Orient Mako 75th Anniversary Limited Edition Watches In Sky Blue

Orient is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a collection of limited editions that span some of the Japanese brand’s most popular references. Among them are a trio of Mako divers with sky blue dials set into a stamped, sunburst texture. The Mako is Orient’s standard dive watch design, but it’s pitched more as an everyday tool watch that’s got a bit of water resistance thrown in for good measure. The anniversary editions include three different sizes, each with a different set of complications, so there’s something for everyone with these releases. 

Orient sport watches aren’t exactly known for taking a throwback approach to their designs, and these anniversary releases don’t exactly take that route, either. But they do offer a nod to the brand’s history in the form of a unique dial texture, color, and old-school scripted branding. All three of the new watches use a radiant sunray texture that’s been stamped into the dial, providing a sense of depth, and setting them apart from standard Mako references. 

The dial color is what Orient is calling sky blue, and it feels very mid-century in nature when paired with the dial texture. Two of the new watches get a dark blue, aluminum bezel to contrast against the sky blue, while the third uses a raw metal bezel insert for a more subdued look. All three watches are also mounted on steel three-link bracelets. 

The collection starts with the 39.9mm Ref. RA-AC0Q12L, which has a simple time-and-date configuration and a 40-hour automatic movement. This is the watch with the metal bezel, and the most restrained design as a whole. Next, we find the 41.8mm RA-AA0823L, with a time, day, and date configuration set within a dark blue, fully indexed aluminum bezel. This watch also uses a 40-hour automatic movement, and both of these watches are limited to 6,000 units. 

Finally, we have the 42.8mm RA-TX0210L, a solar quartz-powered chronograph with a date aperture at 4:30. This model is limited to 1,000 units, and represents the flagship diving chronograph of the Mako collection. Each of the watches is rated to 200 meters, though Orient is careful to call out that these are not ISO-standard dive watches. Again, these are presented as all-’rounder tool watches meant for everyday use, and if we’re being honest, it’s the same with the vast majority of divers out there, even ones that do conform to ISO standards. 

This is a fitting collection to help celebrate 75 years of Orient, and the watches join other more classic examples to tell a full story of where the brand is these days. The blue dials and scripted logo bring a unique level of character to the Mako, and each remains broadly accessible, a factor that is at the core of Orient’s identity.