case give it a bold wrist presence, too. This is also not a skeleton watch trying to look classical or dressy. The stainless steel case and bracelet are black plated, with the bezel and crown left in regular steel to add some contrast. Using H-shaped links, the bracelet closes with a push-button folding clasp. Orient Star also includes an extra black cordovan leather strap. The watch comes with a dual-curved sapphire crystal featuring the brand’s super anti-reflective (SAR) coating, while the sapphire caseback offers a view of the movement.
The skeletonised dial side is busy, but not overly complicated. It uses matte black and grey tones throughout. Its indexes and Roman numeral at 12 sit on an outer ring above the exposed movement, which also features a new crystalline texture inspired by meteorites. The power reserve display sits at 12 o’clock, with the small seconds at 6 o’clock next to a cutout revealing the blue silicon escape wheel.
Turning the watch over reveals more of the movement and the same meteorite-inspired finishing carried through to the back. The movement powering the M34 F8 Skeleton Hand Winding is the hand-wound F8B65 based on the calibre F8B61, running at 21,600 vibrations/hour and offering a 70-hour power reserve. Accuracy is rated at +15/-5 seconds per day, which is fairly solid for a movement in this segment. The caseback is also engraved with the Orient Star 75th Anniversary logo and individual limited-edition numbering, with production capped at 430 pieces.
At EUR 3,240 or USD 3,250, the Orient Star M34 F8 Skeleton Hand Winding sits in an interesting spot. That is not exactly entry-level Orient Star territory anymore, but the watch does offer quite a lot in return, becoming a compelling skeleton watch under EUR 3,500.
For more information, please visit Orient-Watch.com.
