Invicta and Orient Watch Review

Invicta 8926 vs Orient 2ER00001B - A Comparison

With both the Invicta 8926 and the Orient 2ER00001B (will be referred to it as Orient 2ER) in my collection and seeing how closely they resemble each other, I have decided to write a review to comparing them, to eventually, determine which is a better watch. Though both are fine timepieces, determining the superiority of a watch becomes simpler with price considerations. When the 8926 first became available, it was marketed at approximately $100. In 2004, Invicta changed the design of the bezel and stopped making the 8926 with the Rolex style coin edge bezel.  After the alterations, the price for the watch increased steadily as supply dwindled. Currently, this watch is being sold at nearly $200. Even though the asking price has nearly doubled over the last 3 years; the watch is still an excellent deal considering the type of watch. The Orient 2ER is currently being sold at around $160. The point being made is that for the quality these automatic watches offer, the prices are more than reasonable. I am sure everyone who has owned or currently owns these watches would agree that they could easily be sold for 3 to 4 times more than their asking prices.

For the comparisons, I assigned points for each of the features that the watch possesses. Each feature that is compared is judged on two criteria: aesthetic appearance vs practicality. One point was awarded to the winner of each criterion of each feature.

Before the comparison is started, I want to get the similarities out of the way. Appearance wise these two watches are nearly identical with a few differences. The design for both watches are obviously imitation of the popular Rolex Submariner. At 40mm case diameter, Invicta 8926 is nearly identical in size to the Orient 2ER, which has a 39.5mm case diameter. At 12.5mm, the case for the Invicta 8926 is also only half a millimeter thicker than of the Orient. Both watches use 316L solid stainless steel for the case and the bracelet. Both watch has a unidirectional ratcheting bezel and a protective mineral crystal. Under the crystals are two black dials with luminous hands and markers. The black dial on the Invicta 8926 appears to be a darker black than that of the Orient 2ER. Orient's black is more of a charcoal color, which is quite pretty. It is something different from the everyday black. The size of the crown on both watches is fairly large so screwing and unscrewing it is easy. The lug for each watch is 20mm, which is pretty standard for this size case.

 

With the similarities out of the way, let the blood bath begin. One notable cosmetic difference between the Invicta 8926 and Orient 2ER is that the center links on the Invicta 8926 is polished. The polished center links really dress the watch up. However, the downside is that it can easily be scratched. The bracelet on the Orient 2ER is completely brushed. While it is not as attractive, it can certainly take more beatings without showing all of them. Round One Results: Tie Aesthetic Winner = Invicta 8926 Practicality Winner = Orient 2ER One would think that since both watches are about the same size, they would weigh about the same, but the reality is the Invicta 8926 felt heavier and when I put it on the scale, it weighted 5.4 oz. Orient 2ER came in at 4.3 oz. This difference can be attributed to the bracelets. Even though the case size for both watches are essentially the same, the bracelet on the Invicta 8926 coming in at 3.5mm is about 3/4 of a millimeter thicker than the Orient's and does not taper as much toward the clasp. The Invicta bracelet tapers to 18mm from 20mm while the Orient bracelet tapered to 16mm. Although from a practical point of view, the weight and tapering of the band doesn't really matter, from a aesthetic point of view, for a strong built dive watch, the thickness and the width of the bracelet play a large role in giving the watch a tough and substantial look. Round Two Results: Winner - Invicta Aesthetic Winner = Invicta 8926 Practicality Winner = n/a When I looked at the magnifier on the crystal of both watches, they looked the same. However, the magnifier on the Orient watch definitely has a higher magnification. You can see that from the picture above too. The magnifier on the Invicta 89xx series has traditionally been weak. Their 99xx Swiss series are equipped with superior magnifiers. A magnifier with a strong magnification is important because it makes telling the date that much easier. Round Three Results: Winner - Orient Aesthetic Winner = n/a Practicality Winner = Orient While the front of the 2 watches look nearly identical, the case back is dramatically different. When I turned the 8926 over, I was greeted by a beautiful exhibition case back where the movement is visible. When I shake the watch, I saw the rotor going around. I also saw the movement as well as how the escapement in a movement worked. For those that have never seen a watch with a see through case back, it is quite a treat. After all, a lot of people, especially the watch collectors, are not getting a watch to simply tell time. They are buying a watch out of appreciation for the kind of meticulous engineering that goes into a timepieces. The exhibition case back give you a chance to see that engineering close up. On the Orient watch, when the watch was flipped over, I saw a solid case back; not much to see there besides some specs for the watch. Round Four Results: Winner - Invicta Aesthetic Winner = Invicta Practicality Winner = n/a Anyone keeping track of the score? I think Invicta is up by 1 right now. Despite the fact that both watches have a screw down case back and a screw down crown, Invicta 8926 has a 200 meter water resistant rating while the Orient 2ER is only rated for 100 meters. Although 100 meters is sufficient for most people and everyday activities, it is nice to have a watch with a higher water resistance so that if you do need it, you have it. You never know when you might get the craving to go diving. Round Five Results: Winner - Invicta Aesthetic Winner = n/a Practicality Winner = Invicta  Now for the most important comparison, I looked at the movements. Besides the appearance, the movement is the next most important aspect of a watch to consider. After all, the movement dictates the performance of a watch. A watch that simply looks good but doesn't keep good time will find it very difficult to survive in this world filled with thousands of other beautiful watches. Beating away inside the sturdy case of the Invicta 8926 is a 21 jewel Citizen Miyota 8215 automatic movement. The oscillator in the Miyota 8215 vibrates at 21,600 times per hour. According to Citizen, calibre 8215 has a accuracy variation of -20 to +40 seconds over a 24 hour time frame. My Invicta 8926 gained roughly 15 seconds per day. 15 seconds variation is pretty good for an unregulated movement. For people who want better accuracy than that, after the watch settles in, I recommend having it regulated by a master watch maker and make sure he reseal the watch. For me I can live with it gaining 15 seconds a day. Beating inside the strong case of the Orient 2ER is an Orient 21 jewel in-house ER automatic movement. This movement also vibrates at 21,600 times per hour. Unfortunately, I was not able to get the factor accuracy rate on this movement, but when I tested mine, I was pleasantly surprised by its performance. I thought I was going to get something like 10 seconds variation with this watch, but what I got was a 4 second variation over 48 hours. So about 2 seconds a day, which is absolutely incredible. I doubt every Orient 2ER will be this accurate, but this test did reinforced my confidence in Orient watches. I have always known them to be good watches and personally like them a lot, but this is the first time I actually sat down and monitor it closely and needless to say, I am very happy with the result. One complaint I have for both movements is that neither of them is hacked. So it doesn't allow one to set the accurate time as easily. But for testing purposes, I just noted how many seconds the watch was off from the atomic clock when the test started and how many seconds it was off when it ended. Simple arithmetic did the rest. A minor difference that is also worth mentioning is that the Miyota movement can be hand wound while the Orient ER movement cannot. This is not a big issue since they are both automatic movements and as you wear them, they get wound anyway. According to the factory, both watches have a power reserve of more than 40 hours with a fully wound mainspring. Mine have never lasted over 40 hours. I guess they must not have been fully wound. Final Round Results: Winner - Orient Aesthetic Winner = n/a Practicality Winner = Orient  This has been a really fun and enjoyable exercise. A simple count would show that Invicta 8926 is the winner of the match, however, when I look at both watches and take everything I feel is important into consideration, I think Orient 2ER is the better watch of the two. The reasoning behind my decision is that when I look at the features that these two watches are being judged, some features are more important than others, so it is not as simple as just counting up how many points each watch has won. The things that I like about the Invicta 8926 is the exhibition case back. The exhibition case back is certainly not something new to me, but I still like having it and for people who have never seen one before, it can be really exciting. Besides, it is fun to look at the movement when you are waiting for a train or standing in line or simply have nothing to do. The polished center links on the band is a good touch, but it is not crucial. I know of many people who prefer their watch bands to have a brush finished because scratches are not as apparent on brushed finished bands. Two reasons make me lean toward the Orient 2ER. The most important reason is the movement and how well it performed. I also like the fact the the movement in the Orient 2ER is an in-house movement. Having in-house movements really legitimizes a watch company and secures its name in the highly competitive watch industry. The second reason is the more powerful magnifier on the crystal. I have often found myself losing track of the date, so a watch with a easily readable date is very important. Invicta 8926 also has the date display under a magnifier, but because the magnification is low, it is harder to see at times. Conclusion: In conclusion, I feel that both pieces are very solid watches and great values for the money. Watches of this caliber can easily cost 4 to 5 times more, but somehow Invicta and Orient have managed to keep their prices affordable for most people. The results from this test is far from definitive. I tried to be as objective as possible, but it is hard to be completely objective when watches are such personal possessions. I encourage everyone to try this exercise on their own and see what kind of results they get. Maybe we can all compare our results someday. Zai Zhu About the author: Zai Zhu is a watch collector as well as the owner of www.discountwatchstore.com. Discount Watch Store is an authorized dealer many watch brands including Citizen Watch, Invicta Watch, Luminox Watch, Bulova Watch, Orient Watch, Seiko Watch, and Wenger Watch. All feedbacks and comments are welcomed. Please email your comments to [email protected] You are welcome to publish this article as long as you keep all the links in the article intact.