
Best beginner dress watch? – Orient Bambino 2021 review
- Posted by Shaun Seah
- On 05/01/2022
- 1
The Orient Bambino line has been around for quite awhile and is widely recognised as one of the best entry level watches on the market due to its low cost and elegant designs. Many people actually started their watch collecting hobby with an Orient Bambino. Even myself, while not my first automatic watch, my first dress watch was in fact a Bambino.
So Orient recently released a new version of the Bambino just a few months back and as a lover of blue dials, I could not resist picking up the blue dial mesh bracelet version. And just so you know, this happened while I was in the midst of deliberating on a few Orient Star dress watches. For clarification, I purchased this watch with my own money from the distributor, BigTimeSGP.
For this review we will first go through what this watch is all about and at the end discuss why I feel it is possibly the best beginner dress watch or perhaps even casual watch on the market right now.
Specs
Case size: 40.5mm
Lug to lug: 46.5mm
Lug width: 21mm
Thickness: 12.3mm
Case material: Stainless steel
Glass: Mineral glass
Caseback: Snap display case back
Movement: F6724 (Automatic, Hacking, Hand-winding)
Complications: Seconds, Minutes, Hours, Date
Power Reserve: 40 hours
VPH: 21,600
Jewels: 22
Water Resistance: 30m
RRP: S$373
Reference: RA-AC0019L
Overview
Over the years the Bambino line has produced several design versions with some of the earlier versions still featuring the older Orient caliber 48743 movement. The majority of versions were basically made with the same case but introduced a different dial and hand design with the exception of one version which featured a larger 42mm case size.
What makes the Bambino line so amazing is that you can still purchase just about any of the previous versions brand new today as Orient doesn’t seem to have discontinued the older models despite the introduction of each new version. This means you have a pretty large selection of designs to choose from if you are thinking of getting one.
This latest version however particularly stands out to me for a number of reasons which I will go into in a bit. It comes in 5 variations, a green, blue and beige dial on a mesh bracelet and a blue and white dial on a plain stitched leather band.
Case
At 40.5mm, I feel the case size is a good middle ground that satisfies the modern aesthetic for larger dials while not being overly large for a dress watch. Its slightly angled down lugs with a 46.5mm lug to lug distance also gives it a comfortable fit on my 6.25” wrist.
Unlike what the stock renders suggest, the case is polished on the bezel, top of and between the lugs and brushed on the sides. It is cased in stainless steel and features the signature Bambino domed mineral crystal. Despite its 12.3mm thickness however, much of it is actually contributed by the domed mineral crystal thus it actually wears much thinner than the number suggests. The dome shaped crystal also allows it to slide easily under your cuff as you would expect from a dress watch.
Unlike many of the previous versions, it now features an exhibition case back showing off a decorated rotor but not much else. At this price point however, I really can’t complain about the lack of a fully decorated movement. The push/pull crown is a signed one that although not the biggest, I find it to be perfectly adequate for operating especially since there are no crown guards to get in the way.
With a 30m water resistance rating you don’t need to worry about splashes from washing your hands or doing the dishes but I would refrain from anything more than that.
Dial
The dial is where we see the most changes, this time featuring a soft sunburst face on a slightly textured domed surface that really makes it pop. The really interesting part here is that none of the markers are applied like in previous versions but instead layer printed giving it a raised profile, probably a flex from their affiliation with Epson.
We have Roman numerals at the 12 and 6 o’clock while the rest of the markers are stick indexes with rounded ends. Creating a raised profile through multiple layers of printing really gives it an extra element of refinement over your standard printed dial. A chapter ring with dashed markers and numerals at every 5 minutes completes the indices.
A simple bevelled cutout for the date window at 3 o’clock protrudes halfway onto the index, similar to previous versions. In place of the usual dauphine hands found on most other versions, we now see lance-like hands which really does enhance the sleekness of the already minimalistic dial. Unlike some previous versions, these hands are perfectly sized to connect with the markers on the chapter ring.
A small Orient crest beneath the 12 o’clock marker with a thin line of “Automatic” text and another line of “Water Resistant” text at the bottom complete the elegant yet minimalist look of the dial.
Being a dress watch there is no lume to speak of, but the polished finishing of the hands and the subtle sparkle of the layer printed indices play nicely with light making it highly legible during the day or in a decently lit room.
Movement
There’s nothing new about the movement here with Orient’s own caliber F6724 in-house movement. This automatic movement featuring both hacking and hand winding is found on most of the previous models bar the earlier generations that didn’t have hacking nor hand winding.
22 jewels and a 40 hour power reserve make it a solid performer at the entry level. It has a rated accuracy of -15/+25 spd but its not uncommon to run well within that range. The rotor may be noisy to some but I personally hardly notice it and at this price range I don’t really see it as something to complain about.
Bracelet
The bracelet is the other area that sees significant change in this new version. All this while, Bambinos have always come with leather straps and for the first time Orient is providing a stainless steel mesh bracelet on 3 of their models. On the wrist the mesh bracelet feels pretty comfortable to wear although the hairier ones among us might experience a bit of hair pulling from time to time.
I think these bracelets look really good but for those of you who find it a bit too flashy you can easily swap it out for a leather band or just go for the 2 models that come with a leather band instead. Take note that these are 21mm lug widths so your options will be a bit more limited.
Final thoughts
So back to the question, is this Bambino the best beginner dress watch? As a dress watch, I certainly think so, and as a casual watch, it is certainly high on the list.
With the rise of fashion brands like MVMT and Daniel Wellington bringing their minimalist aesthetic to the younger generation and trending into fashion, it is refreshing to see brands like Orient also putting out their own unique minimalist style designs while still staying true to their roots.
I think this new series of Bambino is a very attractive watch that straddles the lines of both modern and traditional design aesthetic very well. For a price comparable or even lower than many of those factory template quartz fashion watches, you get a quality automatic watch from a decades old watchmaker brand with a fresh yet classy aesthetic that can suit both formal and informal occasions, possibly without even having to swap out the strap.
And if you’re into a more vintage looking design, the previous versions have you covered just the same.
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