I meant to post a review of this watch after wearing it for six months. As things tend to go, I did not get around to it, as is plainly obvious from the utter lack of posts. But hey! Here we go!
How Does it Wear?
While a slightly thicker watch than the more popular Maestro and Bambino from the same company, I had no problem wearing this watch under sleaves of varying tightness. Being my first mechanical watch, I was surprised by its lightness, somehow having it in my head that by virtue of being mechanical it would also be heavier. I have definitely worn heavier watches of both the digital and quartz-analog variety.
How Does it Look?
I think you have to be a fan of rose gold to appreciate my particular watch. Not everyone does, and that’s fine. Orient makes this model in several color variations to suit many tastes. For me, I like the simplicity of the bar markers for hours with their high reflectivity, a subject I’ll come back to in a moment. I love the black dial and feel it lends the watch face an elegant look.
The model I purchased came with an exhibition case back. That is really not a necessity on this watch. As good as the movement is, it is far from beautiful, looking far more industrial than artistic.
As I noted in my First Impressions, I am not a fan of the faux alligator calfskin band this came with. If you want an alligator band, get a real one. It will look considerably better. I wore the Symphony III with this band during the entire time of this review, to see how it would wear, which it did admirably. Now that my review is done, however, I will likely swap this out for either a black leather or fabric band.
How Did it Work?
In a word; amazingly. I am not a careful person by nature. I whack my arm into walls and door frames. I forget to take my watch off when I sleep. I live in a place that routinely gets down to -40 degrees in the winter. The Orient Symphony III took whatever abuse I threw at it and shrugged it off. The only thing I can think of that I did not do to it was taking it under water.
Setting the date and time is smooth and simple. I have had watches where it is difficult to tell just how far out you’ve pulled the crown and stem. Not so with this watch.
The automatic-works was also smooth. I never noticed it or felt its movement, yet after the initial winding, I never had to wind the watch again. It just always ran. As an until-this-watch lifelong quartz watch owner, this may have been the part I was most surprised and pleased by.
Final Impressions
In the grand scheme of watches greater than $100, this is a pretty mundane watch. As an entry into the world of mechanical watches and watch collection as a hobby, it is an eye-opening and fascinating introduction. Should you hate it, at least you did not break the bank. If you love it, you will learn that no matter your budget, there are fun watches to be found. This watch will certainly remain in my collection to be worn for years to come as a reminder of the watch that sucked me into a new hobby. Is it a luxury watch? Not by most measures, no. But it’s a luxury to me.
