Thanks for the review!
Do you have the case dimensions and lug widths for both?
Do you have the case dimensions and lug widths for both?
Orient "Mako" Diver vs. Casio "Submariner" Diver Comparison
Authored by AndrewDB
Orient "Mako" Diver vs. Casio "Submariner" Diver Comparison
Hi everybody,
I got both watches this week, the Casio slightly earlier than the Orient, both purchased on the bay. The Casio was $35 + $15 (standard) shipping ($50 total), the Orient was $90 + $27 (express) shipping ($117 total). Cutting it short, I would say in both cases I got a good deal and exactly what I paid for.
On to the pics! BTW both watches are available in black or blue, these are the black ones.
The casio on my wrist:
![]()
Looks OK, feels OK, but as they say the devil is in the details. The 10 year battery is a plus, do doubt about it. Japanese movement, good. But read on.
Here is the Orient on my wrist:
![]()
Looks OK, feels heavy though. The dial is not really black, rather a very deep grey. Of course, in the water you don't care about such details. BTW there is an obvious difference: the Orient is rated to 200m, the Casio to 100m. I'll never dive below about 30m, so this point is moot, but still.
The Casio back:
![]()
Cased in China - well, at least they are honest enough to actually stamp it on the case back. The watch case is all stainless steel and imho the quality and finish are good. No serial number, but that's expected in a $35 watch, I think.
The Mako back:
![]()
Sorry, I left the 3D QC control label. Imho this case back looks better than the Casio one. I really like the polish on the all stainless steel case. Quality and finish are very good.
The Casio crown and thickness:
![]()
The crown is plain and simple, and properly guarded. The non-obvious detail is that it's not a screw-in crown, it's just a normal crown!
The Orient crowns (yes, two crowns) and thickness:
![]()
The main crown is properly gaurded and sports the Orient logo. Both crowns are screw-in. Finish is excellent. Notice the crystal is slightly taller than the bezel. The Orient is clearly thicker than the Casio.
The Casio clasp:
Just a plain two-button clasp.
The Mako clasp (sorry, I couldn't resist a larger shot):
[img]http://www.larrybiggs.net/scwf/images/us/imageshack/img150/ef/82/e0/46/a504ada214fb28b1515a7767.jpg
Nicely done logo, w/ safety, two-button type clasp.
The Casio bracelet:
![]()
Folded steel, feels OK, the sides are polished so it looks good. But if you look closely at it for two seconds you know it's not expensive to manufacture. Somehow does not pinch my wrist hair. Was a pain to adjust.
The Mako bracelet:
![]()
Oyster-style solid stainless steel. Heavy, tough. Does not pinch my wrist hair. Easy to adjust.
The Casio lume:
Ha! No picture, the Casio doesn't have any lume!!!
The Mako lume:
![]()
Very good lume and very well applied.
Conclusion:
![]()
Well, except on weight and thickness, the Orient diver wins on all counts. The Orient diver certainly is not incredibly heavy or thick, it's just slighly too thick and heavy for an everyday watch. Apart from that, I can't fault it. If Orient would make a titanium version I would certainly be willing to pay the extra cost.
As for the Casio, it's a fine watch for $35, but it's a "fake" diver, not a real diver watch. The bracelet is acceptable but I'll probably swap it out for an aftermarket one.
Thanks for looking, wishing everybody a fine weekend,
AndrewDB
Orient "Mako" Diver vs. Casio "Submariner" Diver Comparison
Hi everybody,
I got both watches this week, the Casio slightly earlier than the Orient, both purchased on the bay. The Casio was $35 + $15 (standard) shipping ($50 total), the Orient was $90 + $27 (express) shipping ($117 total). Cutting it short, I would say in both cases I got a good deal and exactly what I paid for.
On to the pics! BTW both watches are available in black or blue, these are the black ones.
The casio on my wrist:
Looks OK, feels OK, but as they say the devil is in the details. The 10 year battery is a plus, do doubt about it. Japanese movement, good. But read on.
Here is the Orient on my wrist:
Looks OK, feels heavy though. The dial is not really black, rather a very deep grey. Of course, in the water you don't care about such details. BTW there is an obvious difference: the Orient is rated to 200m, the Casio to 100m. I'll never dive below about 30m, so this point is moot, but still.
The Casio back:
Cased in China - well, at least they are honest enough to actually stamp it on the case back. The watch case is all stainless steel and imho the quality and finish are good. No serial number, but that's expected in a $35 watch, I think.
The Mako back:
Sorry, I left the 3D QC control label. Imho this case back looks better than the Casio one. I really like the polish on the all stainless steel case. Quality and finish are very good.
The Casio crown and thickness:
The crown is plain and simple, and properly guarded. The non-obvious detail is that it's not a screw-in crown, it's just a normal crown!
The Orient crowns (yes, two crowns) and thickness:
The main crown is properly gaurded and sports the Orient logo. Both crowns are screw-in. Finish is excellent. Notice the crystal is slightly taller than the bezel. The Orient is clearly thicker than the Casio.
The Casio clasp:
Just a plain two-button clasp.
The Mako clasp (sorry, I couldn't resist a larger shot):
[img]http://www.larrybiggs.net/scwf/images/us/imageshack/img150/ef/82/e0/46/a504ada214fb28b1515a7767.jpg
Nicely done logo, w/ safety, two-button type clasp.
The Casio bracelet:
Folded steel, feels OK, the sides are polished so it looks good. But if you look closely at it for two seconds you know it's not expensive to manufacture. Somehow does not pinch my wrist hair. Was a pain to adjust.
The Mako bracelet:
Oyster-style solid stainless steel. Heavy, tough. Does not pinch my wrist hair. Easy to adjust.
The Casio lume:
Ha! No picture, the Casio doesn't have any lume!!!
The Mako lume:
Very good lume and very well applied.
Conclusion:
Well, except on weight and thickness, the Orient diver wins on all counts. The Orient diver certainly is not incredibly heavy or thick, it's just slighly too thick and heavy for an everyday watch. Apart from that, I can't fault it. If Orient would make a titanium version I would certainly be willing to pay the extra cost.
As for the Casio, it's a fine watch for $35, but it's a "fake" diver, not a real diver watch. The bracelet is acceptable but I'll probably swap it out for an aftermarket one.
Thanks for looking, wishing everybody a fine weekend,
AndrewDB
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