# Orient Submariner: First impressions and hands-on photos! (lots.)



## epilepc

A week ago I bought a Seiko Flieger. I wasn't completely satisfied with my purchase; I wanted something more accurate and substantial in terms of aesthetics, build, and value (appropriate to my age :roll.

So I picked up an Orient 2ER00001B Submariner for my birthday! I placed the order at orientwatchusa.com (OWUSA) using the 50% off "iloveorient" coupon. The total came out to be ~98$, shipped (free shipping), with CA sales tax. It shipped the next day via UPS with tracking and arrived the day after :-! (from LA to Torrance, not far away). The whole experience was very easy.










The watch comes with some warranty papers and a manual, inside a cheapy white box. The main case also feels cheap, wrapped in some pleathery lining. I don't care too much about this part, though.










I was surprised at how stunning and expensive it looked in person (I already got compliments on the watch and some "Wow! How much did that cost?!"s ;-)) Upon first touch, the watch feels very hefty and solidly built. I am confident that this watch can take a beating. It's the perfect size for me (6.75" wrist) at a 39.5mm case diameter excluding crown and ~44mm lug to lug.










The bracelet is perfectly fine to me. I guess it is a little bit on the thin side, but it's adequate. Yes, there is a significant taper up to the clasp (20mm to ~16mm). The main clasp is solid but the safety is thin and wobbly, such that it gets stuck on the main clasp when trying to close it. Also, the end links are hollow and displays this opening that really shows it's just a shell. But these are all minor issues to me.





































The dive ring/timer is functional. It clicks along pretty solidly to me; can't feel any play against the bezel like some say. But then again I'm not a diver. If anything, I'd use it to keep track of time during tests or while cooking  Oh, a note: The bezel is almost flat. There's no slope like most homages. I would like it to angle.



















The crown screws out with a purpose and setting date and time is fairly easy. The Sub operates on a non-hacking calibre, but can be "backhacked" using a little bit of torque while moving the minute hand backward. I find that it resists backhacking at night when it has been wound quite fully, so I recommend resetting the time in the morning, when the watch has been unwound a little.










Date magnifier is usable, not as strong as my dad's '59 GMT Master, though. The actual date wheel displays black numerals on a silvery background--very nice. And a note on the dial: It's not solid black--it's a nice charcoal color with a radial shine finish.



















If I could change anything with this watch, it would be the lume. The lume is poor, way dimmer than my Flieger. Even after charging it under a lamp, it emits a diminutive amount of light. But this doesn't bother me that much. I'll probably EDC a flashlight anyway when I get my license and wear a keychain b-)










Accuracy. This timepiece outperforms my Seiko by far. In four days, I'm getting a +7 sec deviation, or about 1.75 sec/day. That's incredible. My Seiko gains about -15-20 sec/day. The first night, it gained 5 seconds, probably because it wasn't wound a lot. But after that, there was minimal deviation. It tends to gain a couple of seconds during the day, so I store the watch crown up to slow it down overnight for minimal net deviation. Maybe the next time I reset it, it won't gain those 5 seconds and my accuracy will be extraordinary.

In conclusion, I think this timekeeper carries with it a lot of watch for the money. Everything is solidly built, it looks great, and it's extremely accurate. I definitely recommend it!

Thanks for reading. Here are the rest of the pictures.


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## mars08

Excellent review!

Enjoy.....


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## Still Ticking

Thanks for sharing.


Kerry P


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## Bruno.M

Nice pics! Is it the same movement as the mako's?


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## Caseiko

Great photographs... I have to learn to take pictures like that.. what camera do you use? BTW, your new Orient look great! but I'm not into Rolexes (beyond my imagination). I'm thinking to switch interest... to mechanical... and buying list already prepared. Thanks for the review and excellent photos.


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## Lester Burnham

One of the lesser known Orient watches, but a definite recommendation! I've got the same one in blue. Mine does about +10 sec every day, which is very acceptable for me. Not as accurate as my 7s26's though ;-)


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## Beau8

Looks fantastic~Comparatively large next to that Seiko, cheers! ;-)


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## epilepc

@FroFro: Not sure, maybe someone here can clarify~

@Caseiko: Thanks. I used my sister's Canon G10 and a couple shots were with my mom's cheap PowerShot. Switch to mechanical! Or just at least have one. I plan on getting a G-Shock or something for when I play sports. So that'll be good; I have an every day watch (robust, dressy or casual), Orient Sub, a leather band watch (classic, casual, comfortable), Seiko Flieger, and a digital watch (outdoor activity), G-Shock!

@Lester: What!? How is that possible? The 7s26 in my Seiko always runs -15-20 sec/day. But my Orient runs maybe +3-4 sec/day for which I remedy by storing it crown up overnight.

@Beau8: yeah, it does haha.


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## Lester Burnham

epilepc said:


> @Lester: What!? How is that possible? The 7s26 in my Seiko always runs -15-20 sec/day. But my Orient runs maybe +3-4 sec/day for which I remedy by storing it crown up overnight.


Just a matter of luck I guess!
You were a bit more lucky with your Orient, I was a bit more lucky with my 7s26's. Just timed my SNK809 (seiko 5 flieger) for the fourth day in a row.

Day 1: +0.5
Day 2: 0
Day 3: +2
Day 4: -2

Total (over 4 days): +0.5 :-d

My Monster (same movement) does about the same. My Seiko quartz chronograph is actually less accurate than my two mechanical Seiko's!


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## jbdan

Awesome write up and great pics! Good looking sub homage. Mods should move this one to the review section for future reference. Thanks for your time epilepc 

btw have you seen the sapphire version of this model? CER00008D0


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## mars08

I have the blue version [2ER00002D] of this watch. The biggest weakness, in my mind, is the very poor lume... in size and brightness. That said, I _am_ a total lume nut. Otherwise it's a nice piece.


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## epilepc

Lester Burnham said:


> Just a matter of luck I guess!
> You were a bit more lucky with your Orient, I was a bit more lucky with my 7s26's. Just timed my SNK809 (seiko 5 flieger) for the fourth day in a row.
> 
> Day 1: +0.5
> Day 2: 0
> Day 3: +2
> Day 4: -2
> 
> Total (over 4 days): +0.5 :-d
> 
> My Monster (same movement) does about the same. My Seiko quartz chronograph is actually less accurate than my two mechanical Seiko's!


Wow... that's literally almost unbelievable. Congrats!



jbdan said:


> Awesome write up and great pics! Good looking sub homage. Mods should move this one to the review section for future reference. Thanks for your time epilepc
> 
> btw have you seen the sapphire version of this model? CER00008D0


Yeah I have. Very appealing, but it's not for sale on OWUSA, so you can't use the crazy half off coupon. I think it goes for around ~160$



mars08 said:


> I have the blue version [2ER00002D] of this watch. The biggest weakness, in my mind, is the very poor lume... in size and brightness. That said, I _am_ a total lume nut. Otherwise it's a nice piece.


The lume is pretty lame... Do you wear it often? What are your impressions?


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## jb_diver_buyer

Nice pickup. Really great review and pics. I look forward to reading your reviews in the future - something tells me you're going to have a great collection.


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## Fullers1845

Congratulations on that Orient. Wear it in good health. Nice review and photography too!


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## D50

Nice review and pics. I just ran the same iloveorient discount code ( 2ER00001B )and it came out to $90 even. That's a great price.

$180.00
Discount Coupon iloveorient applied: -$90.00
Sub-Total: $90.00
Flat Rate (Best Way): $0.00
Total: $90.00


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## epilepc

Thanks guys. This watch is reeeeeeally accurate. I'm getting +7 sec for 9 days. Wow.


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## symbiosis

Thanks for the report. That coupon price with free shipping appears to be a very good deal compared to everywhere else.


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## vininull

Great watch but the bracelet is a real crap. Get some solid links bracelet or throw it on Zulu or NATO and it'll be a winner!


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## Lester Burnham

vininull said:


> Great watch but the bracelet is a real crap. Get some solid links bracelet or throw it on Zulu or NATO and it'll be a winner!


Muah, I think the bracelet is reasonable. Bracelets from brands like Vostok or Alpha are way worse. A Monster bracelet is much better. Since the Orient Sub is priced right in between these two watches, they're not that bad. But I agree with you that the bracelet isn't a USP.


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## fdwyer

*Re:Love Mine!*


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## epilepc

*Re: Love Mine!*

Yeah, after handling my brother's Seiko bracelet, the Sub's pales in comparison. My brother's is just beefier. The Sub's is thin, yes.

Also, I did notice play in the bezel after playing with it for a while. You can push it in different directions and it'll nudge a little bit after clicking quietly.

Nice watch, Frank D and Vininull!


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## matador02

Well, here is my input on the Orient 2er. I just ordered the Orient 2er00001b from orientusa a few days ago and was delivered today. I wanted a sub homage watch. My first impression when I took it out of the box was, the SS bracelet was very cheap. It was very light weight and felt hollow compared to my blue mako. The unidirectional bezel felt unsecured, had too much play, unlike the mako. The lumen was not to par with the mako as well. IMHO, I think the list price ($180) for the 2er00001b was too much, only $10.00 USD less than the Mako ($190). I say this because for such a small amount in the price difference, you get a much better watch by purchasing the Mako instead. The overall quality on the Mako is so much higher for just $10.00 more. Orient did a great job on capturing the style of the Rolex Submariner. If it had a Rolex logo on the dial, it would be a great fake rolex watch instead of a great rolex homage watch. I'm very impressed with it's time accuracy, but I would not recommend this watch for a first time Orient buyer, but would recommend this watch for someone looking for a great rolex sub homage watch.


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## ah1963

Hi Everybody,

Congratulation for your Orient watch... really...:-!

I try to find one but all web sites I visted, it's always out stock ( I began of course with orientwatchusa.com but I let you guess...out of stock)

So, if somebody has a advice or a tip ti give, it would be welcome of course! :-s

Cogratulation again, 

Best Regards,

:thanks


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## Tsarli

Has anyone tried changing the hands on theirs and getting something with better lume? I also love my blue sub but Orient did an _Epic Fail_ :-d on this one as far as the lume is concerned.


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## lookelu

Saphire and new hands and relume..

















with blue Superluminova just relumed dial and hands


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## fungus

*Re: Love Mine!*

I am totally in love with this. Just pulled the trigger on one.

Just the right dose of bling :-d



fdwyer said:


>


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## deltascrew

lookelu said:


> Saphire and new hands and relume..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> with blue Superluminova just relumed dial and hands


How hard is it to switch crystals on one of these? Or can you recommend a good place to send one to have it done.


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## lookelu

deltascrew said:


> How hard is it to switch crystals on one of these? Or can you recommend a good place to send one to have it done.


You will need some basic tools, a good case opener so you do not scratch your case back and a Crystal Press, I have heard some say they can replace with no press but I find that hard to believe with this crystal as it is 2.5m MM thick and it needs to be fully seated and that requires some force. Also if you want to relume you will need a good hand removal tool as well as something to reset the hands. Sounds a bit much I know . PM me if you just want to have it done and do not want to invest in the tools. Hope this helps, it makes a big difference in this model.

















And a shot of something different from my experiments with re-lumeing.


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## outatime

vininull said:


> Great watch but the bracelet is a real crap. Get some solid links bracelet or throw it on Zulu or NATO and it'll be a winner!


Would look fantastic on a James Bond strap too!


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## tisoris

*Re: Love Mine!*

Wonder are they going to release an green bezel version....


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## brownmajik

*Re: Love Mine!*

I'd love a pic of one of these on a Bond NATO or Bond ZULU strap. I have a 100m diver on it's way to me now. Planning on putting a Bond on mine. If I get it put together before someone else posts a pic of the combo, I'll post up.


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## mcw53

*Re: Love Mine!*



brownmajik said:


> I'd love a pic of one of these on a Bond NATO or Bond ZULU strap. I have a 100m diver on it's way to me now. Planning on putting a Bond on mine. If I get it put together before someone else posts a pic of the combo, I'll post up.


Got mine on a Maratac 3-Ring Zulu. Maybe you can imagine the stripes...


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## j stuff

thought this was a great review, anyone else got pix?


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## Cypher

Is very beatiful . What is a homage?


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## orientwatchusa

Wow! Excellent review and great pictures! We're glad you're satisfied with your purchase & look forward to future reviews!



epilepc said:


> A week ago I bought a Seiko Flieger. I wasn't completely satisfied with my purchase; I wanted something more accurate and substantial in terms of aesthetics, build, and value (appropriate to my age :roll.
> 
> So I picked up an Orient 2ER00001B Submariner for my birthday! I placed the order at orientwatchusa.com (OWUSA) using the 50% off "iloveorient" coupon. The total came out to be ~98$, shipped (free shipping), with CA sales tax. It shipped the next day via UPS with tracking and arrived the day after :-! (from LA to Torrance, not far away). The whole experience was very easy.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The watch comes with some warranty papers and a manual, inside a cheapy white box. The main case also feels cheap, wrapped in some pleathery lining. I don't care too much about this part, though.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was surprised at how stunning and expensive it looked in person (I already got compliments on the watch and some "Wow! How much did that cost?!"s ;-)) Upon first touch, the watch feels very hefty and solidly built. I am confident that this watch can take a beating. It's the perfect size for me (6.75" wrist) at a 39.5mm case diameter excluding crown and ~44mm lug to lug.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The bracelet is perfectly fine to me. I guess it is a little bit on the thin side, but it's adequate. Yes, there is a significant taper up to the clasp (20mm to ~16mm). The main clasp is solid but the safety is thin and wobbly, such that it gets stuck on the main clasp when trying to close it. Also, the end links are hollow and displays this opening that really shows it's just a shell. But these are all minor issues to me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The dive ring/timer is functional. It clicks along pretty solidly to me; can't feel any play against the bezel like some say. But then again I'm not a diver. If anything, I'd use it to keep track of time during tests or while cooking  Oh, a note: The bezel is almost flat. There's no slope like most homages. I would like it to angle.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The crown screws out with a purpose and setting date and time is fairly easy. The Sub operates on a non-hacking calibre, but can be "backhacked" using a little bit of torque while moving the minute hand backward. I find that it resists backhacking at night when it has been wound quite fully, so I recommend resetting the time in the morning, when the watch has been unwound a little.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Date magnifier is usable, not as strong as my dad's '59 GMT Master, though. The actual date wheel displays black numerals on a silvery background--very nice. And a note on the dial: It's not solid black--it's a nice charcoal color with a radial shine finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If I could change anything with this watch, it would be the lume. The lume is poor, way dimmer than my Flieger. Even after charging it under a lamp, it emits a diminutive amount of light. But this doesn't bother me that much. I'll probably EDC a flashlight anyway when I get my license and wear a keychain b-)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Accuracy. This timepiece outperforms my Seiko by far. In four days, I'm getting a +7 sec deviation, or about 1.75 sec/day. That's incredible. My Seiko gains about -15-20 sec/day. The first night, it gained 5 seconds, probably because it wasn't wound a lot. But after that, there was minimal deviation. It tends to gain a couple of seconds during the day, so I store the watch crown up to slow it down overnight for minimal net deviation. Maybe the next time I reset it, it won't gain those 5 seconds and my accuracy will be extraordinary.
> 
> In conclusion, I think this timekeeper carries with it a lot of watch for the money. Everything is solidly built, it looks great, and it's extremely accurate. I definitely recommend it!
> 
> Thanks for reading. Here are the rest of the pictures.


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## j stuff

Cypher said:


> Is very beatiful . What is a homage?


Homage means something that pays tribute to something else. The orient is quite similar to the rolex submariner but is not a copy/fake that says Rolex on it.

Im about to pull the trigger on this watch


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## Wachulookingat

*Re: Love Mine!*

100 M Is made of awesome!


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## fellali

*Re: Love Mine!*

I have this watch too. Great watch at its price!

There's a newer orient sub model with Sapphire crystal and orient logo.


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## Cypher

j stuff said:


> Homage means something that pays tribute to something else. The orient is quite similar to the rolex submariner but is not a copy/fake that says Rolex on it.
> 
> Im about to pull the trigger on this watch


Some say that are homages are fakes. That's why i asked. 
Seiko has a watch that is similar with the submariner i think?


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## j stuff

yea some say homages are fakes but a real fake would try to truly be fake and put ROLEX on there while trying to copy each detail.

I think orient has the most superior homage in this price range because they make their own movements 

seiko does have a similar one but i forget the model. Go to the affordable watch forum section and you will see a "submariner homage" thread stickied at the top with a lot of info. Im sure the seiko is in there

P.S. Orient Watch USA
I pulled the trigger on the blue er b-)


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## tibimail

*Re: Love Mine!*

Hello!
Mine has +25 sec / day


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## BenL

Love it, even though I do slightly prefer the Rolex version. ;-)

Congrats.


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