Orient Mako XL Review & Complete Guide

Orient Mako XL Review & Complete Guide

If you are looking for a robust, bulky, and sporty dive watch at an affordable price, the Orient Mako XL is a watch worth considering. And many people have.

In fact, the Orient Mako XL is a very popular dive watch that is appreciated for its exceptional value for money. This becomes especially evident when looking at the build quality, performance, and durability.

This is a watch with a classic and traditional dive watch design, which is a type of look that will probably never go out of style. Already at first glance, it appears very sporty and masculine. This is a serious dive watch for men who enjoy the wrist presence of large and bulky watches.

In addition, the Mako XL is available in a number of different iterations, which predominantly means bezel and dial color. This means that you should be able to find one that suits your taste and style if you enjoy the overall look of the Mako XL. It is available in the following references:

• FEM75001BR – Black dial, black bezel
• FEM75004B9 – Black dial, orange bezel
• FEM75003B9 – Black dial, green bezel
• FEM75002DR – Blue dial, blue bezel
• CEM75005R – off-white dial, black bezel

Without further ado, let’s look closer at and review the Orient Mako XL.

Orient Mako XL case

As is evident already at first glance, the watch features a large and bulky case. The case measures 44.5mm, and in addition to this, it has broad and thick lugs which makes it appear even larger than it actually is. Its thickness measures 13.3mm, and the watch has a lug-to-lug of 51mm. In addition, it has a lug width of 20mm.

FEM75001BR

The case is solid, and at 3 o’clock, it has large crown guards that keep the crown protected. This is yet another element of the case which makes it larger and bulkier. The lugs are squared off, which is yet another detail that makes it appear bulkier. The crown is, of course, a screw-down.

The top of the lugs are satin-brushed, but this is contrasted with beveled edges on the lugs, which is a really nice touch. Not only does this make the lugs appear slightly slimmer visually, but they also show the Orient has paid attention to the details. This is a really nice and elegant touch to an otherwise sporty timepiece. The sides of the case are polished too.

With all of this said, it is inevitably a large watch. This makes it most suitable for men with medium to large wrists, and particularly for those who enjoy wearing watches that have a great presence on the wrist. At the same time, owners who enjoy this type of watch have reported that it is still quite comfortable on the wrist.

FEM75004B9

Overall, the case design and build quality is great and gives a qualitative impression. Orient has also done a great job with the contrast between polished and brushed elements.

As a dive watch should, this watch is also equipped with a unidirectional rotating bezel. The bezel has large notches for optimum grip and easy operation. The bezel also has an aluminum insert with 60-minute markings. Depending on which version you choose, the bezel is made in different colors. The bezel operates well and rotates firmly. A downside is that it does not have a luminous pip at 12 o’clock, which can make it more difficult to read in low-lit conditions.

Considering its price, it’s not a surprise that it uses a mineral crystal rather than a sapphire crystal.

As a dive watch should, it offers a water resistance of 200m/660 feet, which is the minimum depth rating for it to be classified as a dive watch. This means it is suitable for diving, swimming, and virtually any other type of water activity.

FEM75003B9

Orient Mako XL dial

The dial is exactly what you would expect from a dive watch. It has large hour markers and large hands which ensure optimum legibility.

Around the outer edge of the dial, it has an angled chapter ring on which the seconds markers are printed.

As mentioned, the dial color depends on the reference you choose. All of the versions, however, have a matte black dial, except for the blue version which has a beautiful sunburst finish, and the white dial, with an off-white dial.

The hour markers have polished metal frames around them and luminescent material applied to them. The hands are ”sword-shaped”, but the tips expand into tips that have slight arrow tips.

At 3 o’clock, the watch has a date and a day window which are separated by a ”wall”. These have a white painted frame around them. With their white background, some may complain about the fact that it stands out on the dial, and makes it slightly asymmetrical. They do, however, serve a practical benefit.

Overall, the dial is clean and puts the utmost focus on legibility – as it should. With that said, however, in low-lit conditions, the lure isn’t that strong, and there is definitely room for improvement here.

If you look at the case, you will see a pusher positioned above the crown guard. This is the day pusher with which you adjust the day. Keep in mind that this is not a screw-down, so you want to be careful so you don’t accidentally push it when submerging the watch.

FEM75002DR

Orient Mako XL movement

The watch is powered by the in-house automatic Orient caliber 46943. This movement beats with a frequency of 21600 BPH and has 21 jewels. The accuracy is specified to +-20 seconds a day, but many owners have reported a much better accuracy in practice.

A sporty dive watch needs a robust and sturdy movement, and this is exactly what the caliber 46943 is. The power reserve is specified to be 40 hours.

CEM75005R

Orient Mako XL bracelet

The bracelet is generally the part that is compromised with the most when it comes to affordable timepieces. This is also the case for the Orient Mako XL.

The bracelet looks sporty and durable and has a satin finish. In other words, it goes very well with the overall design of the watch. It has a there-link Oyster design, reminiscent of perhaps the most iconic bracelet in the world. 

 However, with that said, the bracelet does have some downsides. The primary downside is the fact that the bracelet does not have solid end links. Instead, the end links are hollow, and this has a huge effect on the quality feel of the bracelet. The hollow end links make the bracelet feel a bit cheap with its rattle.

The safety lock folding clasp is not 100% in quality impression either.  It uses push-pins and not screws.

But considering its price, the downsides of the bracelet are not the end of the world and even something we can overlook considering the price.

Specifications

• Frequency: 21600 BPH
• Power reserve: 40 hours
• Movement: Orient automatic caliber 46943 21
• Crystal: Mineral
• Diameter: 44.5mm
• Thickness: 13.3mm
• Lug width: 22mm
• Lug-to-lug: 51mm
• Water-resistance: 200m/660 feet
• Jewels: 21

Conclusion

All in all, the Orient Mako XL is a great affordable dive watch that offers great value for money.  Whether you choose the FEM75001BR, FEM75004B9, FEM75003B9, FEM75002DR, you won’t be disappointed.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that this is inevitably a large and bulky watch, and with that said, it’s not for everyone. But for those who enjoy a large and chunky watch with a great wrist presence, this is a perfect affordable dive watch with an impressive finish and build quality for its price.