There are thousands of timepieces paying tribute to the Rolex Submariner. Orient has paid homage to it many times. We discussed how successful they were with the Orient Mako II, and whether you should pick it up or not.
Below, we summarized the watch’s specs.
The Mako II looks expensive as it pays homage to the Submariner. They both have silver and black bodies with rhomboid markers and edged bezels. The two watches are around the same size – the Mako is 1.61-inches (41 mm). It has some serious heft to it. It’s almost 13 ounces (28.34 grams).
Its strap is quite wide, which is why it’s on the chunky side. Having some heft is good for watches – they won’t feel cheap. However, having such a wide steel strap will make sweat collect.
You probably guessed that it’s an automatic device. Many automatic timepieces come with exposed backs. We’re disappointed that the Mako II doesn’t – it would’ve looked more premium.
Its black and silver colourway is great, and it comes in 2 other designs. One of them has a Pepsi bezel while the other has a metallic blue dial.
Its dial is a mix of numerals and rectangular markers. The markings are full of luminous pigment. The pigment is on its hands too. If you’re a newbie, you probably don’t know that there are many types of lume out there. Nemoto LumiNova is all over its dial – it’s a beast in the dark.
You don’t have to look close to notice its third watch hand which marks the seconds. It’s bright red, making it easier to read. It’s quite small, so you can probably guess that there’s no lume on it.
There is a calendar feature. It reads the day as well as the date.
The timepiece doesn’t have the strongest window – you’re getting mineral.
Its bracelet consists of three links. There’s a deployant clasp in place. This is the push-button fold-over type. There’s a safety mechanism in it. They are usually tough to get moving – they unfold into many parts. However, the push-button variant is a breeze.
The Mako II has a water resistance rating of 660 feet (200 meters). The Submariner outdoes this as it can handle 1000 feet (300 meters). You can swim with the Orient piece on, but don’t think about diving – it’s not ISO 6425 certified. If it’s any consolation, you can also snorkel with it.
As you know, there is a serious lume on its display. It helps you read the time when submerged. As you’re getting stainless steel all over its body, you never have to worry about corrosion or rusting. The material is water-proof. It can also handle scratches.
When underwater, you’ll love that its bezel rotates. You’ll be able to time yourself in the pool. Orient says there are 120 clicks in it. This allows for more accurate tracking.
Its manufacturer is a fan of automatic movements. After all, it’s a product of Seiko. The Mako II has the F6922 mechanism inside it. This results in a 40-hour power reserve and 22 jewel bearings. However, its power reserve and jewel number aren’t that impressive.
Power reserves indicate how long automatic timepieces can keep working while off your wrist. 40 hours is the standard, so you’re not getting anything too special. Jewels are pieces of glass placed between gears. The more there are, the less of an effect friction would have. Unfortunately, 22 isn’t anything to write home about.
Speaking of the F6922 movement, you can hand-wind and hack it. Hacking is when you halt a watch’s second hand, adjusting its time. You can probably guess what hand-winding is. The two have become standard features in the industry.
As you know, the Mako II doesn’t come with an exposed back. Countless automatic watches come with the feature, especially Orient models – we don’t know why the brand didn’t include this on the timepiece.
Let’s see how the watch fares against competitors.
The Kamasu is slightly larger than the Mako II but much lighter. It is 6 ounces (170 grams). The device is made of quality stainless steel. This keeps it scratch resistant and free of corrosion.
The Orient Kamasu can handle considerable depths underwater, It’s water-resistant up to 660 feet (200 meters). It has large rhomboid markers – they’re full of luminous pigment. It’ll be a breeze to read them underwater.
The edging on its bezel helps you rotate it. Unfortunately, you can’t dive with the timepiece. Swimming and serious water surface activities are the most you’ll be able to do.
Just like the Mako II, the Kamasu is a tribute piece. It pays homage to the Rolex Submariner and has a pitch-black dial, silver body, and a shark-like bezel.
There’s a tough crystal on its front– It is sapphire.
The Orient F6922 movement is inside. We talked about it in our Mako II review – you get 22 jewel bearings and a 40-hour power reserve. The ability to hand-wind and self-hack are available. It doesn’t come with an exposed back.
The device comes in a range of designs. There are some Kamasus that rock rubber straps.
The Ray II has a shiny blue dial. There’s an eye-catching sunburst effect.
It doesn’t have a stainless-steel bracelet. There’s a rubber strap in place. Rubber is more waterproof than steel, so you’re in good hands. The Ray II can handle up to 660 feet (200 meters) underwater. Orient says that you can’t dive with it, though.
There are large markers with lume inside. The luminous pigment is on its hands too. There’s a small seconds hand that’s red, like in the Mako II.
Its casing is made from stainless steel. Its bezel is made out of it too. But the device isn’t heavy. It comes in at 3.49 ounces (98.9 grams).
You’re getting a unidirectional bezel. It rotates, helping you time yourself in the pool.
The timepiece is automatic. It comes with the same movement we met in the Mako II. Once again, there is no exposed back.
There is mineral glass on its window. The crystal isn’t the strongest, so be careful.
Its crown is in the 3 o'clock position. This position isn’t the best – you’ll be slamming it into your wrist. Something else in this position is its calendar feature.
We have to talk about the design of its strap. Orient decided to include a dolphin logo!
The Mako XL comes in various designs. The standard version looks identical to the Mako II. As its name suggests, it’s on the larger side. Its case is 1.811 inches (46 mm). If you have small wrists, it might not suit you. The same applies if you have ordinary-sized wrists.
The device doesn’t come with the strongest window – you’re getting mineral on its front. What about its body? It’s made out of quality stainless steel. This means it can easily handle scratches, corrosion, and rusting.
The XL is not that heavy. It is around 7 ounces (198.4 grams).
You’re looking at an automatic watch. The Orient Mako 2 movement is present again. As mentioned, it comes with 22 jewels and a 40-hour power reserve. Unfortunately, there is no skeleton back on its rear.
Just like the Mako II, you’re getting 660 feet (200 meters) of water resistance. There’s a rotating bezel that ticks as it turns. The shark-like teeth help you grip it.
Speaking of water resistance, you can’t dive with it. Orient says that scuba diving and swimming are the most you can do.
Its crown is in 3 o'clock angle – so is its calendar.
Let’s wrap up our Orient Mako II review. If you’re thinking of purchasing the timepiece, you’re making the right move. It’s not only a great homage watch, but it comes with good specs. We’re fans of how well-built it is. It looks expensive too. Even though it can’t handle as much water as its Swiss counterpart, it comes with features any dive watch would need – a Luminova-rich dial, rotating bezel, and a quality stainless steel body.
