Orient Defender 2 Review & Complete Guide
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The Orient Defender 2, also known as Defender II or Defender mk2 is the upgraded version of the Defender 1. Or, the second generation of this model.
Orient is a watch brand with a long and rich history. The brand is especially known for making high-quality, affordable mechanical watches at very affordable prices. In fact, there are few watch brands in this segment that can compete with Orient in regard to the price and quality ratio.
Orient was originally founded in 1950 by Shogoro Yoshida and is today one of the largest Japanese watch companies in the world. Something we like about Orient is that the brand has a large collection of timepieces in many kinds of different designs. So regardless of purpose, occasion, and style, there is an Orient watch for everyone.
In this article, we are looking closer at the Orient Defender 2, a watch that has received a lot of praise and appreciation for its great value proposition and for its stylish design.
Orient Defender 2 review
The Orient Defender 2 is the upgraded, second generation of the Orient defender. The name itself reveals that we can expect something sporty and versatile, and that’s exactly what this watch is. In fact, it is built and designed as a field watch, which means it is meant for the outdoors. And it features more or less all of the classic design traits and features that you would expect in one. It is (of course) affordable, and like most Orient watches, it offers exceptional value for money.
The watch also carries a slightly unique and different design that stands out from many others, whilst at the same time retaining a classic and traditional look.
The Orient Defender 2 is also available in a few different iterations and versions which means you can opt for the one that suits your taste and style the best. In this article, we will however focus on this model as a whole.
Case
Starting off with the case, the Orient Defender 2 has a diameter of 42mm. It is available with a regular stainless steel case or a PVD-treated case for added sportiness. To achieve a sporty and tool-like appearance, the case is completely satin-finished, both on the bezel, sides, and top of the lugs. This achieves a sportier field watch look.
The crown is relatively large and is positioned at 3 o’clock without any crown guards. This makes it easy to operate but also gives a more classic and distinct look with grooves. The crown has a slightly polished finish to it which makes it stand out a touch. Since there are no polished elements on this watch apart from the crown, it’s a bit of a contrast, but it’s still subtle enough to not harm its design.
The size of 42mm is relatively big, but its lugs are quite short with a lug-to-lug of 49.5mm which means that it wears smaller than its dimensions suggest. In terms of size, it should work well for men with at least average-sized wrists. But people who have smaller wrists have also been wearing this watch and reported that it works quite well for them too.
The thickness of 12,2mm is also not too bad and sits relatively slim on the wrist. But it’s important to keep in mind that this isn’t a dress watch, but rather designed as a sporty everyday watch and perhaps a field-watch-inspired design. On top of the case sits a mineral crystal, and whilst it would be nice with a sapphire crystal, it’s not something we can expect considering its price. A good thing about the crystal, however, is that it has an anti-reflective coating which does a great job of keeping the legibility excellent and the glare down to a minimum, even in bright environments.
The water resistance of 100m/330 feet is what we can expect from this type of timepiece. It can handle water splashes and short periods of swimming but is not ideal for diving.
Dial
Moving on to the dial of the Orient Defender 2, we have, as mentioned a few dial designs to choose from. But what they all have in common is the identical layout, but also all of the design features that you would expect from a field watch.
Around the outer edge of the dial, it has a sloped/angled chapter ring/rehaut on which the 60-minute markers are printed. The sloped rehaut keeps the dial from appearing too large on the wrist but also gives the dial some depth, making it more interesting. Right where the chapter ring ends, it has second markers printed, but also applied hour markers which have a rectangular shape. The hour markers are quite large and have a generous amount of luminescent material applied to them. With that said, the watch ticks all the boxes in terms of legibility.
The hands are also large to provide excellent legibility (a crucial aspect in a field watch) and are also skeletonized at the center. The hands have a sword shape and also feature applied luminescence to help with legibility in the dark. And whilst we are on the topic of luminescence, the lume is strong and glows for a long time. Thanks to the generous amount that Orient has added, this is a lume that you can count on.
In terms of design, Orient has opted for a rather interesting dial layout and design with an asymmetrical dial layout with two sub-dials positioned at 12 o’clock and 5 o’clock. Some may complain about the fact that the dial isn’t symmetrical, but in some way, Orient has made it work really well. At least from our point of view, the asymmetrical dial design is not something that harms its overall appearance.
Speaking of the sub-dials, the top sub-dial presents the day of the week, which can be convenient to keep track of. Especially considering the fact that most people will wear this as an everyday watch.
But with its sub-dial functions, it can be discussed whether this can be classified as a true field watch or just a field-inspired watch. This is due to the fact that field watch resin general, does not have more than a date function on the dial. The second sub-dial is an AM/PM indicator and displays military time – very appropriate in a field watch. An interesting design feature is that the top sub-dial is also made smaller than the bottom sub-dial.
The Orient logo is placed to the right of the top sub-dial which helps balance it out, and at 3 o’clock, it has a small date window discreetly tucked in.
Movement
Like all Orient watches, it is powered by an in-house movement. This time, specifically the automatic in-house Orient caliber F6B22 which is equipped with 22 jewels and has a power reserve of 40 hours. The power reserve is not the best, but it’s still quite good if you consider the complexity and different functions of the movement.
The movement beats with a frequency of 21600 BPH. Unlike its predecessor, it now features hacking, hand-winding, and quick-set date functions, which are all very convenient functions to have in a watch. That said, it’s definitely an improvement from the Defender mark 1 when it comes to the movement.
The winding of the movement is done by unscrewing the crown and winding it from the first position. Pulling out the crown an additional step allows you to set the date and date, and pulling out the crown an additional step will allow you to adjust the time.
For the price, the accuracy between -15 to +25 seconds per day can be considered ok. Not the most accurate of movements, but it is automatic, and it is affordable.
Strap
The watch is available on either a NATO strap, leather strap, or steel bracelet, depending on which model you choose. All strap options have their pros and cons, but the good thing is that you can also easily change the strap on your watch according to what you want. The Defender 2 is also a great watch in the sense that it looks really nice on most straps, in particular NATO straps. So in that sense, it is very versatile and easily customizable.
The choice of a NATO strap is a great choice if you want something versatile and utilitarian and goes very well with the purpose and concept of this watch, being a military field watch.
As is the case for most affordable watches, the bracelet isn’t the best in the game. It can feel a bit cheap and rattly due to the pins and collar link design. But the bracelet does look good and goes well together with the sporty design of this timepiece.
But, as mentioned, you can customize the strap options just the way you like.
Orient Defender 2 available models
The Orient Defender is available in a few different versions which means that you can choose the one that suits your taste and preference the best.
The models are:
- Orient Defender 2 RA-AK0401L10A – steel case, steel bracelet, blue dial
- Orient Defender 2 RA-AK0402E10A – steel case, steel bracelet, green dial
- Orient Defender 2 RA-AK0403N10A – black PVD steel case, NATO strap, black dial
- Orient Defender2 RA-AK0404B10A – steel case, NATO strap, black dial
- Orient Defender 2 RA-AK0405Y10A – steel case, leather strap, cream dial
Specifications
- Diameter: 42.4mm
- Thickness: 12,2mm
- Lug width: 22mm
- Water resistance: 100m/330 feet
- Crown: push/pull
- Case: stainless steel, brushed
- Crystal: Mineral
- Movement: Automatic caliber F6B22
- Jewels: 22 jewels
- Power-reserve: 40 hours power reserve
- Accuracy: -15/+25 seconds per day
- Lug-to-lug: 49.5mm
- Weight: 82g
- Strap: Calfskin Leather, steel bracelet, or NATO-strap
Conclusion
All in all, the Orient Defender 2 is a great upgrade to the previous generation in a number of different ways. Not only has the design been reworked and refined, but so has the build quality and most importantly, its technical functions in terms of the movement.
This is a great choice if you’re looking for a stylish yet versatile field watch with a sporty appearance. The watch has a utilitarian appearance which works great on outdoor activities, and it is built to handle more demanding conditions but is simple and elegant enough to also work for everyday wear.
For the price, there really is not a lot we can complain about when it comes to this watch, and Orient has paid more attention to the details than we can expect from a watch at this price point. The case is purposefully finished with great precision, the dial has beautiful details and a nice overall finish, and inside is a robust and tough movement that has proven to be sturdy and long-lasting.
The various choices of models that you can choose from are another great thing about this model as it means that you can find the model that suits your taste and preference the most. The Orient Defender mark 1 was already a highly popular watch, and Orient has taken the successful recipe from that watch and made it even better, so as a whole, the Defender 2 is certainly a step in the right direction.
