Model: Orient “Grand Prix 100” Triostat
Year: 1964
Features:
The History. Before the Seiko acquisition in the early 2000s, Orient competed head-to-head with Seiko and Citizen in Japan’s domestic market. While it was often seen as the underdog of the three, that never stopped Orient from creating some truly iconic pieces. Look no further than the watch on offer today - the Grand Prix 100.
The Jewels. One of the first watches in the world to feature a 100-jeweled movement. In fact, there’s a strong case that Orient was the genuine first, if we ignore watches like the Waltham 100 that used an off-the-shelf 17-jewel Swiss movement and then simply splashed another 83 jewels around its perimeter. Orient made its 660 Calibre in-house, and a breakdown of the movement shows a genuine effort to ensure all 100 jewels were at least semi-functional.
The Modification. Winding its way around the edge of the dial is a mesh motif you won’t find on a standard Grand Prix 100. On close inspection, the decorative metal has aged in line with the indices and dial, suggesting the modification was carried out around the time of the watch’s original release in 1964. The workmanship is impressively bespoke - the mesh was clearly designed to fit perfectly around each piece of dial furniture.
The Design. Nothing demonstrates that better than the date window, where the frilled metal has been precisely shaped to its edges. In today’s modern world of video tutorials and endless forum guides, even people like me can tinker with watches. But in 1964, the only people capable of an embellishment like this were highly trained watchmakers.
The Rarity. I’ve long wondered how this modification came to be, so I reached out to Mr Orient himself. While he hadn’t encountered this exact dial modification before on a GP 100, he had seen a couple of other Orients from the same era featuring similar latticework detailing. Given the level of craftsmanship involved, he leans towards the modification being done by someone at Orient - possibly done as a limited release for special clients. Because even without the modification, this was a special watch.
The Case. At the time of its release - and for many years afterwards - the Orient Grand Prix 100 was by far the most expensive watch in Orient’s catalogue. The case is made from silver and white gold, the only time Orient ever used that particular combination of precious metals, and the movement features a Triostat system for three-point fine adjustment, allowing for chronometer-grade precision.
Specifications:
Condition: In good condition overall. Just serviced. Unpolished, so various signs of wear can be seen on the gold case. The dial shows signs of aging.
Scope: No box or papers.
Movement: In-house, 100-jewels Orient 660 calibre
Dimensions:
- Case Width: 37.6mm
- Lug to lug: 43.8mm
- Case Thickness: 12.6mm
- Lug Width: 18mm
