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During my mid-teens, I started to appreciate watches in a whole new way other than just having and wearing one. This was roughly 2003, the watch internet was in its infancy, and my primary way of absorbing watch knowledge was via promotional materials from the brands – many of which were out of my price range. Everything changed when I discovered forums, and the affordable and interesting watches they championed – specifically the Orient Mako.
This watch was an absolute darling of the early-aughts online dive watch community. It looked nice enough and featured an in-house movement, and like most neophyte enthusiasts I valued in-house manufacturing a lot more than I should have. The Mako was the perfect watch for a high school student; I funded my purchase by doing odd jobs like power washing salt trucks on the weekends, and then graduated from it not long after acquiring it. But it was the perfect way in.