The roots of a Romanian premium brand

In the midst of the development of socialist industry, Romania began to produce watches with electronic and analog displays under its own brand. In this context, in 1985 OREX appeared a brand associated with the idea of "made here", at a time when the mechanical wristwatch It does not only indicate the time, but indicates the social status. At first, the case elements and mechanisms were brought from import, being manufactured by international partners. Over time, a state-of-the-art technological line was brought from Switzerland (equipped with screw presses for processing in molds), the housings being made of the best quality stainless steel brought from import. For quartz mechanisms, the manufacturing line was brought from the USA. With these very modern technologies, the watches manufactured were premium even by today's standards, including Swiss telescopes, seals and imported dials. However, costing approx. 30% of an engineer's salary was expensive, so the company switches to assimilating cheaper solutions, such as: chrome-plated brass cases or screen-printed dials but also the like, neglecting quality. Subsequently, the watch mechanisms were assimilated in the country, to bear the "Made in Romania" brand, also at the Fine Mechanics Enterprise in Bucharest, But there is no certain information that they would have been mass-mounted on watches, until production was closed.

Orex in the Romanian daily

OREX models reach the wrist of thousands of lovers in the country and abroad. With legible, simple dials and steel housings OREX becomes a discreet companion for the military, professionals, intellectuals and students alike. The mechanisms that equipped the watches were mechanical calibers imported robust, originating from: (1) China - Seagull No.2 Factory in Tianjin and Shanghai ZuanShi (Diamond) Watch Factory; of (2) German Democratic Republic - Ruhla UMF/K09 and (3) USSR - Slava (2nd Watch Factory), the latter being comparable to those of Western premium watches.

For the use of these calibers, the available literature mentions the following periods:

Period: 1985-1988

SEA GULL/DIAMOND - China, for models with mechanical movement with/without complications and manual spin with 17/19 jewels (Type: ST-5, ST-5B, SB-1, SZ-1, DST-5) and with Quartz movement

SEA GULL/DIAMOND - China, for models with mechanical movement with/without complications and manual spinning with 17/19 jewels (Type: ST-6, SB5Z)

Period: 1988-1990

SLAVA/SEA GULL - USSR/China, for men's/women's models with Quartz movements (Ex: MF 2122/40 mm) and with mechanical movements (Type: S 2326/21 Rubine; SB5Z/19 Rubies)

Perioada: 1990-1995

SLAVA - USSR, for men's/women's models with mechanical movements with/without complications and manual spinning with 21 jewels (Type: SLAVA/21 Jewels)

Period: după 1995

SLAVA - USSR, for men's/women's models (e.g. MF OREX 26J/42 mm) with mechanical movements with complications (date/day) and automatic spinning having 26 Rubies (Type: 2628 SLAVA/26 Rubies)

Transition and gradual disappearance

After the economic changes, the market opens up to international brands. Without investment, OREX gradually goes out of production. The remaining clocks become, over time, pieces family and forgotten technical legacies, testimonies of a glory from bygone times.

Rediscovery and passion as a collector

Collectors are starting to look for old OREX models, to photograph them, to document and restore them. The Romanian clock is gradually regaining its lost respect, for its aesthetics and for its role in the history of watchmaking.