I bought the Orient Flight back in 2015 as my trophy for being promoted as a senior auditor working with a Big 4 firm. My watch journey started a year earlier in 2014 when I stumbled upon JJ Redick‘s (one of my favorite ballers) Talking Watches episode with Hodinkee, and then of course the legendary John Mayer episode. The classy, dressy looking Pateks were what got me into watches, but there was one model that also piqued my interest: Mayer’s Big Pilot.

To ensure that my money will be well spent, I did my research and stumbled upon the $120 Orient Flight being sold by a local online watch trader. While sporting a B-type flieger dial compared to the A-type of the Big Pilot, I still quickly snatched it.

The watch features a mostly brushed 42mm x 48mm x 22mm case, with a mineral crystal and basic nonhacking movement. For the price, the brushing quality is superb especially the case’s sides. The B-dial appears matte, and is highly legible despite not having an AR coated crystal, with the numerals and pilot hands having decent lume. Timekeeping and the 40hr power reserve is decent, good enough if you rotate watches. Best of all is its wearability: at 42mm, it fits my 6.5in wrist really well as it sits nicely on my small, flat 46mm wide wrist. It’s a strap monster too, as I have various leather and NATO pairings for it.

I lost the original watch I purchased in a 2016 home robbery. As I restarted my collection, I kept thinking about this sentimental piece. As luck would have it, a local enthusiast put up his mint unit for sale, and I was eager to buy it even for $140 asking.

Though there may be a newer Orient Flight model with an upgraded movement, I still think mine is better, especially the dial design. I only wear mine occasionally as I prefer wearing smaller watches now, but I don’t think I will be selling mine even for a good price.