OK, I’m probably a little late to this launch party. Behrens released Orion One on January 1st. It was the perfect little treat to start the new year. But here we are in November, and this may (or may not) be the first time I’ve read properly about this. I mentioned it briefly in a previous article, but it took me until now to actually get my hands on it and dig deeper into it. The 2024 GPHG-nominated Orion One is a bit quirky and certainly not your average watch. With a very non-traditional case and time display, this is a watch worth taking a closer look at to see what’s going on and what to make of it.
I think many of you are familiar with Behrens to some extent. Over the past year or two, I’ve written about and reviewed several of the brand’s watches. Behrens is proudly of Chinese origin and has gradually developed a reputation for its modern, space-themed watch designs at extremely aggressive prices. For example, the ultra-thin, ultra-light 20G that we reviewed earlier this year. Over the past month or two, I’ve been seeing this model start to pop up more frequently on social media as it makes its way into the hands of seasoned collectors.
Orion One is a futuristic oddball in a good way.
When I first saw renderings of Orion One at launch, two things immediately struck me. First, the open “dial” that showed off the gear train and the roller-style display were pretty cool. I am fascinated by mechanical watches and how they work, and have always had a strong preference for skeleton and openwork watches. Show me your guts on the clock and I’ll be a happy man.
The second thing is the shape of the case. The asymmetrical octagonal case felt a little uncomfortable at first. I usually avoid cases with non-traditional shapes. Round and square cases are my comfort zone. In fact, incidents like this are largely a matter of love or hate. If you’re in the latter camp, that’s fair enough. A watch’s heart loves what it loves, and there’s no point in trying to force it into something it doesn’t. However, even though I was aware of this brand’s love for recent products, I was still intrigued. I was concerned about how the Orion One would feel on my wrist, as I had never worn a watch like this before and had been a little disappointed with Behrens’ older releases.
Behrens learned from his previous mistakes.
Behrens released a watch called MARS Project One a few years ago. The watch was technically impressive and conceptually interesting, but it was a bit beastly and impractical to wear. I looked at it in person and found it large, unwieldy, and not very comfortable on the wrist. Unsurprisingly, it was not popular at Fratello headquarters. To be honest, I was worried that Orion One would also fall into this category. Thankfully, Behrens has worked tirelessly to ensure that their watches maintain the finesse of watchmaking while achieving better proportions and greater wearability. The 20G and Kung Fu are perfect examples of this focus on wearability, and thankfully the Orion One is no different.
Essentially easy and fun to wear
I first encountered Orion One in person at Time To Watches in Geneva in April of this year. This watch on the wrist of the brand’s international representative, Eric Soh, struck us with its compactness. I wasn’t looking at the measurements on paper so I was expecting a bigger watch. Of course, I had to try it on, and at that moment I realized how great this watch was. The rest is history, and while I was sleeping on it for a while, I knew I had to add this quirky little oddball to my collection. I recently took it to Tenerife on vacation and wanted to take some photos against the backdrop of the basaltic volcanic rock that covers the island. I’ve always felt that this watch looks like some kind of alien artifact that crash-landed thousands of years ago and was buried, waiting to be discovered. It has a strangely organic yet synthetic shape that looks and feels otherworldly, but in a good way.
First, let’s get the raw numbers. Had I seen these beforehand, I might not have been so surprised by the compact nature of the Orion One on my wrist. The maximum width of the case is 38 mm and the length is 44 mm, so it’s not a very large watch. The thickest part is the roller section, which “breaks the belt” at 12.6 mm. That said, the case is just 11mm thick, which is impressive considering what’s going on inside. Similarly, the complexity of this case should not be underestimated here. The stainless steel case features over 40 facets and six sapphire windows with a variety of finish styles. A polished bevel highlights the brushed surface of the core, and there are blasted matte recessed areas in the top left and right corners.
It’s all happening on the Orion One dial
The focus of the dial is the series of gears and wheels that power and control Orion One’s various display elements. In the center is a subdial displaying the seconds and a linear 24-hour indicator above it. Finally, there is a date window hidden in the top right corner. All of this spans the width and length of the case, filling the entire shape. Therefore, this can be considered an internal move. But what’s pretty impressive is that Behrens built a custom module for the Orion model that runs on the Sellita SW200 automatic movement. That’s right, beneath the extraterrestrial exterior is a regular Selita movement running the show. As mentioned above, the modular movement makes this watch incredibly slim.
The bottom of the watch consists of a roller system that is used to display the hours and minutes. This allows you to read the time semi-digitally. A dash will appear in the center where the two rollers meet to indicate the exact location of the current time. A jump hour feature would be nice and improve visibility slightly, but you wouldn’t expect that for this watch’s sub-$4,000 price. You’ll notice five dashed markers to the right of the center. These allow you to read the exact minutes. Therefore, in the image below, the time is displayed as 13:07. By the way, you can set the time forward or backward using the hidden crown in the upper right corner of the case.
secret crown
what’s that? Didn’t you notice the crown? Most people don’t. To be honest, when I first saw images of this watch, I didn’t notice that the crown was missing. I didn’t notice until Eric pointed out the hidden crown to me. The recessed horizontal crown gives the case a sharp, symmetrical and uninterrupted shape. To operate it, flip it over and it basically functions like a regular crown. The first position winds the movement and the second position sets the date. Finally, set the time in the third position. I admit that the actual operation is a little more complicated. The crown is harder to turn than a regular crown. There is a trick, but it’s relatively easy and you can get the hang of it quickly.
The included FKM rubber strap uses a unique attachment system. Although this is a quick-change mechanism, it is proprietary and is therefore limited to options available directly from Behrens. If you prefer black or white rubber straps, you’re in luck. If you are expecting other colors or materials, you are unfortunately out of luck. In my opinion, white rubber is an option here. This is a blessing in disguise, as I can’t show you the black rubber strap on this watch, but trust me, it’s a good thing. The FKM rubber makes this strap extremely comfortable on your wrist. Rubber vents improve breathability and reduce the dreaded sweaty wrists in hot weather.
It looks very impressive whether you wear it on your hand or wrist!
The Behrens Orion One has an unusual look. There’s no way to get over it. It’s certainly not a watch for traditionalists. But that’s what I love about this work, and Behrens in general. With so many options for three-hand tool watches, the world needs watches that eschew tradition and go a different route. And that’s where Orion One comes in. Behrens has done a great job fine-tuning the shape and dimensions of the case to create an extremely compact and wearable watch. It fits snugly under a shirt sleeve, but can also be worn with a suit or shirt, but it’s a watch that works better in a more casual environment. These days, that rulebook is a bit outdated and you can wear any watch with any outfit, but the Orion One’s more futuristic aesthetic looks best with casual attire, at least in my opinion.
It’s no secret that I’m a huge Behrens fan, but it seems I’m not alone in the Fratello community. I know these designs aren’t for everyone, and they shouldn’t be. For those of us looking for something a little different and offering a lot of watchmaking at an affordable price, Behrens offers just that. The Orion One, with its innovative roller time display and openwork dial, is no exception. Among other watch collectors I meet, this watch never fails to generate interest and a positive impression.
The Behrens Orion One is not a limited edition model and is currently available for $3,600 USD. What do you think about this watch? Let us know in the comments!
