A Week On the Wrist With The Orient EVOC

The Orient EVOC - CO - B and it’s beautiful design offering an all around feel to the watch: dressy yet sporty, sophisticated yet casual. I haven’t worn one watch for a week straight since my last Week On The Wrist with the Seiko SKX. That said, the SKX007 was a bit different being a dive watch and not as versatile as the Orient because it was too large to slide under a shirt cuff.

If you haven’t heard of Orient, you’ve likely been living under a rock (or you just aren’t active on watch forums… either way it’s cool). Orient has been around since the 1950s and since 2007 it has been a subsidiary of the Seiko Group. Due to the recent successes of the Orient Bambino (a semi-dressy model which Orient makes in several variations) and the Orient Mako and Ray lines of dive watches, Orient has gained a large following among collectors and enthusiasts alike.

What are the Positives?

This watch was a surprising Ebay find at an even $200, being a perfect price range for a beginner enthusiast. $200 is certainly not “cheap” per say, but it was what you got for the price that really made it all worth it. The Orient EVOC - CO - B’s clean lines, lightly brushed lugs and high polish case and bezel made for a gorgeous piece that just loved being switched around on and off different straps. The EVOC - CO - B’s Orient EVOC automatic with 21 jewels workhorse of a movement ticked away without fail, and its fairly hi-beat frequency led to one of the smoothest seconds hands for the price range I’ve ever seen. Being 38mm in diameter, this piece is just about the perfect wrist for any wrist size; it’s short lugs wearing small enough for wrists in the 6” range while still retaining the ability to fit a larger wrist without looking too dainty. This contributes to a very versatile watch that looks great on just about anybody; as such, this would be a great watch to potentially share with a significant other.

What are the Cons?

While it would be easy to just sit here and talk about the positives of this piece, there are several concerns which I had during my week on the wrist, starting with the crown. This could just be my preference, but I felt as though the crown did not show enough resistance when being pulled out. This gave the watch a less robust and substantial feel than I would have liked when popping it out to change the time. What was probably the largest con for me was the noise of the rotor, which could be heard across the room. When I first received the watch and heard it for the first time, I was actually concerned that there was some component loose or something broken in the movement which was causing this sound. Upon further research, however, I found that this is a common issue in Orients of this age and price bracket. Some forum users even discussed that hearing the springy rotor on a friend’s Orient was part of the allure to the and that it had positively influenced their decision to buy the watch. That said, it was somewhat unsettling to me and I did not feel as though the sound grew on me or got less noticeable as the week went on.

Do I recommend you go buy one?

The main con for me was the noise of the rotor but seeing as some people found that as a pro it’s truly hard to recommend which way you should go. I would recommend you going and trying your friends watch/ looking at various Youtube reviews and demos and seeking it that style rotor is the one for you. Other than the rotor noise and crown, this is hands down the perfect everyday watch. The versatility of this piece made it a great look for work with a mesh or leather band or for days off in the hot summer sun on a NATO. The truth is, if I knew about the rotor noise I may not have bought this piece, but now that I have it I wouldn’t give it up as the rest of the watch is overwhelmingly positive.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article! I hope you enjoyed the look into my thoughts on this specific Orient EVOC - CO - B, and check out our Youtube channel for a look at the watch in my initial review video and coming soon in my final thoughts video.

Written by Andrew Doubek | Edited by Jack Ausmus