yattokame
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anything for my U1?
The Watch Thread - Part 11
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anything for my U1?
gaoxing84
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TeenTitan01
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watch FR warning: super loooooooooong wall of text in the spoiler!
so i eventually succumbed and bought another watch after thinking that i can finally be a contented one-watch man with my omega 2254.50! yeah right, wishful thinking!
so i eventually succumbed and bought another watch after thinking that i can finally be a contented one-watch man with my omega 2254.50! yeah right, wishful thinking!
do i no longer love my 2254.50? not in the least! i'm still deeply in love with it and am glad that i'm a proud owner of an oop men's watch that will grow in cult status and value over time!
i'd mention before that i'm still on the lookout for the following watches locally at a good price as i rather not buy a watch sight unseen: an omega 2538.20 gmt great white and an omega 2255.80 electric blue (its iridescent blue wave dial is really to lust for and you must see it irl to fully appreciate its various hues of amazing blue as you angle the dial in the light!). unfortunately, good pickings are non-existent.
but i finally had to scratch the itch for a beautiful iridescent blue sunburst dial that also happen to come with a nice pepsi bezel with 6-9-12 arabic numeral markers.
and this is what i got (picture credit to wotd.sg @ carousell.sg cos my way-over-the-hill low-end camphone finally tanked):
bravo to those who guessed correctly that it's the orient pepsi mako on s/steel bracelet before opening the spoiler. 
the orient mako’s day pusher at 2 o'clock used to bother me a lot as it seems to be an odd appendage located asymmetrically enough to be off-putting to a fair no of folks - as was its lack of hacking, winding and non-SELs bracelet. (same reasons that put me off buying a seiko skx009).
well, the day pusher was the design workaround by orient in order to add day of the week display adjustment onto its venerable and decades proven 46943 caliber movement, which incidentally and iirc, was derived from seiko movements of the 70s, which explains why there're 80+% parts interchangeability between them.
so i was browsing at chinatown cash converters a short while back and lo & behold, an orient pepsi mako in good condition was in the display case. was quite excited to see one in the metal cos they’re already oop and are oos in many places. the sticker price was $220, final discount down to $200 watch only, with NO box, NO papers, NO extra links and only 1 month shop warranty. it was beautiful, but i decided not to be a carrot and gave it a pass, despite knowing that they are already oop and available supply is drying up. it’s since been sold when i next visited (prior to me scoring my brand new mako pepsi).
the orient mako II has already been released earlier this year, with a windable & hackable movement, making it more in-line with most watches with only a single crown. unfortunately, the upgrades i was hoping for did not come: NO sapphire crystal, NO SEL bracelet. bummer!
so, there i was at big time to beo their jdm seiko sarx041 (aka spb039j1 internationally). big time can help you send back to japan if there’s any warranty issue and no discount from their online prices. would also cost a pretty penny to order a original seiko s/steel bracelet appropriate to that model. (i’m more a bracelet guy given our annoyingly hot & humid weather) sianz.
then i saw that the mako pepsi was avail on rubber strap in the corner of their display case. (yippee!) the orient mako II pepsi on bracelet was also on display. i asked if they can swap out the rubber into the s/steel bracelet and charge me the bracelet version price. they checked around, located a brand new s/steel bracelet from their storeroom and said, sure. (great!)
so why did I get the mako instead of the mako II despite it having the older, non-hackable, non-windable movement? good question!
put simply, it’s because it’s oop and will be scarce in the future. also i grew to love its “ugly” appendage that is a distinctive feature of orient watches not found on other watches. it may be phased out eventually when its proven, venerable 46943 caliber movement is no longer used. so since it’s oop & oos in many places, mtl, better grab when it’s still avail - some more at authorised distributor - and not live to regret! to paraphrase one bro’s previous comment when he saw the aquamarine/gold seiko marinemaster automatic 300m “it’s so ugly, i must have it!” roflmao.
the single crown mako II with orient F69 caliber movement makes it more conventional looking, but it lost the distinctive, controversial day pusher crown at 2 o’clock that's unique to orient watches.
one detail that will be apparent if you put the mako and mako II side by side is the size of their crowns at the 3 o’clock position. the crown on mako is beefier than mako II, making the air gap between the crown and the crown guards more apparent in the mako II. which is yet another reason why I chose the mako over the mako II.
subsequent closer inspection between my mako I pepsi vs a mako II pepsi i saw at a shop in people's park centre also revealed that the mako I pepsi has a more shimmering, deep blue, sunburst dial, while the mako II pepsi's blue dial seems more muted, matt, less "alive" and "blingy" compared to the mako I pepsi. well, i'm glad i chose the mako I pepsi after all!
the sword hands of my orient mako pepsi is also a dead ringer for the sword hands of my omega 2254.50.
i’ve also had my eye on a 3-6-9-12 arabic numeral watch like the blancpain 50 fathoms for a while so my orient mako pepsi scratches that itch too. i would’ve preferred a 3-6-9-12 dial with an offset date aperture at 4.30 position, but hey, you can’t demand everything from a 200m watch with a better bracelet that cost less than an skx009 with an even cheaper feeling jubilee bracelet, right?
So, what do I like about my orient mako pepsi?
- its gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous, deep, rich, iridescent, blue sunburst dial that is simply a pleasure to behold as you angle it under good lighting.
- it’s easy on the eye when reading the time.
- its squared-off 6-9-12 lumed arabic numeral hour markers.
- its semi-matt deep rich blue and deep rich red aluminium bezel. (a pleasant retro element so refreshing from today’s shiny ceramic bezels!)
- its bezel lines up accurately with the minute chapter ring. (top notch manufacturing QC!)
- mine comes with a 120-click bezel - unlike older makos with a 60-click bezel. (bonus!)
- a nice heft on wrist that belies its uber value-for-money price, without feeling too light & flimsy; nor too heavy & clunky.
- a decent understated, brushed-finish solid-links oyster-style bracelet. (but no SELs unfortunately)
- no annoying rattle (i’m looking at you skx009 with jubilee bracelet) nor ugly air gap even at its folded-end links.
- its short lugs and great, comfortable fit that hugs my wrist perfectly.
- its signed crown. (some pieces cost 10x more don’t even have a signed crown)
- its signed clasp.
- love its polished sword hands. (just like my omega 2254.50)
- polished applied indices.
- polished applied logo.
- polished s/steel day/date window frame.
- flat mineral crystal.
- the above 5 elements cause the watch to shimmer when it catches the light.
- its chunky main crown can give the rolex big crown a run for its money.
- 200m water resistance & screw-down crowns means no worries in the water and in the elements.
- it is different and unique. (no one can mistake it for any other watch except an orient with its prominent day pusher at 2 o’clock. this identity is diluted in the mako II)
- not your usual seiko skx009.
- cheaper than the skx009. (translated: more value-for-money and more bang-for-your-buck!)
- its surprising good quality, fit and finish.
- the time-o-grapher at bigtime shows my orient mako pepsi to be between 0-7s/day dial-up and crown-up. (i’m ambidextrous when it comes to wearing watches) at this price point and so close to COSC standard out of the display case? happy af liao lor!
- for its price, its presence, charisma and on-wrist feel actually match and even outshines some watches that cost more than 10-50x its price!
- this handsome watch is just quality and value for money ttm!
so, what’s not so hot if you insist on nitpicking on this watch?
- well, some say the logo looks like it’s from a cigarette pack (hmmm… seems legit!)
- logo’s too retro looking like something from the 90s.
- cursive “automatic” and “water resist” script doesn’t quite jell in a sporty diver.
- with no lume on its seconds hand & no diver’s extension - it’s not an iso certified diver.
- no SEL (but links are solid though).
- not hackable/windable. (the mako II is for such folks)
- the fugly day pusher. (eh, it’s what sets an orient apart from the pack, ok! again the mako II is for these folks)
- clasp is stamped metal, some more not polished. (eh, the skx009 machiam also stamped metal clasp leh. even older rolexes have the cheap feeling stamped metal clasps lah! anyway, once closed, it’s hidden away unseen. also, it’s good to see how raw s/steel looks like before it’s polished. it helps you appreciate the finish, right?)
- pin/collar is used for bracelet link (eh, how much you paying ah, towkay? Even mid-range swiss watches a decade ago also use pin/collar lah)
- lume’s not radioactive like the seiko monster and the omega 2254.50. (aw, c’mon! such comments are bordering on the want cheap, want good, want big melons territory liao lah!)
Anyway, the mako/mako II pepsi would’ve been perfect had orient used sapphire crystals, SELs s/steel bracelets, ditched the day aperture, relocated the date aperture at 4.30 position, with the date numerals in white and date wheel in the exact colour as the dial and for the dial to have 3-6-9-12 lumed applied hour makers for that balanced, symmetrical look.
but at $189 w/gst and 1 year authorized distributor warranty? no complaints lah! (big time, orient’s authorized agent in sg, offered 20% discount off their list price). they sized my bracelet comfortably on their first try and also threw in a very basic springbar tool last minute, in addition to a christmas present (short ikea glass tumbler & usb powered LED light). not bad at all.
big time also has the largest selections of orient watches I’ve ever seen on display. a nice, friendly lady irene even served me coffee - while I was browsing & haven’t even bought anything yet! (I suspect is she’s the boss lady, cos wearing big diamond earrings - can more experience bros confirm?) so, it you don’t mind paying a bit more (compared to online/non-authorized dealers) for peace of mind from the 1 yr authorized agent warranty, can get to see, feel and try on an orient watch in the metal and get it professionally sized (and even have your purchase checked on their time-o-grapher on the spot if you’re really ocd about accuracy/deviation), you can consider big time @ commonwealth.
so there you have it, will this be my last watch hoot for 2016? not if i strike lottery big time. so please please wish me best of luck, bros!!! so i can post more choice watch poison on wrist for your viewing pleasure…
ps. any good recommendation for a value-for-money smartphone with an excellent low-light camera? thanks bros!
i'd mention before that i'm still on the lookout for the following watches locally at a good price as i rather not buy a watch sight unseen: an omega 2538.20 gmt great white and an omega 2255.80 electric blue (its iridescent blue wave dial is really to lust for and you must see it irl to fully appreciate its various hues of amazing blue as you angle the dial in the light!). unfortunately, good pickings are non-existent.
but i finally had to scratch the itch for a beautiful iridescent blue sunburst dial that also happen to come with a nice pepsi bezel with 6-9-12 arabic numeral markers.
and this is what i got (picture credit to wotd.sg @ carousell.sg cos my way-over-the-hill low-end camphone finally tanked):
the orient mako’s day pusher at 2 o'clock used to bother me a lot as it seems to be an odd appendage located asymmetrically enough to be off-putting to a fair no of folks - as was its lack of hacking, winding and non-SELs bracelet. (same reasons that put me off buying a seiko skx009).
well, the day pusher was the design workaround by orient in order to add day of the week display adjustment onto its venerable and decades proven 46943 caliber movement, which incidentally and iirc, was derived from seiko movements of the 70s, which explains why there're 80+% parts interchangeability between them.
so i was browsing at chinatown cash converters a short while back and lo & behold, an orient pepsi mako in good condition was in the display case. was quite excited to see one in the metal cos they’re already oop and are oos in many places. the sticker price was $220, final discount down to $200 watch only, with NO box, NO papers, NO extra links and only 1 month shop warranty. it was beautiful, but i decided not to be a carrot and gave it a pass, despite knowing that they are already oop and available supply is drying up. it’s since been sold when i next visited (prior to me scoring my brand new mako pepsi).
the orient mako II has already been released earlier this year, with a windable & hackable movement, making it more in-line with most watches with only a single crown. unfortunately, the upgrades i was hoping for did not come: NO sapphire crystal, NO SEL bracelet. bummer!
so, there i was at big time to beo their jdm seiko sarx041 (aka spb039j1 internationally). big time can help you send back to japan if there’s any warranty issue and no discount from their online prices. would also cost a pretty penny to order a original seiko s/steel bracelet appropriate to that model. (i’m more a bracelet guy given our annoyingly hot & humid weather) sianz.
then i saw that the mako pepsi was avail on rubber strap in the corner of their display case. (yippee!) the orient mako II pepsi on bracelet was also on display. i asked if they can swap out the rubber into the s/steel bracelet and charge me the bracelet version price. they checked around, located a brand new s/steel bracelet from their storeroom and said, sure. (great!)
so why did I get the mako instead of the mako II despite it having the older, non-hackable, non-windable movement? good question!
put simply, it’s because it’s oop and will be scarce in the future. also i grew to love its “ugly” appendage that is a distinctive feature of orient watches not found on other watches. it may be phased out eventually when its proven, venerable 46943 caliber movement is no longer used. so since it’s oop & oos in many places, mtl, better grab when it’s still avail - some more at authorised distributor - and not live to regret! to paraphrase one bro’s previous comment when he saw the aquamarine/gold seiko marinemaster automatic 300m “it’s so ugly, i must have it!” roflmao.
the single crown mako II with orient F69 caliber movement makes it more conventional looking, but it lost the distinctive, controversial day pusher crown at 2 o’clock that's unique to orient watches.
one detail that will be apparent if you put the mako and mako II side by side is the size of their crowns at the 3 o’clock position. the crown on mako is beefier than mako II, making the air gap between the crown and the crown guards more apparent in the mako II. which is yet another reason why I chose the mako over the mako II.
subsequent closer inspection between my mako I pepsi vs a mako II pepsi i saw at a shop in people's park centre also revealed that the mako I pepsi has a more shimmering, deep blue, sunburst dial, while the mako II pepsi's blue dial seems more muted, matt, less "alive" and "blingy" compared to the mako I pepsi. well, i'm glad i chose the mako I pepsi after all!
the sword hands of my orient mako pepsi is also a dead ringer for the sword hands of my omega 2254.50.
i’ve also had my eye on a 3-6-9-12 arabic numeral watch like the blancpain 50 fathoms for a while so my orient mako pepsi scratches that itch too. i would’ve preferred a 3-6-9-12 dial with an offset date aperture at 4.30 position, but hey, you can’t demand everything from a 200m watch with a better bracelet that cost less than an skx009 with an even cheaper feeling jubilee bracelet, right?
So, what do I like about my orient mako pepsi?
- its gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous, deep, rich, iridescent, blue sunburst dial that is simply a pleasure to behold as you angle it under good lighting.
- it’s easy on the eye when reading the time.
- its squared-off 6-9-12 lumed arabic numeral hour markers.
- its semi-matt deep rich blue and deep rich red aluminium bezel. (a pleasant retro element so refreshing from today’s shiny ceramic bezels!)
- its bezel lines up accurately with the minute chapter ring. (top notch manufacturing QC!)
- mine comes with a 120-click bezel - unlike older makos with a 60-click bezel. (bonus!)
- a nice heft on wrist that belies its uber value-for-money price, without feeling too light & flimsy; nor too heavy & clunky.
- a decent understated, brushed-finish solid-links oyster-style bracelet. (but no SELs unfortunately)
- no annoying rattle (i’m looking at you skx009 with jubilee bracelet) nor ugly air gap even at its folded-end links.
- its short lugs and great, comfortable fit that hugs my wrist perfectly.
- its signed crown. (some pieces cost 10x more don’t even have a signed crown)
- its signed clasp.
- love its polished sword hands. (just like my omega 2254.50)
- polished applied indices.
- polished applied logo.
- polished s/steel day/date window frame.
- flat mineral crystal.
- the above 5 elements cause the watch to shimmer when it catches the light.
- its chunky main crown can give the rolex big crown a run for its money.
- 200m water resistance & screw-down crowns means no worries in the water and in the elements.
- it is different and unique. (no one can mistake it for any other watch except an orient with its prominent day pusher at 2 o’clock. this identity is diluted in the mako II)
- not your usual seiko skx009.
- cheaper than the skx009. (translated: more value-for-money and more bang-for-your-buck!)
- its surprising good quality, fit and finish.
- the time-o-grapher at bigtime shows my orient mako pepsi to be between 0-7s/day dial-up and crown-up. (i’m ambidextrous when it comes to wearing watches) at this price point and so close to COSC standard out of the display case? happy af liao lor!
- for its price, its presence, charisma and on-wrist feel actually match and even outshines some watches that cost more than 10-50x its price!
- this handsome watch is just quality and value for money ttm!
so, what’s not so hot if you insist on nitpicking on this watch?
- well, some say the logo looks like it’s from a cigarette pack (hmmm… seems legit!)
- logo’s too retro looking like something from the 90s.
- cursive “automatic” and “water resist” script doesn’t quite jell in a sporty diver.
- with no lume on its seconds hand & no diver’s extension - it’s not an iso certified diver.
- no SEL (but links are solid though).
- not hackable/windable. (the mako II is for such folks)
- the fugly day pusher. (eh, it’s what sets an orient apart from the pack, ok! again the mako II is for these folks)
- clasp is stamped metal, some more not polished. (eh, the skx009 machiam also stamped metal clasp leh. even older rolexes have the cheap feeling stamped metal clasps lah! anyway, once closed, it’s hidden away unseen. also, it’s good to see how raw s/steel looks like before it’s polished. it helps you appreciate the finish, right?)
- pin/collar is used for bracelet link (eh, how much you paying ah, towkay? Even mid-range swiss watches a decade ago also use pin/collar lah)
- lume’s not radioactive like the seiko monster and the omega 2254.50. (aw, c’mon! such comments are bordering on the want cheap, want good, want big melons territory liao lah!)
Anyway, the mako/mako II pepsi would’ve been perfect had orient used sapphire crystals, SELs s/steel bracelets, ditched the day aperture, relocated the date aperture at 4.30 position, with the date numerals in white and date wheel in the exact colour as the dial and for the dial to have 3-6-9-12 lumed applied hour makers for that balanced, symmetrical look.
but at $189 w/gst and 1 year authorized distributor warranty? no complaints lah! (big time, orient’s authorized agent in sg, offered 20% discount off their list price). they sized my bracelet comfortably on their first try and also threw in a very basic springbar tool last minute, in addition to a christmas present (short ikea glass tumbler & usb powered LED light). not bad at all.
big time also has the largest selections of orient watches I’ve ever seen on display. a nice, friendly lady irene even served me coffee - while I was browsing & haven’t even bought anything yet! (I suspect is she’s the boss lady, cos wearing big diamond earrings - can more experience bros confirm?) so, it you don’t mind paying a bit more (compared to online/non-authorized dealers) for peace of mind from the 1 yr authorized agent warranty, can get to see, feel and try on an orient watch in the metal and get it professionally sized (and even have your purchase checked on their time-o-grapher on the spot if you’re really ocd about accuracy/deviation), you can consider big time @ commonwealth.
so there you have it, will this be my last watch hoot for 2016? not if i strike lottery big time. so please please wish me best of luck, bros!!! so i can post more choice watch poison on wrist for your viewing pleasure…
ps. any good recommendation for a value-for-money smartphone with an excellent low-light camera? thanks bros!
Last edited:
TeenTitan01
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can summarise ma?
But gx gx for yr new hoot...
damn chuffed that i managed to scored an oop, nearly oos brand spanking new orient mako pepsi @ $189 w/gst & 1 yr authorised agent warranty at big time.
ps. for major WOTs, better draft, edit & save on ms word in case browser hang or some shat. murphy's law always applies
endlssorrow
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any saw the safra membership which gives the free Columbia watch? is the watch much bigger than the turtle seiko series?
gaoxing84
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Lai lai anyone?
gaoxing84
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TeenTitan01
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TeenTitan01
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long time no see .. ho seh bo
uncle getting old liao. hoping real hard to strike toto top prize so i don't have to slog and suffer anymore. please, please wish me best of luck! gam sia zuay zuay!
slow_mo
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GXGX for the new hoot!
Henabi
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RWS staycation
Those are some Hairy legs =P
Henabi
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indigo22
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helps to keep warm in cold countries 
damn chuffed that i managed to scored an oop, nearly oos brand spanking new orient mako pepsi @ $189 w/gst & 1 yr authorised agent warranty at big time.
ps. for major WOTs, better draft, edit & save on ms word in case browser hang or some shat. murphy's law always applies
Did you see any blue Mako I there?
TIA.i might be keen.... What's recommended? and what size for seiko turtles?
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