New Orient Stretto Day & Night is a whole lot of watch for under £400

Orient’s 75th anniversary celebrations continue with a trio of new automatic watches from the Japanese brand’s Stretto range.

All three models feature a new grey dial with Orient’s original cursive logo, and stainless steel case diameters ranging from 38.5 mm for the simple Date model, through 40.8 mm for the Semi Skeleton, and to 41.5 mm for the flagship of the range, the Sun & Moon.

It’s the latter that I’m most excited about, since it features a date window, a day indicator, and a sun and moon complication – all on a watch priced at £389.99. I think this represents excellent value for money, especially considering the use of an automatic mechanical movement (Orient F6B24) with 40 hours of power reserve and a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal.

Limited to 2,500 pieces worldwide (slightly fewer than the 2,800 and 2,900 runs of the Semi Skeleton and Date variants of Stretto), the Sun & Moon also features an exhibition case back for viewing the movement within, 50 metres of water resistance and an accuracy of +25 / -15 seconds per day. The case back is marked with the inscription “Orient Since 1950 75th Anniversary” and an individual serial number for each watch.

Details shared by all three models include the sunburst-style dial, a set of wedge-shaped indices that Orient says “evoke towering skyscrapers,” and a pop of colour delivered by a distinctive orange seconds hand. Orient says how the Stretto’s designs “are accentuated by a distinctive sunburst culminating in an arc, and three-dimensional edge-shaped indices that harmonise with the grey dial.

Below the £389.99 Sun & Moon, the Semi Skeleton member of the Stretto family is £364.99 and the simpler Stretto Date is priced at £349.99. All three are available to buy now.