Introducing: The Orient Stretto 75th Anniversary Collection
Orient marks its 75th anniversary with a new line in the Contemporary Collection — the Orient Stretto. The series launches with six models, split between three limited editions and three regular-production watches. The commemorative trio highlights the milestone with anniversary logos and engravings, while the standard trio secures the Stretto’s place in the permanent collection.
Together, the six watches show a clear design language that the brand claims is rooted in architecture. According to Orient, wedge-shaped indexes echo skyscrapers, while dial arcs mirror urban skylines. Orient borrowed the Stretto name from the world of music, where it means a quickening of the tempo, building up to a climax. There is no shortage of sources of inspiration, then. Let’s see what the resulting watches are like!
Orient 101
Orient was founded in Tokyo in 1950 and quickly launched the Orient Star, setting the tone for refined yet affordable mechanical watches. From the outset, the brand distinguished itself by producing reliable in-house movements, something that gave it a unique position among Japanese watchmakers.
Over the decades, Orient gained a loyal following both at home and abroad. Collectors came to appreciate the brand’s ability to blend timeless styling with solid mechanics at very competitive prices. The watches always carried a sense of value that made them accessible without ever feeling overly compromised.
Orient’s popular Bambino model
In 2009, Epson (a Seiko company) acquired Orient, giving it access to broader resources and technology. Still, the brand kept its identity intact, producing mechanical watches in Japan. Today, the new Orient Stretto pays homage to its 75-year history. We get three limited-edition models and three regular-production watches. Let’s have a look at the limited editions first.
The limited-edition Orient Stretto models
Orient introduced three limited editions: the Stretto Day & Night (2,500 pieces), the Stretto Semi Skeleton (2,800), and the Stretto Date (2,900). Each watch features a commemorative gray dial accented by orange hands. A particular highlight for me is the cursive 1950 logo. Exhibition case backs reveal the in-house calibers, mildly obscured by “Orient since 1950, 75th anniversary” script on the glass.
The Day & Night model (RA-AK0311N) adds a small pointer-day display and a day/night indicator reminiscent of a moonphase complication. The Semi Skeleton (RA-AR0012N) exposes the balance wheel on the dial side, alongside a small seconds sub-dial at six. The Date (RA-AC0R04N) keeps it simpler with just a date window at three and a central seconds hand.
All come in similar case shapes but different sizes. The Day & Night measures 41.5mm across by 48mm from lug to lug and 13mm thick. The Semi Skeleton is 40.8mm in diameter by 48mm long and 10.9mm thick. Finally, the Date measures 38.5 by 45.5 by 11.2mm. Orient rates the water resistance of each at 5 ATM or 50 meters. All come with F6-series calibers running within +25/-15 seconds per day and offering 40 hours of power reserve. Finally, all these anniversary models come on simple three-row bracelets with an H-link look.
Standard Orient Stretto collection
Alongside the commemorative models, Orient launched three standard Stretto Date watches. They share all their technical specs with the Date limited edition as described above. Orient offers a full-steel model with a navy dial, a partially yellow-gold-colored version with a white dial, and a partially rose-tone-plated variant with a brown dial. The white- and blue-dial Stretto models come on bracelets, while their brown-dial counterpart comes on a brown leather quick-change strap.
By introducing these regular-production pieces, Orient ensures that the Stretto is more than a one-off anniversary project. These three watches extend the design language into the core catalog, and I can only assume we will see more of them in the future.
First impressions of the Orient Stretto
The Orient Stretto feels like a worthy way to mark 75 years of watchmaking. Rather than leaning on pure reissues, Orient introduced an entirely new family. The limited editions bring some exclusivity and collectability, while the standard models establish the Stretto as a lasting presence in the lineup. Orient did not provide us with pricing per model but indicated that they range from €364.99 to €499. I assume the most affordable would be the regular-production model on leather, and the most costly would be the limited Day & Night. As always, that makes these Orients very competitive indeed.
The gray dials with orange accents stand out as a playful design choice. They inject charm without overwhelming the overall look, as does the cool vintage script logo. I am not sure I fully see the architectural or musical influence quoted as inspiration, but that isn’t uncommon.
All in all, I think these are solid additions to the Orient collection, offering classical daily watches in several attractive variations.
What do you think of the new Orient Stretto models? Let us know in the comments section below
