Late last year, I became aware of the Australian company Orange Watch Co, primarily due to their submariner-inspired model, which is shown in the graphic above. And while we will take a closer look at the watch later, first I’d like to show you a little more about the company, from what I learned in some discussions with the owner, Dan.
When Dan and I began exchanging emails, it quickly became evident that he’s very passionate about his company and the industry he’s in, and is proud of the quality product that he’s able to create.
This came out in our discussion on the movements that he’s decided to use. He’s made a conscious decision to not use any ETA movements. This is because of the decision that those movements will not be sold to anyone outside of the Swatch group. What this means is that none of the smaller (or micro) manufacturers (such as OWC) can obtain a truly legal ETA movement.
So, what does OWC use instead? Basically, you can get one of two movements in your watch. If you truly want a Swiss movement ticking away, you can opt for the Soprod A-10. Or, if you would prefer to get the most “bang for your buck”, you can opt for the Seagull ST1812 movement. If you want to know in detail how these stack up, OWC has a comparison here. Of note, OWC feels that the 1812 matches up to the 2892-A2 (practically a clone), and that the Soprod is an even better movement.
This is the basis of where OWC comes from. They’re quite open about what they’re using (no shell and game tactics to arrive at a “Swiss” watch), and up front about what they’re making. That’s even evident in the name of the watch lines – ISO, which stands for “In the Spirit Of”. In other words, they’re telling you that this is their interpretation of another successful model.
This passion and honesty, for me, makes for a very appealing basis for any watch coming out of their doors. Tomorrow, we’ll take a closer look at their current ISO model, the Military Submariner.
