Orient Star’s new M45 F8 Mechanical Moon Phase is stunning, and you won’t believe the price

Orient Star has unveiled two new additions to its Classic Collection – and they’re unlike anything we’ve seen from the Japanese watchmaker before.

The new M45 F8 Mechanical Moon Phase models are a blend of classic watch design with celestial artistry, and yes, they’re priced in territory usually reserved for luxury Swiss brands found in our best watch guide.

At £2700 (around $3400 USD), the M45 F8 is one of Orient Star’s most premium creations yet – a striking leap from the brand’s usual £250 Bambino crowd-pleasers.

There are two versions: a regular model with a serene white dial, and a limited-edition run of just 140 pieces featuring a grey gradient dial inspired by the Pleiades star cluster.

The regular model captures “the moon in the still of the night”, with a fine radial pattern dial and deep blue leaf-shaped hands that glide over a glossy, minimalist face. There’s no second hand, just a graceful pair of time-tellers alongside a moon phase display and power reserve indicator – both Orient Star hallmarks.

The dual-curved sapphire crystal (with anti-reflective coating on both sides) completes the refined, old-world aesthetic.

The limited edition is even more enchanting. Its grey-to-black dial evokes the moon’s occultation of the Pleiades, using layered printing, textured finishes, and silver accents to suggest depth and starlight. It’s a quiet masterpiece.

Under the dial beats Orient’s new in-house calibre F8A62, a hand-wound movement boasting a 70-hour power reserve and a silicon escape wheel visible through a crescent-shaped cut-out on the caseback.

The moon phase display is elevated with a mother-of-pearl moon and a night-sky motif.

It’s a beautiful statement from a brand known for more down-to-earth prices. You can buy the standard and limited edition M45 F8 Mechanical Moon Phase now from Orient’s website.

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Spencer Hart Buying Guide Editor

About

As Buying Guide Editor, Spencer is responsible for all e-commerce content on Stuff, overseeing buying guides as well as covering deals and new product launches. Spencer has been writing about consumer tech for over eight years. He has worked on some of the biggest publications in the UK, where he covered everything from the emergence of smartwatches to the arrival of self-driving cars. During this time, Spencer has become a seasoned traveller, racking up air miles while travelling around the world reviewing cars, attending product launches, and covering every trade show known to man, from Baselworld and Geneva Motor Show to CES and MWC. While tech remains one of his biggest passions, Spencer also enjoys getting hands-on with the latest luxury watches, trying out new grooming kit, and road-testing all kinds of vehicles, from electric scooters to supercars.

Areas of expertise

Watches, travel, grooming, transport, tech