Unprecedented Delicate Dials Shine with Orient Star’s Technology — New Models Herald a New Era of Dial Expressions

Since its birth in 1951, Orient Star has continued to captivate many watch fans as an authentic mechanical watch brand. Although the brand is widely known for its Mechanical Moon Phase and Skeleton series, it has launched numerous models highlighted with delicately crafted dials in recent years. In this article, we introduce two new models, the M34 F8 Date and the M45 F7 Mechanical Moon Phase, and illustrate the evolution of Orient Star’s dial designs that lead the way for a new era of the brand, reaping the benefits of its unique in-house production process.

Advanced dial expression that highlights Orient Star’s technological skills

In recent years, Orient Star has been focusing on the crafting of its dials. The two new 2024 models in particular exhibit finishes that symbolize this trend. Using these models as examples, here are some details of the new dial designs introduced by Orient Star.

M34 F8 Date Ref. RE-BX0004L that uses optical multilayer technology

The first model is the M34 F8 Date Ref. RE-BX0004L just released in August. Last year, Orient Star reorganized its collection ranges and launched M Collections, which incorporates new conceptual designs based on the theme of nebulae and star clusters. The M34 Collection’s name is inspired from the open star cluster M34, included in Messier’s Objects – a catalogue of nebulae, clusters and galaxies – by the French astronomer Charles Messier (1730-1817) and is visible near the constellation of Perseus.

Orient Star M34 F8 Date Ref. RE-BX0004L

The design concept of the dial is the Perseid meteor shower. It is characterized by a pattern with a sense of depth that radiates out from the center, like a meteor shower falling into the night sky with its radiant point near the Y Persei.

This unique pattern is made through press stamping the hand-carved patterns on metal dies crafted by skilled artisans at the Dial Studio of the Shinshu Watch Studio.

The modeling is so delicate that it would normally be crushed in the painting process, but the optical multilayer film technology developed by Orient Star and introduced for the first time in this timepiece made it possible to produce its deep blue color while maintaining these minute uneven surfaces.

The dial of the M34 F8 Date Ref. RE-BX0004L

The reason we humans can sense color in the first place is through the functions of photoreceptor cells called cones. There are three types of cones with different wavelength sensitivity characteristics: M cones with high green (G) sensitivity, L cones with high red (R) sensitivity, and S cones with high blue (B) sensitivity. When light enters the eye, these three types of cones (hereafter referred to as RGB) each transmit signals to the brain through the optic nerves according to the wavelength. Then, the brain recognizes colors according to the ratio of the strength of these signals.

While this is why RGB is called the three primary colors of light, we recognize white when these three colors are present in equal amounts and black when they are absent. And when the balance is lost, we can perceive a diverse array of colors.

As familiar examples, OLED displays used in smartphones and PCs are basically structured with LEDs with the three RGB colors arranged as a set (one pixel) when magnified with a magnifier.

This timepiece makes use of such characteristics of light and vision, and the optical multilayer film deposited on the silver-colored wet plating suppresses the non-blue wavelengths of the reflected light, resulting in the appearance of a blue dial. It is, so to speak, a technique to control how light appears. Orient Star’s development team explains that “rather than mixing colors as in paint or display coloration, this technique makes what is essentially transparent water appear blue in the ocean, or emerald in a volcanic lake.”

Given the optical multilayer film itself is transparent and deposited at a nano-level thinness, the greatest feature of this technique is that a vivid and deep blue color is achieved without losing the sense of depth of the intricate dial. Orient Star had consistently acknowledged the issue that dark or deep-colored coating on intricate pattern the patterned dials would make it difficult to recognize. In the process of solving this problem, the company focused on optical multilayer film technology, which can add details considerably thinner than painting.

In addition, lights of various wavelengths are reflected and transmitted through each film, and due to the structure in which these are expressed in terms of color by their interference, the unique aspect of this timepiece is that the color tone appears to change depending on the angle you look at it. A variety of color tones can be expressed depending on the composition of the film.

As for the production process, first, a brass plate is pressed into a die with intricate patterns engraved by artisans to create the dial. Then, the base layer is wet-plated, and multiple layers of nano-level thin film are built up by vapor deposition. To create the intended color tone, it took several years to determine the combination of the films as well as fine-tuning the thickness of each film, to achieve the blue color with a sense of depth that Orient Star desired as exhibited in this timepiece.

Furthermore, the dual curved sapphire crystal is coated with anti-reflective coating on both sides (SAR coating), which minimizes the loss of contrast caused by reflections from the crystal, resulting in a remarkably clear view of the dial.

The dial is truly exhilarating, as if portraying the mysteries of the grand universe.

A limited-edition white dial model with sparkling wet plated base also available

The M34 F8 Date is also available in a limited edition of 160 pieces, the Ref. RE-BX0002S, with an intricately patterned white dial and blue second hand, also based on the design concept of the Perseus constellation.

Orient Star M34 F8 Date Ref. RE-BX0002S

This is a normal painted dial, but with a very thin white layered paint that brings out the shimmer of the underlying silver-colored wet plating.

As a result, the paint does not bury the intricate patterns of the base plate, and the three-dimensional modeling with depth seen on the blue dial can also be seen in this timepiece.

The dial of the M34 F8 Date is manufactured by the Dial Studio of the Shinshu Watch Studio. First, the die is produced through hand engraving by skilled artisans using a rotary tool, and the pattern is press stamped onto a brass base plate.

Next, color is applied to the base plate through wet plating and optical multilayer deposition (painting is done for white dials).

The top layer is sprayed with a thick clear wrap coating, then the date and power reserve windows are cut and drilled. After re-plating the cut surface, it is polished until perfectly flat. Following multiple rounds of pad printing, the mirror-polished indexes and lower dial are attached by hand for completion.

This is work that can only be attained by the Shinshu Watch Studio with its extensive manufacturing processes to craft dials with high added value.

M45 F7 Mechanical Moon Phase RE-AY0124N that expresses cosmic scenery featuring the moon and Pleiades

The second model we introduce here is the M45 F7 Mechanical Moon Phase Ref. RE-AY0124N. The M45 Collection’s name derives from the open star cluster M45, visible near Taurus.

In Europe, M45 is called the Pleiades Cluster after the seven sisters of the Pleiades in Greek mythology, but in Japan it has long been familiar by the name Subaru.

Orient Star M45 F7 Mechanical Moon Phase Ref. RE-AY0124N

The design concept of the dial is “occultation or overlapping of the moon and Pleiades.” Occultation is a phenomenon in which the moon appears to overlap with other fixed stars as it orbits the Earth. The combination of the dark, subdued gradation coating around the periphery of the dial and the irregular pattern expresses the brilliance of the stars in the Pleiades star cluster.

In addition, the silver-colored mirrored dots placed in the darkest area of the outer circumference of the Roman numerals sparkle even in the smallest amount of light, giving the timepiece an appearance of a celestial body shining in the dark night.

All the printings on the dial are unified in black, but each is heaped up three-dimensionally through pad printing so that shadows appear to change depending on the angle from which light enters the dial, which is a feature unique to this model.

Dial production by the Dial Studio of the Shinshu Watch Studio

The dial of this model is also made by the Dial Studio of the Shinshu Watch Studio. First, patterns are stamped on the brass base plate with press processing, and the surface is then wet-plated in silver color.

Then, paint is carefully layered one by one with a dedicated machine to create gradations from gray to black.

The top layer is wrap coated and polished until perfectly flat, followed by cutting and drilling of the power reserve and moon phase areas, and the cut surfaces re-plated.

The three-dimensional print is then formed by multiple rounds of pad printing, and applied parts and lower dial are attached by hand for completion.

Orient Star takes dial manufacturing to the next level

In this article, we took up two models, the M34 F8 Date and M45 F7 Mechanical Moon Phase, to illustrate Orient Star’s evolutions in dial manufacturing.

The dials crafted using the most appropriate method for each design concept, have established unique worldviews with unprecedentedly intricate expressions that exude stunning brilliance.

This is the kind of craftsmanship that can only be achieved by Orient Star, which carries out the entire manufacturing process internally, from parts production to timepiece assembly.

As technologies that leverage Orient Star’s strong assets such as optical multilayer that allows optical coloration and SAR coating on dual curved sapphire crystal have been incorporated, Orient Star’s timepiece craftsmanship is certain to attract further attention as it enters a new era of dial designs.