Monday 5 December 2011

Review: Orient M4 Analogue Quartz Chronograph

“The ETA is the most dominant analogue quartz chronograph movement powerhouse behind the manufacture of Swiss originated brands and the brands under the Swatch Group. While ETA is enhancing their so noticeable analogue chronograph movement, their competitors from the Far East have forward paths the analogue quartz chronograph capability in greater heights. Besides used for their in house brands; Seiko Epson, Citizen Miyota, and Casio Computers of Japan’s quartz chronograph movements have been chosen by many quartz-powered watch manufacturers. Citizen Miyota’s OS10 and OS20 are the two most used movements in this watch category. We can find them in many brands like Chronoforce, TW Steel, Guess, Nautica, Invicta, and some other watchmakers and designers’ brand. Not to forget, the movement have been enhanced for the use in Citizen’s signature line – the famous Eco-Drive. Another development; the Seiko Epson’s 7T92 and 7T94 movements are now used to power the Nautica quartz chronograph line. Casio Computers is no doubt is the world’s number one producer in analogue quartz chronograph. The Edifice has been the most famous signature brand of Casio with the advanced 1/100th of a second analogue quartz chronograph recorder. Recently, Orient - the Japanese underdog has been found making a step forward to improve their sporty timepieces. Not like the Miyota’s familiar analogue chronograph in the previous production; the Orient Watch Company of Japan now offers a more Swiss chronometer look-a-like configuration with the production of the M4 analogue quartz chronograph movement. I noticed that the M4 combines all the familiar chronograph configurations we have seen before! Read below, my pictorial review on one of the M4 chronograph model currently available in the market. The model resembles the look of the 70s classic sports watch - a modern classic with advanced analogue quartz chronograph movement. ” – thetick-thetick

The Seiko 7T92 analogue quartz chronograph: 1/20th of a second recorder, analogue alarm setting, sub-second, and date configuration.
Another familiar face, the Seiko 7T94 analogue quartz chronograph with 60 minutes recorder, sub-second and date configuration.
The three famous dial configurations in analogue quartz chronographs. The Miyota OS10 and OS20, and the ETA G15.211 1/10th quartz chronograph used in TAG Heuer F1 and Tissot MotoGP series. The two Miyota’s are recognisable by the twin sixties – 60 seconds and 60 minutes registers. The OS10 comes with 12 hours recorder; else the OS20 comes with non-chronograph recorder which is a 24 hours indicator. We can find these three configurations in many brands.

Orient Analogue Quartz Chronograph
Product Code: CTT0U004B
Product Name: Orient NEO70's Analogue Quartz Chronograph
Movement No: KFB00 [M4]

A modern classic and distinctive sports watch. Nowadays, everybody loves big watches. This three-register chronograph watch is 43mm in diameter with 11.75mm thickness.
The thick and fat 5 minutes indexes resemble the 70s sporty watches dial. The dial is well configured with proportionate size for the hour, minute, second, and registers hands.
Like the Swiss ETA G15.211 analogue quartz chronograph powering the TAG Heuer and Tissot; the Orient M4 movement comes with a 1/10th of a second register (originally the base movement proposes 1/20th) and configured at 12 o’clock position. Look at the minute indexes; they are so precisely printed on the dial.
 The register at 6 o’clock position looks similar to the Seiko 7T92. The 7T92 functions as 12 hours analogue alarm setting hands but the M4 is a true combination of 30 minutes and 12 hours analogue recorder. See the hour hand stacked underneath the minute hand. Interesting! The date aperture is positioned at 4 o’clock.
Small Sweep. The sub-second timer is configured at 9 o’clock position. The overall dial configuration proposes a friendly yet readable chronograph; precise to 1/10th of a second recording. 
Resembling the 70s classic! Look at the almost 3mm thick hardened mineral glass. The crystal is well bevelled in opaque finished. The crown and push-pieces are simple by design but functional as the mechanism proposes.
From the case back, the watch features an anti-magnetic class I finishes protecting the M4 movement from magnetic interference. The watch is 100m/10BAR water resistant. Sorry viewers, the watch is still under warranty and so new that I dare not expose the movement.
Not bad though! The luminous compound glows easily even in shady surrounding. Better than the compound used in my Mako II diver!
Simple packaging but great looks – a truthfully modern classic. This model comes with leather strap and stainless steel bracelet.
“At large, the productions of mechanical chronographs have not seen much difference in terms of the register or counter configuration. In most cases we will find the sub-second, 30 minutes, and 12 hours register chronos powered by ETA Valjoux 7750, 7753, ETA 2892/94, and Lemania 5100 base movement. We may found some unique configuration as a result of some modification from the base movements. To record a 1/10th of a second, the movement needs to beat at 36,000bph like the Zenith El-Primero chronograph work horse. But hold on guys, the new TAG Heuer mechanical chronograph is so advanced - far beyond the need of hi-beat set by El-Primero... the 1/1000th of a second chronograph! Browse the net. You will find the description of this most advanced mechanical instrument. In the last decade, it is so interesting to study how the mechanical and electronics movements complement each other in order to produce a precise chronograph to record up to the tiny division of elapse time. On the Orient M4 movement, it shows a no stopper for this Japanese underdog to produce better timepieces in near future. Personally, I believe one find day Orient can beat their rivals from Japan... asyik main jam mekanikal jeh, jam quartz pun best peh! Sorry la bek, aku rasa M4 chrono ni lagi bagus dari TAG Heuer ETA ataupun Tissot analogue quartz chronograph. Walaupun harga tak canggih, brand tak glamour, tapi fungsi chrono dia lagi canggih beb!” – thetick-thetick