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

Product Information

The solar meca quartz is of course not the first choice for the mechanical watch enthusiast, but it’s rare to find a fully mechanical chronograph in this price range. The sporty and stylish Stuhrling Formula 891 watch is certainly an eye-catcher. Staying true to its moniker, the Formulai 891 chronograph watch delivers that F1 race car appeal with its auto-inspired aesthetics. This panda dial watch from Stuhrling hits all the keynotes perfectly and manages to retain a very reasonable price making it even more enticing. It also has a mecaquartz hybrid movement, just like the Orient Neo70s, however, it is not solar powered. It also has a ceramic bezel and sapphire glass which makes it look a little bit more modern than the Neo70s. It is based off the new Rolex Daytona, after all. As fellow bloggers Two Broke Watch Snobs mentioned in their Neo70s review, the movement in this watch is a bit puzzling.

Even so, I was very impressed. The deep brushed surfaces around the lugs contrast very nicely with the extremely well polished (for the price) bezel and hour markers that really give the watch enough pop and shine, without being overly blingy.Not to mention, the accuracy and large power reserves of a solar-quartz watches are convenient to have, even if they aren’t the most exciting. Of course, a bit of that is relieved with the smooth sweep of the chronograph second hand, giving you that feeling of a mechanical chronograph, without actually having to deal with the hassle and costs of servicing a mechanical chronograph (which can sometimes be quite costly).

It has a very 70’s flair, with a modern twist and sizing, that makes it perfect for the new-retro watch lover.

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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. The Timewalker was already quite a looker, and now it has that distinct duality charm that panda dial watches enjoy. This is another high-end luxury timepiece that focuses more on delivering a more robust appearance than the typical elegant aesthetics of a luxury watch.

I can’t say I’m entirely surprised, as this is my third Orient watch, and all of them have had superb case finishing, especially for the low price of these affordable watches. While not a mechanical watch, the stopwatch second hand has a smooth sweep like that of one. The chronograph has a 60-minute stopwatch feature. I love the fact that they pump pushers, and not a screw-down pusher like some more modern iterations, as I found those to be cumbersome and annoying to use, having to unscrew them every time you want to use the chronograph function.The lume on this watch is pretty awful, though I’m surprised it even has lume at all. So I guess the fact that it does is a positive in itself. 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. The dial itself is laid out very nicely with three subdials for the chronograph and other functions. This might be the most durable and functional timepiece on this list. This is pretty much the case whenever Breitling bursts into the scene.

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. To summarize the panda dial alternatives available, however, the Parnis Daytona is one that comes to mind, paying blatant homage to the iconic and modern Rolex Daytona, at a fraction of the cost. A dark navy alligator strap with cream stitching would emphasize both the navy blue subdials and cream dial perfectly. But you can try something like emerald green, or a dark burgundy if you want to get a little funky. Lastly, consider a padded exotic leather strap, such as a padded alligator strap, to emphasize the sporty nature of the strap. Since the watch is generally neutral in color, you can have a little fun with the colors. As with all Heritage timepieces, this model takes the traditional route with its self-winding automatic movement. The TAG Heuer Heritage features a 42mm polished stainless-steel case and uses a genuine brown calfskin leather strap for that added rugged charm. As for performance, expect top marks as this timepiece uses the brand’s signature Caliber Heuer 02 chronograph movement which has an accuracy rating of 28,800VPH.The best budget panda dial chronograph is the Orient Neo 70s Panda, in my opinion. It’ is a lovely watch that has got many hours of wrist time on my own personal wrist. What an honor! 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. The case also curves neatly toward the edges, hugging the wrist very comfortably and making the watch a joy to wear. 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.