In so many ways, I would completely agree about the aesthetics. Peregrine is incredible in its simplicity. I miss that guitar very, very much. Life changed very quickly 4 years ago, due to a bad decision to relocate.
Anyhoo... both guitars have a great acoustic tone, with Peregrine having the edge as far as volume and resonance. Peregrine, with BK Blackhawks, cover the gamut of amplified tones, easily controlled with the volume, tone, and various switching options. It can get "stratty" or tele(ey?), with great humbucking tones that reach well into metal territory.
For me, the Orion shape sits in a better position for me. And that's really what it came down to. That's not to say that the Orions can't achieve outstanding amplified sounds. Listen to the many demos on Youtube. I really enjoy mine. And yeah, I chose ones with some highly figured wood, except for the bodies. The one in the photo, and another I have with a walnut top and Lollar P90s, have a beautiful mahogany body. My custom one has a swamp ash body. The neck of the guitar in the photo is a cousin to my custom one (my absolute favorite electric guitar neck). So smooth!