Orient Neo 70's Neo 70's Solar Panda Sporty Watch, Dark Gray

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My personal preference is a 22mm Milanese Mesh bracelet that I think perfectly emphasizes the vintage styling of the watch. It uses a stainless-steel case that measures 41mm in diameter and comes with the mandatory unidirectional bezel which is ever-present in all dive watches. This Longines dive panda dial watch is also quite durable which is further enhanced by the sapphire crystal window. It also has impressive 300-meter water resistance, as is expected from a top-tier dive watch series. Oddly placed and recessed date window. The white of the date window contrasting with the creamy dial might also be a turn off for some. It’s also a bit too small. The really sweet thing about meca-quartz movements, like this one before us, is the smooth sweeping chronograph second hand that sweeps smoothly like a mechanical watch. There isn’t a huge variety of affordable and good-looking panda dial chronographs on a budget, though I’ve written an entire article about them if you want to learn more.

So you have the precision of quartz accuracy, a long, 6-month power reserve, and still the smooth sweeping second hand that you would get from a fully mechanical watch. Kind of the best of both worlds, if you ask me. The Citizen Promaster Tsuno Chronograph focuses more on functionality while infusing a rather rugged charm to its aesthetics. The bold and robust appearance of the Promaster Tsuno is the proverbial icing on the cake with its fantastic horology being the main course meal.

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This particular panda dial watch is a true-blue racing watch and is part of the IWC Racing Team series. It takes a more classic take in regards to its sports watch design and is one of the most sought-after by collectors as there are only 176 models that were put into production and sold around the world. The Panda Dial watch certainly has a unique charm to it that captures the attention with its sublime and simple aesthetics. It is also quite an elegant timepiece that also exudes an air of confidence. Interestingly enough, these are traits that we don’t normally attach to the lovable panda. However, one element that panda dial watches do have in common with their namesake is their charming visual design. Of course, it’s very important to NEVER push down the chronograph pushers when the watch is getting wet, as that will almost always allow some water in, no matter the water-resistance of your watch. This goes for any chronograph watch, not just the Orient Panda in particular. Please be careful! Odd Date Window

The reason being, it is listed as an Orient KBS00 movement but is much more likely just a renamed Seiko movement, which they believe to be the Seiko Solar V175, as they share all of the same specs. The Alpha Daytona, on the other hand, is completely mechanical and runs on a Seagull movement, the same one used in the very classic Seagull 1963 chronograph. Solar meaning it’s powered and charged from light. It has the accuracy of a quartz watch, which is very precise, keeping time within +/- 15 seconds a month, and can hold a charge for up to 6 months. This HydroConquest (L36964136) features a fairly traditional design but with a subtle nod to the panda dial color palette. Considering the overall physical build of the watch, it pretty much goes through the key dive watch features. In addition, the date wheel is a stark white, which contrasts with the warm and milky off-white dial in a not-so-complimentary way. The date window is relatively small, so you may be unbothered, or it might just drive you crazy if you’re a very detail-oriented enthusiast (and as watch enthusiasts, I’m sure we all are detail-oriented, to an extent).Underneath the hood of its efficient dial and case lies a quartz movement that imbues this Bulova panda dial watch with dependability when it comes to timekeeping. The Bulova Marine Star 96B255 exudes an air of confidence and class that will surely appeal to professionals and executives. Bremont ALT1-C Watch Let us go to another eye-candy luxury timepiece, this time in the form of the IWC Ingenieur (IW380801) Chronograph. As fellow bloggers Two Broke Watch Snobs mentioned in their Neo70s review, the movement in this watch is a bit puzzling.

One of the premier timepieces in the panda dial watch category is undoubtedly Rolex’s Daytona Cosmograph timepiece. This is quite possibly one of the brand’s most luxurious timepieces and certainly fits the bill of what a high-end watch should be. This is also Rolex’s first-ever in-house automatic chronograph watch as it features their Caliber 4130 movement. The sides of the case are polished, and consistent throughout the sides of the bracelet. This makes for a watch that is somewhat subdued but definitely has some sparkle. The one complaint that seems to pop up about this watch time and time again is the recessed date window between the 4 and 5 hour markers. I also think having a smaller subdial at the bottom is an interesting choice, and personally, I like it, as I already own a few chronographs that have three perfectly symmetrical subdials, so this makes this watch that much more different and special to me. Seiko never disappoints when it comes to delivering stylish timepieces that are as equally as functional as they are stunning. One such example is the Solar Chronograph (SSC446) which fuses together that trendy charm of panda dial design with a little tweak that pushes the deluxe appeal to the max.

A few more micro-adjustments would’ve been nice to continue to adjust the size of the bracelet throughout the seasons, as your wrist swells and shrinks in different temperatures, without having to remove or add a bracelet link altogether. Some chronographs, like the modern-day Rolex Daytona, for instance, have a screw-down crown surrounding the pushers that keep water from entering. These watches are usually water-resistant, but not always. One of the most notable elements of the Rolex Daytona (aside from the panda dial) is its incorporation of a ceramic bezel. Specifically, Rolex uses a type of ceramic called Cerachrom which is has a distinct diamond polish appearance. This ceramic bezel is virtually scratch-resistant and does not fade. This watch gives you just the right amount of wrist presence. Being reasonably sized with a stunning sunburst silver dial and a blue second hand that adds a pop of color, it’s hard not to stop and stare. One of the best budget-friendly luxury panda dial watches that you can find today, the Orient Neo 70manages to pull off an impressive feat with its fantastic watch build and stunning design.

It retains some style cues from some iconic watches with hints of Rolex Paul Newman Daytona and Omega Speedmaster to an extent but still manages to implement a completely new take on the style. With only a 48mm lug to lug measurement, the watch definitely has some wrist presence, but isn’t too overwhelming on the wrist for most wrist sizes. One of the most notable aspects of this Omega chronograph timepiece is its use of a pulsometer bezel. This is a more vintage take to the Speedmaster watch model and features prominent Alpha-shaped hands and a sleek 39.7mm diameter steel case. The case itself delivers on the visual side of things with its alternating brushed and polished finish.of water resistance on the Neo70s means you can likely go swimming with this watch, no problem, which also means showering, and especially washing your hands, will not even phase the thing.