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There are two main category of modern dive watch. The purpose-built tool-watch with function at the forefront, and the dress diver with pleasing aesthetics and comfort taking precedence over deep-dive performance. Most dive watches will sit somewhere between the two extremes, and the new Orion Calamity certainly veers towards the dressier end of the spectrum.
From a background in the Seiko modding world, Nick Harris launched the Orion 1 (read our coverage here) two years ago with the aim of creating a brand that fuses modern and vintage elements, producing watches that smaller-wristed watch lovers could appreciate. Whereas the Orion 1 and the Field Standard came in at or under the $500 mark, the latest offering comes with a significant hike in price ($1,495), putting it in competition with some pretty serious watches from more well-known marques. That said, in my estimation, the Orion Calamity is a slim and elegant diver, it’s moderately sized, and it boasts specs and finishing that, I hope, justifies the higher price point.
