I’ve been collecting for years and bought 2 of these. They are amazing. These are not just for starting collectors. Great piece for beginning to experienced watch lovers!👍🏼
I got the new Kamasu (with the more traditional looking dial) earlier in this year as my only watch after letting go of my Seiko 5's. I really like its versatility, how it doesn't look out of place in most scenarios. It also does make you a bit more unique in a budget space where most people opt for Seiko. And while my collection grew a bit again, the Kamasu is still part of my core rotation as a weekend watch.
My first watch was the Kamasu and I couldn't be happier. You've got a great channel and I look forward to learning more through your genuine love for watches and critique!
I have Tissot PRX, SARB033, SARB035 and other 15 plus watches but I still always reach out for Kamasu (same deep green dial color) almost 4/7 days. This is a killer watch! Just buy it
Newbies.... don't worry about the reported negatives on the bracelet. It is one of the MOST comfortable bracelets out there. Taper and width as reported by UA-camrs often comes down to group think. Not the case with Dave I'm sure, but I HATE taper on a bracelet and know there are lots of folks like me. A broad bracelet makes the watch more solid and keeps it from bobbling around.
I totally agree! The only issue I found is that the bracelet was incredibly hard to resize due to the pins being so so stiff! I broke my tool! Managed to resize the blooming thing in the end and I do like the bracelet and comfort. Overall an incredibly beautiful watch (got the red/maroon version). Totally worth the money. Most beautiful watch I have yet, not the most expensive...
first time watching your videos (shoutout the UA-cam algorithm for feeding me this as I am close to getting my first dive watch looking at the Kamasu and being the 2nd automatic watch in my beginner collection) 🙏🏽🔥💪🏽 had to subscribe right away for the amazing info and editing style of the video! off the intro music alone i was thinking great artistic taste! cant wait to see what other watch videos you have on your channel
My Wife bought me this watch for my Xmas 2022 after watching me watching you, review this watch. Absolutely made up and you are spot on with the crown guards restricting access to the crown but even with that is a remarkable watch and has been extremely accurate. I meant to leave a comment long before now but truly enjoy the channel and your expertise on such quality timepieces from Japan. Orient = quality in my opinion.
The Kamasu was my first automatic watch purchase a few months ago. Absolutely love it. Threw a nato strap on it right out of the box. I find myself using the bezel to track elapsed time quite often. Seems like a great gateway watch. Great video!
100% agree that the Kamasu is a great watch! I liked everything about it: the red dial, the hour markers, hands, and overall legibility. I paired it with a rubber strap since I knew I'd dislike the bracelet. The only real mark against it was the crown, at least for me. I would've kept it if were larger or the crown guards smaller or nonexistent.
I have several high end automatic watches, including Rolex and Omega, and I love my Kamasu. My only complaints are the ones you mention: the crown is a little difficult to operate, the bezel is a little stiff, and I’m not a fan of the bracelet, at all. That said, I always have this on alternate straps. I have numerous silicone straps in various colors (I have the blue dial) that look great, and my favorite is a blue sailcloth strap. It’s a great watch that looks sharp, keeps great time, and can stand up to everyday use. It’s kind of a no-brainer.
The Kamasu (I have the blue one) has basically become one of my go-to watches when heading into the office. Brand new it ran +2spd and settled around +7spd, which puts it above most of my NH powered watches.
I think Orient is excellent. Their movements are fully jeweled which should insure longevity. They look nice with their different choices of colours. For me there is no reason to spend more for a more expensive watch that won’t out perform my trusty Orients.
I have this exact watch, and I immediately ordered a jubilee style bracelet, solid end-links and milled clasp. It transforms the watch and makes up for it’s one and only drawback. $40 added to the price of the watch made it $240 even. I have a very large collection and I completely agree with you.
I have had my burgundy dial Kamasu for about 6 months and it’s terrific. It doesn’t compete with my high end Swiss pieces, but it’s better than my Seiko models. If I was a first-in newbie, I would go Orient before Seiko every time.
During my watch journey I have picked up 3x Kamasu gen 1 in black, green and blue and also from gen 2 the grey and now the red version. I like them all.
I wear one daily, and love it. The sapphire crystal is a must, as I am hard on watches. It's going on 3 years old and I have already replaced the bezel insert. It's an after market and fairly cheap. I like it better however because the zeros are round and not square shaped like the original. Mine will stay accurate to within 10 seconds for a month or so.
I´ve got one, and modded it, changed the bracelet for a jubilee with solid end links and milled clasp, and also changed the bezel, put one with sapphire and lume. Now it has climbed several steps in quality
i bought it 2020, still runs smooth. Went diving,hiking and all other craziness. It's so far my only watch tho but what i know for fact is that i would never sell it.
The Kamasu was one of my first automatic watches is an absolute value for the price-to-quality ratio. I have the burgundy dial and it is unique and pops on the wrist. I love it and recommend it to anyone that is on the fence. I also just got the Orient Ray 2 this past week and was blown away by its value to price. Can't go wrong.
This was my first automatic watch. I bought it 4 years ago, I since own a Citizen automatic which is triple the price, and a Tudor automatic worth 4x the value. My Orient is hands down my most accurate automatic watch, I use an app where you check the accuracy over a number of days. After 25 days it performed at +0.5s per day. Just incredible.
Sitting here and admiring my newly bought all black with gold trim Kamasu v1. The black rubber strap fits in the overall style. A dressy diver, that looks like a million bucks!
Being from India, it's difficult to get hold of this watch. somehow I got the red dial Kamasu..n I am in love with it.. i treasure it more than any other watches I have.. I was gonna buy Seiko..but only Seiko 5 falls in my budget and Orient beats it hands down...will plan to get a Triton soon..
Very good presentation. I like Orient a lot. I don’t understand why one needs to spend more money. I can’t see a reason to do so or I possibly would. Seiko is excellent as well. Also Casio is nothing to laugh at either. As a general rule Japanese companies are very reliable to do business with. In my youth for work reasons I would go to Japan a few times a year. I like the culture and the people very much.
Dave, you are the man! I love your reviews! You’ve totally helped me get good knowledge of this new hobby of collecting horological pieces of art, without talking over my head, or making me feel stupid. No bells and whistles, just great information! Well done sir! Keep ‘em comin’!
Great video Dave 😀 . For those just getting in the Hobby and wondering I wholeheartedly agree. One of if not my first automatic watch that I still have and love is the komatsu's brother, the Ray ll. Granted the bezel was a little tight when I first got it but it broke in and now it works great. On the flip side of that coin I recently picked up a beautiful purple dial Orient world time GMT diver and I love it as well 😇 ..
I have way more expensive watches and I purchased two of these in different colors and they are honestly two of my favorite watches , only my two Orient watches came with the rubber dive bands and I put one of these on a nylon band that matches the watch . They really are my favorites ! And I love dive watches because they are so rugged and being water proof is awesome . I also demand that my watch have good size and I’ve rarely seen a watch too big for me and because I’m a big guy these are again awesome ! I love the Seiko Arnie dive watches and I have the black and the special edition with the blue and green parts and these Orient watches are as good and as cool as those watches . Do yourself a favor and pick one up .
I bought one of these when I got back into collecting watches, It was one of the original models back in the day. I had it for about a month before I returned it, though I didn't return it for any flaw, I returned it because I was able to get a Seiko alpinist at a really good price. Now I'll confess, the reason why the alpinist was so appealing is because I have RSI pain and larger watches tend to exacerbate it. That being said, the kamasu did not cause wrist pain for me despite its size. I think this is because of its case length which is relatively compact for a 42 mm watch. Just for reference, I own a Tudor black Bay Ceramic (41mm) and I can't wear it more than 3 hours without it hurting my wrist. If I was going to buy another affordable dive watch, I would absolutely get another kamasu, you really can't beat the value proposition of this watch.
Three points. 1. Hand winding on an automatic is more for starting the watch not fully winding it. 2. The watch has a 200m rating so a solid non see through back is expected. 3. It comes with a decent bracelet for the price, manufacturers tend to cut the cost on the bracelet to allow for a higher quality in the watch itself, the reasoning in this is many will swap out the bracelet, it’s the easiest thing to customize. At least they didn’t skimp on the crystal.
yea i truly hate good watches with crapy mineral/acrylic crystals. for me it's automatically a no buy cause i would just not be able to cope with a scratched crystal lol
@sparro4032 You must have banged it onto a rock.... I highly doubt you had it below 20 bar that the rating is good for! That would be 662 feet no fkn way it just "shattered" at the depth you went to. Blame the cave wall and your skills not the watch!
6:28 I agree, the date complication is probably the thing I actually need most on a timepiece. BTW, I have the shirt you’re wearing (in blue). Love it. It perfectly represents my watch passion… and I like supporting a channel like yours. You really have your head on straight in this hobby. 👍🏻
I have just bought a Geckota Pioneer with a NH35 movement. It’s the most beautiful watch I’ve ever owned. I also have the Rolex Sub homage watch made by Steeldrive. It’s wonderful - well made and more accurate than it should be at that price point!
Orient Kamasu is an amazing watch, but I picked Ray 2 as my first automatic watches, and still love them. For $120, they are pretty much the same watch minus sapphire crystal. At the time of my purchase, Kamasu cost $220, which is almost double the cost of Ray2/Mako2. When my Ray2 scratches badly, replacing the crystal to sapphire would cost me ~$30.
I have this watch and really like it. It was my second automatic watch behind the Seiko 5. There is one other con that I have found with the Orient. There is no AR coating, and because it does have the flat sapphire crystal, the light can reflect like a laser beam at times.
On a rubber strap this is my favorite watch for daily use. So durable, day/date and lume is fantastic. Best beater out there! I have the green, looks great on leather
I agree to what many commenters have said. Sure it’s a great first Automatic watch for newbie’s but it’s an awesome watch no matter what else or how many watches you may already got. I own 2 Rolex’s including a Submariner and I honestly get as much joy out of my Kamasu! I have the Blue one with both the Green And Red dials on their way. If you upgrade to a StrapCode Oyster or Jubilee style bracelet for $90 it elevates it noticeably higher. Granted the crown is a bit awkward and it would be nice to see Orient upgrade it but it just isn’t a deal breaker. Great dimensions and one of my favorite Hand sets!! Buy one!!
For same price, Kamasu 2 has much better case finish with brushed sides / polished edges and more interesting dial, instead of boring full polished design and uniform dial on kamasu1. I got the RA-AA0810N and it's a good step up to my old RA-AA0004. Just my humble 2cents. Otherwise love the channel. Keep up the good work!
My first automatic (other than the Doxa I inherited) was a Seiko SKN805. If I member correctly, the second was a Chinese "homage," the third was an Orient TriStar, and the fourth was a blue-dial Kamasu. Now I own six Orient dive-style watches, including a "Baby Triton," which I think is a better watch. That said, my black-dial Mako II gets the most wrist time of all my Orients.
its a very solid watch for the price. Truly one of my most impressive pieces in terms of value. The hand winding is not the smoothest but small pick. It's a great watch.
I have a Mako 3 & really like the watch; especially at the price. The only gripe is the bracelet in that it has a very cheap and overly light “tinny” feel to it. I’ve since swapped to a nylon band & it’s a big improvement. Overall, solid watch for $250 US.
Great watch, I've bought it three year ago and it's my everyday watches now. Luminous arrows remain lit for a 10-12 hours during night time. Just there is one dissappoting moment is not so good accuracy comparing with powermatic 80 .
Love the video, love the watch, gonna buy a green one when I graduate in a few months! But I wanna say, the sound is awesome. Just noticed that the voiceover is killer, great quality! Cheers Dave!
Orient maybe the best first best automatic, but Orient is a good for any purchase. I like Japanese products, integrity and quality. All I need are Casio, Seiko, and Orient, not some over priced Rolex.
I’d anyone is coming from an Apple Watch and wants a “real” watch; this is your best option. For roughly $100 you can buy a Vostok watch from Russia, that’s the watch I bought and have had for 1.5 years. I love it but the benefits of this orient make it more then worth the price difference. If you’re unsure on an automatic watch don’t worry, this is a watch you can own and wear for two months and sell on eBay for the price you paid; you’ll just lose shipping costs. If you at all want an automatic watch you can’t go wrong with this orient, I got a watch for half the price of this and this is a dream model to me. You can make your money back if you ever change your mind and want to sell this plus for $200 you may find a watch that you absolutely love. Watches can be for life so if you want to “join the club” this is your most affordable yet best option. Again you can make your money back but this watch will teach you if you like automatic watches or not
Thanks for the video, you are very professional and nice to hear you and see you. One of my best and most beautiful watches and I also have a relatively large collection of Swiss watches, but I really like this watch and wear it every day. It is of high quality, the blue color is amazing, its size is excellent for me, it is just perfect.
I have a red dial Kamasu. A great looking, robust watch. A true value. Sometimes it takes a couple attempts to line up the threads to properly screw down the crown, and the bezel can also be difficult to grip, slightly slippery. No big deals.✌🏽
This was one of the watches I was considering when I first got into watches recently. However, my friend became interested in getting a watch too so I recommended him this one. He loves that thing and wears it everyday. Having seen and held the watch myself, it's easy to see why.
My Mako 3 Kamasu is accurate to within +2 secs/day, and more likely +1sec a day checked every day for over a week. Worn 24hrs 7 days a week in preference to a few years old Sub 16610. Its a great watch and the quoted specs don't do it justice.
Great video. I had 2 of the Orient Ray 2's. Love them dearly. But I think the most comfortable and stylish affordable option was the Seiko Sea Urchin. Best beater watch ever.
I have a good sized collection containing German, Swiss, and Japanese watches. But I’ve never owned an Orient. Since Black Friday is tomorrow…maybe I’ll have to do a serous search. Great video. Thanks. Happily Holidays.
I owned this exact green model and sold it to my brother just because the green hue was much more darker than what I expected... I must congratulate you Dave, for presenting on a video the real hue this watch really has; somehow all previous video reviews (at least a couple years old) happen to show a brighter green color. Having said that, it is such a great watch. Quality is there no doubt. I'd pass all your 'negatives' and say that my only real gripe for this watch is the lack of anti reflective coating... If you're trying to make the dial color pop out under the sunlight you'll most likely get blinded by the reflection of the crystal. That is my only gripe for this watch. It is no doubt the best first automatic diver watch to own.
When I first got my Kamasu I was wishing that I could see the movement as it was holding time so well that I thought maybe it was a quartz sitting in there. . Just did a week long check and this sweetheart was only 2 seconds slow after 168 hours. It's the best of my autos'.
I do have a soft spot for the Kamasu, it was my daily diver for a couple of years, and it’s a fantastic offering from a reputable brand. It’s not without its faults, mostly on the bracelet, although I also found the crown too small too. If you’re into dive watches it’s a great first choice, but if you have a penchant for field watches, the Seiko SNK8 series are hard to beat, that was my gateway watch, visible (if so what dated) movement and a classic fliegr design for not a lot of money
You're completely wrong (jk) . . . the RED DIAL version is obviously much prettier . . . Seriously, at about $200 USD, 200mWR, feels good, good weight, solid clasp (so far). SUPER EASILY readable in both Daylight and Night via Lume. I absolutely love mine. (It's my 4th Mechanical, the Seiko 5 you show early on in the video, was my first one. It's a bit thicker but also EASILY readable day or night.) Depending on a person's price capabilities . . . the Kamasu is the model I'd recommend. (If you're mowing lawns to buy one for dad . . . the Casio Duro is nothing to scoff at for a "dress watch" at a lower price.) Great video. Thanks for showing it off to the masses.
I bought one of these 2 years ago it's my daily. You can get a higher-quality bracelet with an OEM fit from Strapcode for about $100. I bought one 6 months ago and it's great.
I’ve heard this opinion from every corner of the UA-cam watchverse… bought one, ran about +25-30 secs a day and then the stem broke 2 weeks in. And Orient USA’s service was lackluster to be kind. I have no doubt that a good, well regulated example would give years of satisfaction but I wasn’t so lucky.
Great review, thanks. My Kamasu green was ordered based on this review and is on the way - courier should be here in ½ hour :-) Already have a brown leather Hirsch strap waiting for it....
22mm lug width is great for aftermarket straps availability....there is no way I wear a watch with hollow end links, so to me 22mm is welcome. But I get your point.
I have two Kamasu's (RA-AA0810N19B and RA-AA0003R19A) and I'm getting great accuracy from both of their F6922's. Plus 5 and plus 9 seconds daily, and they're outperforming most of the other movements in my collection. The bracelets are getting some scratches, but the crystals are spotless.
I have to say I like my red Kamasu. That being said the dial in certain light does look a bit cheap. The dial is not smooth it has refinement issues. Also if your looking for your first automatic you will definitely want to see the movement in the back. Thanks for the review!
Bought the red one this year and its time keeping is excellent about 5 seconds plus a day. It wears great. As u say 20mm lug width would make it perfect. The bracelet is a little cheap but otherwise its excellent
I have an Orient Superior caliber F49, inferior to the caliber F69, but still very good. I intend to buy a Kamasu soon and your evaluation Dave, was decisive for choosing this model. Tnx.
Amazing video, and thank you for also mentioning the cons. I loved the watch, specially the sapphire crystal is so important for someone like me who is just starting to collect better timepieces. Also love the style and I think it is a safe point to start enjoying this beautiful world.
Just ordered this green kamasu, I can't wait. My first orient. Also I have 2 presage seiko, for the price that I've paid, i can't believe they didn't put sapphire crystal, so many scratches, I'm at the point of replacing the crystal.
I’ve been collecting for years and bought 2 of these. They are amazing. These are not just for starting collectors. Great piece for beginning to experienced watch lovers!👍🏼
is it true that the glass is Sapphire crystal and not mineral glass?
@@nanhinting7447 kamasu is sapphire the mako and the Ray are mineral.
Are the bracelet links hollow?
I have a Mako for more than 10 years....is more accurate than my seiko turtle.....only +5-7 secs a day....
@@thecombckid The bracelet links are hollow. The clinking made me buy a bracelet from strapcode .
I love my Orient Kamasu. Probably one of the best value and one of the most loved watches out there, not just for beginners
Had mine for 4 years now and still feels good knowing its still a great value today
I got the new Kamasu (with the more traditional looking dial) earlier in this year as my only watch after letting go of my Seiko 5's. I really like its versatility, how it doesn't look out of place in most scenarios. It also does make you a bit more unique in a budget space where most people opt for Seiko. And while my collection grew a bit again, the Kamasu is still part of my core rotation as a weekend watch.
By new you mean mako 3?
My first watch was the Kamasu and I couldn't be happier. You've got a great channel and I look forward to learning more through your genuine love for watches and critique!
I have Tissot PRX, SARB033, SARB035 and other 15 plus watches but I still always reach out for Kamasu (same deep green dial color) almost 4/7 days. This is a killer watch! Just buy it
i never tire of hearing about kamasu. probably should buy one.
The Kamasu is so good it could be your only auto. You can even mod it. The new gradient dials are really pretty.
Newbies.... don't worry about the reported negatives on the bracelet. It is one of the MOST comfortable bracelets out there. Taper and width as reported by UA-camrs often comes down to group think. Not the case with Dave I'm sure, but I HATE taper on a bracelet and know there are lots of folks like me. A broad bracelet makes the watch more solid and keeps it from bobbling around.
I totally agree! The only issue I found is that the bracelet was incredibly hard to resize due to the pins being so so stiff! I broke my tool! Managed to resize the blooming thing in the end and I do like the bracelet and comfort. Overall an incredibly beautiful watch (got the red/maroon version). Totally worth the money. Most beautiful watch I have yet, not the most expensive...
first time watching your videos (shoutout the UA-cam algorithm for feeding me this as I am close to getting my first dive watch looking at the Kamasu and being the 2nd automatic watch in my beginner collection) 🙏🏽🔥💪🏽 had to subscribe right away for the amazing info and editing style of the video! off the intro music alone i was thinking great artistic taste! cant wait to see what other watch videos you have on your channel
My Wife bought me this watch for my Xmas 2022 after watching me watching you, review this watch. Absolutely made up and you are spot on with the crown guards restricting access to the crown but even with that is a remarkable watch and has been extremely accurate. I meant to leave a comment long before now but truly enjoy the channel and your expertise on such quality timepieces from Japan. Orient = quality in my opinion.
The Kamasu was my first automatic watch purchase a few months ago. Absolutely love it. Threw a nato strap on it right out of the box. I find myself using the bezel to track elapsed time quite often.
Seems like a great gateway watch. Great video!
100% agree that the Kamasu is a great watch! I liked everything about it: the red dial, the hour markers, hands, and overall legibility. I paired it with a rubber strap since I knew I'd dislike the bracelet. The only real mark against it was the crown, at least for me. I would've kept it if were larger or the crown guards smaller or nonexistent.
I have several high end automatic watches, including Rolex and Omega, and I love my Kamasu. My only complaints are the ones you mention: the crown is a little difficult to operate, the bezel is a little stiff, and I’m not a fan of the bracelet, at all. That said, I always have this on alternate straps. I have numerous silicone straps in various colors (I have the blue dial) that look great, and my favorite is a blue sailcloth strap. It’s a great watch that looks sharp, keeps great time, and can stand up to everyday use. It’s kind of a no-brainer.
I bought a strapcode Jubilee. It looks excellent. I hated that the bracelet had virtually no taper to it at all.
I swear by Orient, my seiko 5 and my SKX and my omega seamaster the most out of my collection. They're my 4 favorites.
The Kamasu (I have the blue one) has basically become one of my go-to watches when heading into the office. Brand new it ran +2spd and settled around +7spd, which puts it above most of my NH powered watches.
You can’t go wrong with this watch. Especially with the recent Seiko price increases
Just bought a Kamasu. Can't wait to get it out of its box. Seems to be a great start for collecting excellent timepieces
I think Orient is excellent. Their movements are fully jeweled which should insure longevity. They look nice with their different choices of colours. For me there is no reason to spend more for a more expensive watch that won’t out perform my trusty Orients.
Orient is a sleeper brand. Super good value and really well made. Dont know why they dont get more love...
I have this exact watch, and I immediately ordered a jubilee style bracelet, solid end-links and milled clasp. It transforms the watch and makes up for it’s one and only drawback. $40 added to the price of the watch made it $240 even. I have a very large collection and I completely agree with you.
Details on the bracelet? Most I've seen are closer to $60. Thanks!
What bracelet did you get?
I have had my burgundy dial Kamasu for about 6 months and it’s terrific. It doesn’t compete with my high end Swiss pieces, but it’s better than my Seiko models. If I was a first-in newbie, I would go Orient before Seiko every time.
During my watch journey I have picked up 3x Kamasu gen 1 in black, green and blue and also from gen 2 the grey and now the red version. I like them all.
Dave, one of the best reviews of the Kamasu I have seen. Thumbs up!
I wear one daily, and love it. The sapphire crystal is a must, as I am hard on watches. It's going on 3 years old and I have already replaced the bezel insert. It's an after market and fairly cheap. I like it better however because the zeros are round and not square shaped like the original. Mine will stay accurate to within 10 seconds for a month or so.
Bought the oxblood Kamasu 2 last month. Awesome watch. It's the second cheapest in my collection but the one I find myself wanting to wear the most...
I´ve got one, and modded it, changed the bracelet for a jubilee with solid end links and milled clasp, and also changed the bezel, put one with sapphire and lume. Now it has climbed several steps in quality
In the price to quality ratio, this is hands down the best watch, and the design is absolutely gorgeous
i bought it 2020, still runs smooth. Went diving,hiking and all other craziness. It's so far my only watch tho but what i know for fact is that i would never sell it.
The Kamasu was one of my first automatic watches is an absolute value for the price-to-quality ratio. I have the burgundy dial and it is unique and pops on the wrist. I love it and recommend it to anyone that is on the fence. I also just got the Orient Ray 2 this past week and was blown away by its value to price. Can't go wrong.
orient ray 2 also blew my mind
@@garynico9872 is the ray 2 worth it if you only have cheaper watches before series seiko series 5 and Orient three star.
@@atifghafoor6258 i'd recommend kamasu
@@garynico9872 does the sapphire dial make a big difference?
@@atifghafoor6258 very, looks and feel much more premium, also the bezel action is far more better
I just love the look of it. Classically stylish.
This was my first automatic watch. I bought it 4 years ago, I since own a Citizen automatic which is triple the price, and a Tudor automatic worth 4x the value.
My Orient is hands down my most accurate automatic watch, I use an app where you check the accuracy over a number of days. After 25 days it performed at +0.5s per day. Just incredible.
Just pick one up with Black and Gold trim, really enjoy it.
Sitting here and admiring my newly bought all black with gold trim Kamasu v1. The black rubber strap fits in the overall style. A dressy diver, that looks like a million bucks!
Being from India, it's difficult to get hold of this watch. somehow I got the red dial Kamasu..n I am in love with it.. i treasure it more than any other watches I have..
I was gonna buy Seiko..but only Seiko 5 falls in my budget and Orient beats it hands down...will plan to get a Triton soon..
Very good presentation. I like Orient a lot. I don’t understand why one needs to spend more money. I can’t see a reason to do so or I possibly would. Seiko is excellent as well. Also Casio is nothing to laugh at either.
As a general rule Japanese companies are very reliable to do business with.
In my youth for work reasons I would go to Japan a few times a year. I like the culture and the people very much.
Dave, you are the man! I love your reviews! You’ve totally helped me get good knowledge of this new hobby of collecting horological pieces of art, without talking over my head, or making me feel stupid. No bells and whistles, just great information!
Well done sir! Keep ‘em comin’!
Great video Dave 😀 . For those just getting in the Hobby and wondering I wholeheartedly agree. One of if not my first automatic watch that I still have and love is the komatsu's brother, the Ray ll. Granted the bezel was a little tight when I first got it but it broke in and now it works great. On the flip side of that coin I recently picked up a beautiful purple dial Orient world time GMT diver and I love it as well 😇 ..
I have way more expensive watches and I purchased two of these in different colors and they are honestly two of my favorite watches , only my two Orient watches came with the rubber dive bands and I put one of these on a nylon band that matches the watch . They really are my favorites ! And I love dive watches because they are so rugged and being water proof is awesome . I also demand that my watch have good size and I’ve rarely seen a watch too big for me and because I’m a big guy these are again awesome ! I love the Seiko Arnie dive watches and I have the black and the special edition with the blue and green parts and these Orient watches are as good and as cool as those watches . Do yourself a favor and pick one up .
bought this watch and replace the bracelet with the Jubilee bracelet. Perfection!
I bought one of these when I got back into collecting watches, It was one of the original models back in the day. I had it for about a month before I returned it, though I didn't return it for any flaw, I returned it because I was able to get a Seiko alpinist at a really good price. Now I'll confess, the reason why the alpinist was so appealing is because I have RSI pain and larger watches tend to exacerbate it. That being said, the kamasu did not cause wrist pain for me despite its size. I think this is because of its case length which is relatively compact for a 42 mm watch. Just for reference, I own a Tudor black Bay Ceramic (41mm) and I can't wear it more than 3 hours without it hurting my wrist. If I was going to buy another affordable dive watch, I would absolutely get another kamasu, you really can't beat the value proposition of this watch.
Three points.
1. Hand winding on an automatic is more for starting the watch not fully winding it.
2. The watch has a 200m rating so a solid non see through back is expected.
3. It comes with a decent bracelet for the price, manufacturers tend to cut the cost on the bracelet to allow for a higher quality in the watch itself, the reasoning in this is many will swap out the bracelet, it’s the easiest thing to customize. At least they didn’t skimp on the crystal.
yea i truly hate good watches with crapy mineral/acrylic crystals. for me it's automatically a no buy cause i would just not be able to cope with a scratched crystal lol
They did skimp on the crystal. It has no AR and the glare is terrible. I put in a double domed AR replacement. Transformed the watch.
@sparro4032 You must have banged it onto a rock.... I highly doubt you had it below 20 bar that the rating is good for! That would be 662 feet no fkn way it just "shattered" at the depth you went to. Blame the cave wall and your skills not the watch!
6:28 I agree, the date complication is probably the thing I actually need most on a timepiece.
BTW, I have the shirt you’re wearing (in blue). Love it. It perfectly represents my watch passion… and I like supporting a channel like yours. You really have your head on straight in this hobby. 👍🏻
I have just bought a Geckota Pioneer with a NH35 movement. It’s the most beautiful watch I’ve ever owned. I also have the Rolex Sub homage watch made by Steeldrive. It’s wonderful - well made and more accurate than it should be at that price point!
I love my Orient Mako 2. I got it before the Kamasu was released. Always glad to see Orient get some praise.
I have this watch and I’m happy with this. It’s my go to when I travel abroad or to the beach. Very good fit on my wrist.
Orient Kamasu is an amazing watch, but I picked Ray 2 as my first automatic watches, and still love them. For $120, they are pretty much the same watch minus sapphire crystal. At the time of my purchase, Kamasu cost $220, which is almost double the cost of Ray2/Mako2.
When my Ray2 scratches badly, replacing the crystal to sapphire would cost me ~$30.
I have this watch and really like it. It was my second automatic watch behind the Seiko 5. There is one other con that I have found with the Orient. There is no AR coating, and because it does have the flat sapphire crystal, the light can reflect like a laser beam at times.
On a rubber strap this is my favorite watch for daily use. So durable, day/date and lume is fantastic. Best beater out there! I have the green, looks great on leather
I agree to what many commenters have said. Sure it’s a great first Automatic watch for newbie’s but it’s an awesome watch no matter what else or how many watches you may already got. I own 2 Rolex’s including a Submariner and I honestly get as much joy out of my Kamasu! I have the Blue one with both the Green And Red dials on their way. If you upgrade to a StrapCode Oyster or Jubilee style bracelet for $90 it elevates it noticeably higher. Granted the crown is a bit awkward and it would be nice to see Orient upgrade it but it just isn’t a deal breaker. Great dimensions and one of my favorite Hand sets!! Buy one!!
For same price, Kamasu 2 has much better case finish with brushed sides / polished edges and more interesting dial, instead of boring full polished design and uniform dial on kamasu1.
I got the RA-AA0810N and it's a good step up to my old RA-AA0004. Just my humble 2cents. Otherwise love the channel. Keep up the good work!
My first automatic (other than the Doxa I inherited) was a Seiko SKN805. If I member correctly, the second was a Chinese "homage," the third was an Orient TriStar, and the fourth was a blue-dial Kamasu. Now I own six Orient dive-style watches, including a "Baby Triton," which I think is a better watch. That said, my black-dial Mako II gets the most wrist time of all my Orients.
its a very solid watch for the price. Truly one of my most impressive pieces in terms of value. The hand winding is not the smoothest but small pick. It's a great watch.
Thanks to your video I figured out how to set my first ever watch.
I have a Mako 3 & really like the watch; especially at the price. The only gripe is the bracelet in that it has a very cheap and overly light “tinny” feel to it. I’ve since swapped to a nylon band & it’s a big improvement. Overall, solid watch for $250 US.
Great watch, I've bought it three year ago and it's my everyday watches now. Luminous arrows remain lit for a 10-12 hours during night time.
Just there is one dissappoting moment is not so good accuracy comparing with powermatic 80 .
Love the video, love the watch, gonna buy a green one when I graduate in a few months! But I wanna say, the sound is awesome. Just noticed that the voiceover is killer, great quality! Cheers Dave!
I own this exact watch and it is everything you say it is! I also own the t-shirt and get in trouble from the family for wearing it so often!
Orient maybe the best first best automatic, but Orient is a good for any purchase. I like Japanese products, integrity
and quality. All I need are Casio, Seiko, and Orient, not some over priced Rolex.
The Kamasu i got definitely feels more well built than my Seiko 5 GMT, amazing value for the money
My first automatic dive watch was/is an Orient Ray2, had it for years...still is a go to for me. I paid $120 usd for it.
Best intro song for your videos! Great job on the content 👍
I love orient watch...i have my bambino for 20.yrs now
Good points and well made. For anyone wanting to spend 200, this a super duper buy.
I’d anyone is coming from an Apple Watch and wants a “real” watch; this is your best option. For roughly $100 you can buy a Vostok watch from Russia, that’s the watch I bought and have had for 1.5 years. I love it but the benefits of this orient make it more then worth the price difference.
If you’re unsure on an automatic watch don’t worry, this is a watch you can own and wear for two months and sell on eBay for the price you paid; you’ll just lose shipping costs.
If you at all want an automatic watch you can’t go wrong with this orient, I got a watch for half the price of this and this is a dream model to me. You can make your money back if you ever change your mind and want to sell this plus for $200 you may find a watch that you absolutely love. Watches can be for life so if you want to “join the club” this is your most affordable yet best option. Again you can make your money back but this watch will teach you if you like automatic watches or not
Perhaps, but if they had the 20min mark in red ...or blue...it would be perfect!! Loved Orients...thank you for the review
Thanks for the video, you are very professional and nice to hear you and see you. One of my best and most beautiful watches and I also have a relatively large collection of Swiss watches, but I really like this watch and wear it every day. It is of high quality, the blue color is amazing, its size is excellent for me, it is just perfect.
I have a red dial Kamasu. A great looking, robust watch. A true value. Sometimes it takes a couple attempts to line up the threads to properly screw down the crown, and the bezel can also be difficult to grip, slightly slippery. No big deals.✌🏽
This was one of the watches I was considering when I first got into watches recently. However, my friend became interested in getting a watch too so I recommended him this one. He loves that thing and wears it everyday. Having seen and held the watch myself, it's easy to see why.
That blue dial POPS! 😍
My Mako 3 Kamasu is accurate to within +2 secs/day, and more likely +1sec a day checked every day for over a week. Worn 24hrs 7 days a week in preference to a few years old Sub 16610. Its a great watch and the quoted specs don't do it justice.
Great video.
I had 2 of the Orient Ray 2's. Love them dearly.
But I think the most comfortable and stylish affordable option was the Seiko Sea Urchin. Best beater watch ever.
I have a good sized collection containing German, Swiss, and Japanese watches. But I’ve never owned an Orient. Since Black Friday is tomorrow…maybe I’ll have to do a serous search. Great video. Thanks. Happily Holidays.
Kamasu is a great watch. I have 2 thinking about a 3rd. Spot on review Dave.
One of the best reviews I’ve seen.
Love mine. Got a couple of other Orient divers. They're a lot of watch for the money with in house movements and heritage. All good
I owned this exact green model and sold it to my brother just because the green hue was much more darker than what I expected... I must congratulate you Dave, for presenting on a video the real hue this watch really has; somehow all previous video reviews (at least a couple years old) happen to show a brighter green color.
Having said that, it is such a great watch. Quality is there no doubt. I'd pass all your 'negatives' and say that my only real gripe for this watch is the lack of anti reflective coating... If you're trying to make the dial color pop out under the sunlight you'll most likely get blinded by the reflection of the crystal. That is my only gripe for this watch. It is no doubt the best first automatic diver watch to own.
When I first got my Kamasu I was wishing that I could see the movement as it was holding time so well that I thought maybe it was a quartz sitting in there. . Just did a week long check and this
sweetheart was only 2 seconds slow after 168 hours. It's the best of my autos'.
I do have a soft spot for the Kamasu, it was my daily diver for a couple of years, and it’s a fantastic offering from a reputable brand. It’s not without its faults, mostly on the bracelet, although I also found the crown too small too. If you’re into dive watches it’s a great first choice, but if you have a penchant for field watches, the Seiko SNK8 series are hard to beat, that was my gateway watch, visible (if so what dated) movement and a classic fliegr design for not a lot of money
You're completely wrong (jk) . . . the RED DIAL version is obviously much prettier . . . Seriously, at about $200 USD, 200mWR, feels good, good weight, solid clasp (so far). SUPER EASILY readable in both Daylight and Night via Lume. I absolutely love mine. (It's my 4th Mechanical, the Seiko 5 you show early on in the video, was my first one. It's a bit thicker but also EASILY readable day or night.) Depending on a person's price capabilities . . . the Kamasu is the model I'd recommend. (If you're mowing lawns to buy one for dad . . . the Casio Duro is nothing to scoff at for a "dress watch" at a lower price.) Great video. Thanks for showing it off to the masses.
I bought one of these 2 years ago it's my daily. You can get a higher-quality bracelet with an OEM fit from Strapcode for about $100. I bought one 6 months ago and it's great.
I’ve heard this opinion from every corner of the UA-cam watchverse… bought one, ran about +25-30 secs a day and then the stem broke 2 weeks in. And Orient USA’s service was lackluster to be kind. I have no doubt that a good, well regulated example would give years of satisfaction but I wasn’t so lucky.
Great review, thanks. My Kamasu green was ordered based on this review and is on the way - courier should be here in ½ hour :-) Already have a brown leather Hirsch strap waiting for it....
2024 anyone? Ordered one today. Sapphire and rubine display, great looking and versatile
22mm lug width is great for aftermarket straps availability....there is no way I wear a watch with hollow end links, so to me 22mm is welcome. But I get your point.
I have two Kamasu's (RA-AA0810N19B and RA-AA0003R19A) and I'm getting great accuracy from both of their F6922's. Plus 5 and plus 9 seconds daily, and they're outperforming most of the other movements in my collection. The bracelets are getting some scratches, but the crystals are spotless.
I wear the RA-AA0810N19B daily and I love it. I sleep with it half of the time because I forget it's even on my arm until I get blinded by lume 😂
I have to say I like my red Kamasu. That being said the dial in certain light does look a bit cheap. The dial is not smooth it has refinement issues. Also if your looking for your first automatic you will definitely want to see the movement in the back. Thanks for the review!
Bought the red one this year and its time keeping is excellent about 5 seconds plus a day. It wears great. As u say 20mm lug width would make it perfect. The bracelet is a little cheap but otherwise its excellent
Excellent review on an excellent entry level automatic. Great job Dave. You always shine👍
Yeah, Kamasu will probably stay the best entry level auto for years to come. 👏
This watch is incredible value for money
Great video and if you want something slightly sportier and $50 cheaper, the Mako II is a great option but you'll be giving up the sapphire crystal.
I started (well, re-started) with a Seiko SRPH87K1 for around €230, with a 4R35 calibre, in my opinion much more elegant
My 1st gen kamasu is my daily beater and its amazing.
Got mine in dark blue a few days ago, looks even better in person, recommend for sure! Also I think the clasp while stamped is defo still very secure
I have an Orient Superior caliber F49, inferior to the caliber F69, but still very good. I intend to buy a Kamasu soon and your evaluation Dave, was decisive for choosing this model. Tnx.
Amazing video, and thank you for also mentioning the cons. I loved the watch, specially the sapphire crystal is so important for someone like me who is just starting to collect better timepieces. Also love the style and I think it is a safe point to start enjoying this beautiful world.
I am also live in Japan.
Only recently have I come to appreciate Orient watches. (I am getting older and losing interest in [Swiss made] watches ;)
Just ordered this green kamasu, I can't wait. My first orient. Also I have 2 presage seiko, for the price that I've paid, i can't believe they didn't put sapphire crystal, so many scratches, I'm at the point of replacing the crystal.
This is a great automatic for anybody, not just the beginner! I’d go with the earlier 40mm in blue. 174 bucks on Joma, get it while it’s hot.
I agree. Orient is the perfect brand for beginners but also enthusiasts. But from China San Martin watches are a look worth.
I have 5 or 6 Orient watches....mechanical watches. They are shockingly good.