For over 70 years, the Orient Watch brand has prided itself on not only its quality of craftsmanship, but range of its products. From the elegance and delicateness of the Orient Star, to the accessibility and robustness of its Sport and Classic offerings, the line up over the years has certainly had a watch for anyone and everyone.
One collection, however, stands alone from the rest. For nearly 25 years, the M-Force collection has been manufactured to withstand harsh environments and endure extremes beyond that of an ordinary watch. The “M” in M-Force stands for three things:
- Mechanical: Refers to the mechanical movement that keeps time without relying on batteries or solar power.
- Massive: Being a solid, durable watch equipped with shock-resistant exterior and interior structure.
- Maverick: Having an original design that is both refined and daringly different.
To understand the M-Force, it is important to unravel its ongoing history which consists of three generations.
1st Generation (1997-2002)
The first generation of M-Force was marked by functionality, reinforced watch cases, and above all, an abundance of color. From here on out, eye-popping color would be a common thread throughout all M-Force collections, and one that would separate it from the tool watches in the market.
EX00 – Date and power reserve in titanium. (Above, first on the left)
EX01 – Date, monthly calendar, power reserve. (Above, second from left)
EX03/4 – Date, power reserve, and crown guard. (Above, middle)
EX0X/E – Date and power reserve. The first to bear the “M-FORCE” logo on the dial. (Above, second from right)
EY01/2 – Date, GMT, power reserve and small seconds.
EZ00 – Date, power reserve and small seconds.
EX0F – Known as the “Orient Lion”, with date and power reserve.
2nd Generation (2011-2015)
The second generation of M-Force built upon the first and took things a step further in every way. This started with a newly developed casing structure that made the M-Force compliant with ISO 6425 (SCUBA), ISO 1413 (shock-resistance), and ISO 764 (anti magnetism). Additionally, a partnership with Subaru’s STI led to several M-Force models being on the dash during the 24 hour Nürburgring race in Germany and the Super GT series in Japan.
EL03 – Date and power reserve.
TZ00 – Known as the “SpeedTech Chronograph STI” which was a quartz chronograph that could measure time with accuracy at 1/100 of a second.
3rd Generation (2020-Present)
As a part of Orient’s 70th Anniversary, the brand sought to revive the M-Force collection after another hiatus. It unveiled a brand now M-Force logo and typeface. The first release was the M-Force AC0L, which was built as a tribute to the sea and featured a crown guard/shroud that is reminiscent of the 1998 EX03 model. There are more new M-Force models coming in the near future to continue its legacy.