Orient M-Force Review – (SEL03001B0) An Orient Diver’s Watch

In today’s post, I’m going to write about Orient M-Force review, a tough diver’s watch from the Japanese brand. It is widely considered as an upgrade from the Ray and Mako watches.

Movement upgrade with power reserve indicator is the main thing that separates this watch from its “cheaper” siblings.

But what’s more impressive is the fact that Orient mount this watch upgraded specification: ISO 6425 compliance, anti-magnetic and shock resistant – that’s for sure is going to protect the watch from whatever comes in its way.

 

 

Now, let’s get to the Orient M-Force review shall we.

 

Orient M-Force Specification (SEL03001B0)

Diameter: 46 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Lug Width: 23 mm
Case: Stainless steel case
Strap: Stainless steel bracelet

Dial: Black dial
Watch Crystal: Sapphire crystal
Hands: Sword style hands with lume
Markers: Index markers with lume
Bezel: 120 clicks unidirectional rotating bezel

Movement: Orient Caliber 40N5A automatic self-winding movement
Movement Features: 22 jewel movement, Hacking and manual winding, 21600 vibrations per hour, 6 beats per second
Accuracy: +- 15 seconds per day
Power Reserve: 40 hours

Water Resistance: 200 m / 660 feet
Other Features: Power reserve indicator, date window, ISO 6425 Diver’s watch compliance, Anti-magnetic, Shock resistant, Screw down crown

Best Place To Buy: Amazon

Diver’s Watch Dial, But A Bit Jumbled Up Design

The M-Force dial is like any other diver’s watch, index markers and hands filled with lume for visibility at night or low light condition.

Dial is made in black color with the seconds hand in red, which is a very nice detail there. There are also date window and power reserve indicator that are very useful to have (more on that later on).

But I bet you could notice by now the dial design is a bit messed up right? It does not look like a normal watch at all.

For a start, the Orient signature and logo is at the bottom of the dial. The date window at left side while the power reserve at top.

 

Now.. which way is up which way is down again?

 

I bet Orient’s designer wanted to make a unique watch but fails terribly. Many times I was mistaken about the orientation of the watch because of the logo at the bottom.

It’s totally annoying and frankly speaking, it kinda make the dial a bit less pleasing – and this is coming from an avid diver’s watch fan.

 

Very Useful Power Reserve Indicator

One thing I want to highlight is the presence of a power reserve indicator at the top right of the dial (once again, why would this be placed here?).

There are markings of 10 to 40 – signalling the power reserve left in the watch (40 is the maximum power reserve of the 405NA movement – scroll down for more info on it).

To have this is god send. Really guys. Now there is no need for many assumptions with an automatic watch. Common questions with an automatic watch owners such as:

 

“How much is the power reserve left?”

“Should I wind my watch before going to sleep? I’m afraid it’ll die since I haven’t used it today”

“Did I fully wind it or not? I would like to wind more but I’m afraid to accidentally overwind it”

 

Such issues with manual winding and power reserve will not occur when our watch is equipped with this feature. No more guessing or whatsoever. Just wind when the power reserve is low (less than 10).

We can even approximate when we need to wind it. Not to mention we can know if it’s going dead and can choose to let it die. No more surprises folks. To me, power reserve indicator is a great tool to have.

Rugged Looking Textured Bezel

Another eye-catching element on the M-Force is surely the textured unidirectional rotating bezel. It’s not an ordinary diver’s watch bezel for sure.

The minute markings are there with a lume pip at 12 o’clock. It’s also manufactured with 120-clicks mechanism for that satisfying bezel usage.

 

The textured bezel really make the watch look much more rugged and sporty

 

But what’s really interesting is how Orient uses textures on the bezel, making the minute markings sit on lower surface.

The contrasting between the stainless steel finish and black IP coated finish also adds to give this watch a unique character. It gives the Orient M-Force a rugged and edgy look to it.

 

A Big 46 mm Diameter Case

The watch is quite big, at 46 mm diameter, a bit bigger than the average 40-44 mm diameter nowadays. But the lug to lug is not that long, about 4 to 5 mm longer than the diameter, making sure the watch is still wearable even for those with a not so big wrist (cue: me lol).

It’s also beautifully polished and brushed all around with some sublime edges at its sides.

With a 13 mm thickness, this is one heavy timepiece for sure. It also comes with a stainless steel case bracelet which is coupled to the 23 mm lug width.

It’s a normal low end bracelet without solid end links and cheap looking bracelet. Fortunately, a replacement strap can always be found for cheap prices =)

A weird thing I found with the bracelet is it don’t have diver extension. It’s basically a mechanical extension to lengthen the bracelet when a diver put up his wet suit.

It’s very strange that Orient positioned this watch as a true diver’s watch, but lacks a diver extension on the bracelet!

 

Anti-Magnetic And Shock Resistant Diver’s Watch Case

It seems the weight of the watch is not for nothing. Orient has included in the M-Force an anti-magnetic case that will help protect the watch from magnetization (read my article on how magnetization can ruin your automatic watch).

But I would recommend that the watch is not exposed to strong magnets – even though it has anti-magnetic case, we never know if a really strong magnet can still affect it.

The shock resistant inside the M-Force is due to some spring absorber on the balance wheel pivot (also read my article on automatic watch parts and movement to know more about the balance wheel).

Little information is provided on this though (if you guys can point it out for me, I’ll be very grateful). But I believe the system would be just like Incabloc or Diashock shock absorber system in Swiss and Seiko watches.

 

 

It’s very reassuring to have these two beneficial features inside a mid range automatic watch.

It makes the M-Force not just a great diver’s watch, but also a great sports watch – the shock resistance particularly is very useful to protect the balance wheel from swift hand movements.

 

Sapphire Crystal For Maximum Protection

One last thing that I’m amazed is the usage of sapphire crystal on a $250 watch. Now that is great value for money. It’s very difficult to find any manufacturer that can give a sapphire crystal at this price point.

Even those famous Seiko diver’s watches (SKX007, Monster, Turtle SRP777) are donned with hardlex crystal on top of it – which is just a hardened version of mineral crystal.

Most fans as well as watch manufacturers regard sapphire as the best watch crystal due to its scratch proof. Only a handful of materials (diamond and moissanite) is harder than it.

This means that only those 2 can scratch a sapphire crystal. With it, I can bet that the watch crystal will be like brand new even after years of usage.

 

405NA Automatic Self-Wind Movement

A major upgrade from the Mako and Ray is the usage of 405NA automatic self winding movement inside the Orient M-Force. It has 22 jewel, 21600 vibrations per hour (6 beats per second), hacking and manual winding capabilities.

It also has 15 seconds accuracy per day though most owners reported a much higher accuracy (some up to 3 seconds per day).

But of course the best part of this movement is the presence of a power reserve indicator. That alone is a great feature in an automatic watch movement.

To be able to gauge the power reserve left in the mainspring and then show it on the dial is a unique complication that’s very useful, and very rare in watches at this price range.

 

 

Who Is This Watch For?

So who will enjoy this watch the best? I believe those that like a good watch for some dives, swimming or any sports can really benefit from the watch.

It’s a great fit for those activities, not to mention it also has the shock resistance that’s very important for any sports watch.

Power reserve and date indicators will be very useful for just about anyone that want to have a functional watch with information on what’s the power reserve now like.

In addition to that, the sapphire crystal is another element that greatly increased the value of this watch. In short, those that want the highest value for money should consider this watch seriously.

 

Who Should Not Get It?

Well, for a start, the layout placement of the dial is very weird which can turn off many people (including me!).

If you don’t like the dial layout but love the functionality of the watch (date, diver’s watch, power reserve, etc), then you might want to check out the Orient M-Force Delta which is basically the M-Force but with a normal dial layout.

Alternatively, the Orient Star Retrograde is also a great choice for those that want many functions in an automatic watch. It has day, date and power reserve indicator but in a dressy watch design. Check out my review HERE for more info on it.

 

Watch the video above for a closer look on the Orient M-Force

Pros and Cons Of Orient M-Force

Pros

• Sapphire crystal is a big bonus for a $300 watch
• Unique and rugged textured rotating bezel
• Very useful power reserve indicator
• Anti-magnetic and shock resistance for greater proctection
• Solid stainless steel case with 200 m water resistance

Cons

• Weird layout placement on the dial
• Cheap looking bracelet
• No diver extension on the bracelet

 

So Where To Get The Orient M-Force? Check It On Amazon!

If you want to get ahold of the Orient M-Force, I strongly suggest to get it from Amazon. The MSRP for the watch is $715 but Amazon lists it for just around $250 to $300.

Of course the price will fluctuate just like any Japanese watches but then the MSRP $715 price tag is just ridiculous. I mean, with that kind of money, you can actually buy a Swiss chronometer right? Orient really need to stop their absurd pricing lol!

Thanks for online shopping, we can always enjoy cheaper prices of our favorite stuffs =). Click link below to check out the watch on Amazon.

 

->Click Here To Check Out The Best Prices Of Orient M-Force On Amazon<-

Final Thoughts

The M-Force is a very capable diver’s watch with numerous functions. Power reserve indicator, anti-magnetic, shock resistance, and ISO 6425 diver’s watch compliance are some of the features that make this watch such a great value for money.

The one area that it’s lacking is the weird layout placement of the dail, though with some time, I think it’ll grow on you. Overall, a great affordable automatic diver’s watch.

 

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I hope you guys enjoy this Orient M-Force review. For any questions or comments, kindly put it in the comments section below. If you like this article, share it with your social media.

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Thanks for reading!

Cheers!
Isaac