For people who are looking for a watch one of thing that matters the most is high quality at an inexpensive price – something that only a very few watch brands can deliver. One of them is Lorus and in this article you’ll learn all about it.
Let’s go!
Read: THE ULTIMATE Guide to Pulsar Watches (and the Pulsar Watch Company) IN HISTORY
#1 – A Short Introduction to the Lorus Brand
In the field of watchmaking, Seiko is, besides Swatch, one of the rare companies that caters to all facets of the watch market – no matter how big or small your budget is, Seiko will always have something (or multiple somethings) that’ll surely interest you!
Are you looking for a luxury watch that can rival Patek Philippe in quality? Then watches from the Grand Seiko and Credor lines, which feature some of the most precise non-quartz movements ever made and some of the finest finishing in the industry, are sure to appeal to you!
Or…are you looking for a watch that offers the perfect balance between quality and price? Then watches from the Pulsar, Alba and Lorus lines (which is the main topic of this article) are exactly what you need. 🙂
Lorus’ history, unlike Pulsar’s (which had a long and interesting history that, unfortunately, ended in 2023) and Grand Seiko’s, is nowhere as exciting – its history began in 1982 when the Seiko Watch Corporation, which then dominated the mid-range watch market with its brand Seiko (and largely still does), decided to expand its influence into the entry-level watch market as well. To that end, it founded Lorus, a line of entry-level watches named after the Latin word “laurus” from which the English name for laurel and the name of Japan’s first wristwatch seen in the picture below, the Seikosha Laurel, were derived.
Read: THE BEST Men’s Dive Watches Under $100 (And Slightly Over) you Can Buy
#2 – About Lorus Watch Models
In the following years, despite heavy competition from Casio, Citizen, Timex and many other no-name (read: Chinese) brands, Lorus managed to establish itself and became one of the most recognizable and respected watch brands because their products are a PERFECT blend of style, reliability and affordability.
Lorus offers a wide variety of chronographs, field, digital (LCD), duo-display, dress and dive watches for both men and women in a variety of colors, straps and case materials ranging from stainless steel, PVD gold plated, plastic, resin and, believe it or not, titanium (like the Lorus RH991HX9 in the picture below) – I thought that the cheapest titanium watch would be around $300, but the aforementioned RH991HX9 is around $150 brand new. Ah well…a blogger’s life is full of surprises since you learn something useful almost every day …🤔.
The gentleman’s line of Lorus watches features models with traditional round or rectangular dials that exude a masculine strength due to their sizes (most having +40 mm case diameter) and muted but tastefully matched colors. Because of this, the vast majority of models (like the Lorus RM387HX9 seen in the picture below and, of course, the aforementioned RH991HX9) can be worn whether you’re in office all suited up and making deals or hiking somewhere far away from civilization.
Lorus, of course, didn’t forget the members of fairer and prettier sex. Its ladies’ line of watches features oval or round cases that are, in most cases, between 24 and 32 mm wide. Some, like the Lorus RG210UX9 in the picture below, feature brighter, flirty feminine colors making them ideal for more casual events and dates, while others are of more muted colors making them more appropriate for work or more formal events.
In case you’re looking for an affordable children’s watch of high quality, then you’re in luck – Lorus has a line of children’s watches of fun designs and colors (for younger kids, like the Lorus RRX45HX9 in the picture below), as well as those that resemble adult’s models in everything but size (for teenagers). By buying them one of those, they’ll learn (with your help – kids need their parents more than anything) not only to tell time on an analogue watch (or, in case of a digital watch, how to operate one), but how to take care of their possessions as well – skills that they probably don’t teach at schools anymore.
Lorus is, for reasons I haven’t been able to figure out, isn’t sold in Asia and the US (it is in Canada, however).
Read: THE BEST Women’s Dive Watches Under $100 (and SLIGHTLY over) you Can Buy
#3 – About the Quality of Lorus Watches
As I said before, the main reasons why Lorus watches are one of the most popular (if not the most popular) entry-level watches is because they are a PERFECT blend of style, reliability and affordability – for less than $100, one can get a watch of a timeless style and decent reliability and quality that’s miles ahead of many brands that are multiple times more expensive such as MVMNT, Daniel Wellinton and many other re-branded AliExpress crap that many “influencers” are promoting on social media. Believe me…very few of their models (if any) can match the Lorus RL439AX9 (which is SEVERAL times cheaper and pictured below) in terms of overall quality!
Although there’re some older models that have kinetic movements (like the Lorus RX313AX9 seen in the picture below), the vast majority are powered by various entry-level Hattori automatic, quartz and solar-powered quartz movements that’re used in Pulsar and entry-level Seiko mainline models as well. They’re precise, reliable and can last for around 10 or so years, after which you’ll need to replace them (entry-level Hattori movements, regardless of type, are cheaper to replace than to overhaul).
As far as water resistance of Lorus watches is concerned, it varies from model to model – from what I’ve seen, the vast majority of models have a 5-10 ATM water resistance. Apparently, there’re also some models with 15 ATM water resistance but I personally never seen them which, of course, doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t exist 🙂 .
Before we move on to the FAQ section, I have shocking news for some. Lorus watches… .
Read: The Best Rolex Submariner Homage Watches to Buy RIGHT NOW
#4 – Where Lorus Watches are Made
…aren’t made in Japan despite Lorus being a Japanese brand. From what I’ve see (and I’ve seen plenty, trust me 🙂 ), Lorus watches are made in Seiko facilities in Malaysia and China – anyone telling you otherwise is either lying or doesn’t know what (s)he’s talking about.
Lorus watches come in two “classes” – those with Japanese-made movements and those with non-Japanese ones. The former (usually older models like the Lorus V533-0A00 pictured above) will have “Mov’t Japan” stamped on their dials while the latter will have their movement’s country of origin (usually Malaysia) stamped on their case backs instead on dials.
In case you really, REALLY want to know where your Lorus watch was assembled, the name of its country of origin is, as in all watches made by the Seiko Watch Corporation, stamped on the inner side of the case back.
Read: Where are Seiko Watches Made?
#5 – Frequently Asked Questions
Are Lorus Watches Good?
Yes, Lorus watches are affordable yet very good – they are considered one the best entry-level watch brands on the market. Many of their models are, in terms of quality, better than many of their much more expensive counterparts from Fossil, Swatch and many other companies.
Read: The BEST Women’s Dress Watches Under $100 (and SLIGHTLY over) You Can Buy
Are Lorus Watches Made in Japan?
No, none of Lorus watches are made in Japan. Instead, they’re made in Seiko facilities in Malaysia and China
Are Lorus Watches Waterproof?
Yes, the vast majority of models have a 5-10 ATM water resistance
Thank you for reading. If you’ve liked this article and want to see more like them, make sure you bookmark this site and to follow me on Instagram!
Until next time.
Your man,
-Leon
