The Orient Watch company traces its roots back to 1901 and the horological marketing of its founder, Shogoro Yoshida, in Tokyo. For many years, Orient was number three in the Japanese watchmaking triumvirate of Seiko, Citizen, and Orient. However, Casio, riding on the heels of the quartz revolution begun by Seiko in 1969, quickly supplanted Orient with watches that were marketed primarily in the United States, but which were also popular in Japan and Asian markets. Nevertheless, Orient stayed the course with a conservative design philosophy and a marketing strategy that has largely ignored the US in favor of Japan and other Pacific rim countries, the Middle East, Russia, and South America. Orient Watch is the only manufacturer, among the big three, to dedicate themselves to mechanical movement watches.
Today, Orient has manufacturing facilities in Japan, Singapore, and Brazil, and offers a wide range of watch designs and styles, including mechanical, quartz, and light powered (similar to Citizen’s Eco-Drive line). Seiko Epson now owns a controlling interest (52%) in Orient.
In 1985 Orient and Seiko established a joint factory. Orient produces a wide range of automatic and quartz watches ranging in price from reasonably inexpensive (about 50USD / 50Euro) to very expensive (7000USD). As of 2006, Orient Watch has the largest Japanese mechanical movement production exceeding Seiko's and Citizens combined production figures. Through large scale production, the value offered by their watches are considered one of the best in the industry. Orient Star and Orient Star Royal are the middle and high-end brands, with the Royal Orient being their flagship line.
Mid-priced Orient watches are perceived by enthusiasts as offering excellent quality and value for money. Orient manufactures its own movements, which is quite unusual because most manufacturers outsource this aspect of their business. Unlike Citizen, Orient does not sell their movements for OEM production.
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