Orient Blue Mako

I did finally make a watch purchase after the holidays this year. I wasn't able to get the Seiko Alpinist that I have so coveted in the past few months. The nearly $500 pricetag was just a little too much to swallow in this economy. I am very happy with the Orient that I settled on, after many nights of internet research. I have admired the brand for a while, as it has been a staple in the asian market forever, and is just now making in-roads in the west. Some of their models, frankly, don't do it for me, but the divers I find to be quite classic. With the coming of the new year, prices on-line plummeted and I couldn't help myself... Trigger pulled.

Being that this is what I would consider my first real watch as an adult (it doesn't have C3-PO or R2D2, or any of the cast of Sesame Street on the dial, and it isn't a Swatch) I was pretty excited when it showed up on my doorstep. I won't go on and on about the packaging, but the box is a nice touch, and it makes you feel like you've got a much more expensive piece in your hands. The heft of the thing is great. You get a very strong sense of solidity and strength. So far, I would say that you can't beat the Mako for value. Water resistant to 200 meters (660ft.), day/date, rotating bezel, and automatic movement, all for just over a hundred bucks. The stainless steel bracelet was the deciding factor for me, as I have always had trouble with the fit of traditional watchbands. Having the ability to custom fit the bracelet was key, not to mention the look is without a doubt, burly.

I do have my one gripe, which apparently I share with every other Mako owner. The end-links that attach the bracelet to the watch case are hollow, rather than solid, as you will find on more expensive models. Pardon me, but this is truly the "weak link" of the entire watch. I have heard that due to rather thin spring bars and this hollow structure, this will be the watch's downfall if there is to be one. I am not complaining. For the price, I still think this thing is a steal.

So there you have it, if you're interested. Maybe this mini-review will help if you to are about to jump into the world of the watch fetish. There are certainly more pressing issues in life, but this is just a little corner of mine.