Orient RA-AA08 | Automatic / Hand-Winding Movement | 41.8 mm Stainless Steel Case | Sapphire Crystal | 200 m Diver Style Watch | Dot Index

I am going to list why I think the Orient RA-AA081 (sometimes called Kamasu 2) is absolute top tier in the world of watches (Not just "cheap" watches). Case/Band: The finishing on the case and band is excellent I like that all of the band lengths are brushed, without any polishing. Polished links show scratches much more easily. The band links are held together by directional punch pins, and can be easily removed using a cheap tool. Clasp: The clasp has a spring loaded release on each side, and then has an additional flip-down locking tab. It also has four micro adjustment positions that can be set without removing lengths. The clasp works well, and is secure. Bezel: The rotating bezel does not slip or wobble. It is secure with very positive clicks. The coin edge is well cut and gives excellent feel and grip. The rotation of the bezel on a dive watch is extremely important as it has real utility (as a timer), and is not for decoration only. Crystal: The single feature that puts this watch in top tier above almost anything else at this price point is the sapphire crystal. Nearly every watch at this price ($225) has acrylic (plastic), mineral glass, hardlex, etc. Mineral glass has a Mohs hardness of approximately 4-5. Synthetic sapphire is approximately 9. There are very few things that can scratch sapphire, diamond and tungsten carbide being two. Sapphire is found on most watches costing thousands of dollars (Rolex/Omega/etc), but is not often available at this price point. Orient Bambino doesn't have it. Citizen Garrison (BM8180-03E ) doesn't have it. Seiko Presage (SRPE45J1) at $500 doesn't have it. Seiko 5 (SNKL45 ) doesn't have it. Citizen Promaster Diver (BN0158-00X) doesn't have it. Screw down crown: The crown is a very legitimate screw down. I agree with other reviewers that it is slightly too small, but it is rarely manipulated. The threads are well cut and smooth. When closing the crown, It is sometimes difficult to know when the crown is properly engaged on the threads, so be careful, LISTEN to it, and don't force it. It does not take much force at all to close the crown, and it does not need to be torqued at the end, so DON'T over-tighten it. Always make sure you have the crown properly screwed down, or the watch will lose all water resistance. Water-Resistance: Manufacturer claims water resistant to 20 bar. That is approximately 200 meters (656 feet) beneath water. Is it? I don't know, and I'm not going to test it. I can report that this watch has survived many expeditions to the kitchen sink and rain filled journeys across urban parking lots. Movement: This watch is automatic (self-winding by momentum of wrist), powered by the Orient F6922 movement. This means the watch is fully mechanical, without any batteries, electric, etc. It "ticks" and keeps time using gears, spring(s), etc. This is opposed to a Quartz movement that takes a battery (and actually keeps much better time). You can research mechanical vs quartz, but I have had both, and prefer automatic on analog watches. Accuracy/Precision: My watch runs consistently at about +7 seconds per day against atomic time. COSC chronometer certification (really expensive automatic watches) specifies a precision of -4 sec to +6 sec per day. So my watch, out of the box, isn't far off from COSC time keeping specs. It is important to note that my watch being consistently +7 seconds per day, every day, indicates my watch is actually very precise. My watch could likely be regulated within COSC parameters if I wanted to open the caseback and adjust the regulation lever. Winding/Hacking: The Orient F6922 movement is both hand windable, and hackable. This means it can be hand wound when not being worn, and the second hand can be hacked (stopped) when setting the watch, so that it may be set to the exact second. Day/Date setting: The day and the date can both be set independently of the hands, so it not necessary to advance the hands around and around to set the date. The day can be set for either English or Spanish. This is somewhat confusing at first, so read the manual very carefully. When the day is correctly setup for English, the day will actually change to Spanish for a little while after midnight, before then changing again to the English day. This is normal and as designed. Basically, the physical day rotor is printed English/Spanish/English/Spanish and the gear train moves the rotor two positions over a few hours at the start of each day, so after midnight a watch set to English will move English-Spanish-English and a watch set to Spanish will move Spanish-English-Spanish and then hold the correct language for the remainder of the day. Caseback: This watch does not have a display caseback, so the gears can't be seen, the solid caseback is pleasantly thin, and it is VERY quiet. Lum: The hour markers are luminous, charged by light. The lum is fairly good, and is easily legible for at least an hour if well charged before going into darkness. Dial: The turquoise dial on the RA-AA0811E19B is beautiful, and everything is aligned well. Summary: I have not found another watch near this price point that I like this much. This watch is high quality, with a sapphire crystal, a really nice rotating bezel, and a screw down crown. The only criticism I can find is the crown being a little small. ----------------------------------------------- One year review: Band: I still like the factory band and think it looks great. I did replace mine with a Barton 22mm NATO that is more comfortable and lighter for daily wear. Crystal: The sapphire crystal is still in perfect condition without a single scratch or blemish Bezel: The bezel has accumulated little scratches, dings, and other minor damage from daily wear. No stars deducted as this could happen to any watch. Accuracy/Precision: My watch maintained its approximate factory accuracy for a year. I then decided to open the caseback and regulate the speed and beat error myself. This is a very fine process, and there is a real risk of permanently damaging the watch if mistakes are made. I stopped the balance wheel by hacking the seconds hand (pulling the crown all the way out) before making each adjustment. Using a timegrapher app on my phone and the built in microphone, I was able to achieve -1 second per day face-up and 0.1ms beat error. This has been holding fairly stable and my current accuracy is fantastic. —————————— Update: The watch has slowly drifted and is currently running about +13 seconds a day.

The Orient 200 M Diver Style Watch RA-AA08, also known as the Kamasu 2, is a timepiece that stands out in the world of watches, not just in the "cheap" category. Here are some key features that make this watch an excellent choice: Case/Band: The finishing on the case and band is of excellent quality. The brushed finish on all the band lengths gives it a sophisticated look while minimizing the visibility of scratches. The band links are held together by directional punch pins, allowing for easy removal using an inexpensive tool. Clasp: The clasp on this watch is well-designed and secure. It features a spring-loaded release on each side and an additional flip-down locking tab. The clasp also offers four micro-adjustment positions, allowing for a comfortable and precise fit. Bezel: The rotating bezel on the Kamasu 2 is secure and has very positive clicks. The well-cut coin edge provides an excellent feel and grip, essential for the functionality of a dive watch. Crystal: One standout feature of this watch is its sapphire crystal. While many watches in this price range typically use acrylic, mineral glass, or hardlex, the Orient Kamasu 2 comes equipped with a synthetic sapphire crystal. Sapphire is highly scratch-resistant, with only diamond and tungsten carbide being harder. This feature is usually found in watches costing thousands of dollars, making it exceptional for a watch at this price point. Screw-down Crown: The crown on the Kamasu 2 is a legitimate screw-down crown, adding to the watch's water resistance. While it may be slightly small, it is rarely manipulated. The threads are well-cut and smooth, ensuring ease of use. It is important to ensure the crown is properly engaged on the threads to maintain water resistance. Water Resistance: The manufacturer claims a water resistance rating of 20 bar, which is approximately 200 meters or 656 feet. Although I cannot personally verify this claim, the watch has reportedly survived exposure to water during everyday activities without any issues. Movement: The Orient RA-AA08 features an automatic self-winding movement, powered by the momentum of the wearer's wrist. This ensures accurate timekeeping without the need for manual winding Overall, the Orient Kamasu 2 is a high-quality timepiece that offers excellent value for its price. With its impressive features such as a sapphire crystal, reliable water resistance, and attention to detail in design and finishing, it stands out among watches in its category.

This is my first automatic watch. I was between Kamasu and this model (which is sometimes called Kamasu 2, but no consensus). Their specs are same. I ended up choosing this one for the slightly better price. All in all, I’m amazed. As they say, this is much better and elegant in real life than it seems in the pictures. I was afraid that the dial might look too cluttered or messy with the round indices (unlike Kamasu’s consistently rectangular ones). But it is very well designed and entertaining my eyes. Another issue is the dial color. I think most buyers prefer colors other than the grayish brownish one I got. But I wanted something versatile, wearable with multiple straps and outfits. So, I went with this one. Again, I fell in love with it. It’s not black, not gray, not brown, but all of them at the same time, with that vintage touch of patina. The accuracy rocks so far! Just -4 seconds a day. It may get longer with use, but this is a great start. No complaints at all about the finish and bracelet. Some squeak from the rings, but I’m okay with that. If you are out for a first and well-priced automatic watch, go with this, and you won’t regret.

Pros: -Dial color/gradient is eye catching, matches well with off-white indices -Case is really well finished with sapphire, very aesthetically pleasing -perfect size for 7.25 inch wrist, not too big and heavy, but has wrist presence -really enjoy wearing it Cons: -stock bracelet: I didn’t have as much of a problem with the folded end links like most people complain about. But the fact that there was not a full taper made the proportions really unpleasant to look at. Swapped it out for an islander with solid male end links and the watch looks much better now. (Wrist photo shows new bracelet) -accuracy is +10 seconds a day after wearing two weeks. Well within spec, and not bad. But I have an invicta pro diver with nh35 that gets +2 seconds per day so the bar was artificially high for inexpensive Japanese movements Overall, recommend if you’re looking for great value and are willing to swap the bracelet. With an extra bracelet, this watch punches way above it’s weight and still came in under $300

I bought an Orient Symphony dress watch about 5 years ago and was very unimpressed with it. Since then they’ve released a few more Symphony updates but I stayed away from that model and Orient in general. So after seeing some reviews on different models, I was looking at Tridents but felt like I had a couple of Seikos that already looked pretty similar. This Kamasu came up in my search. I liked the size and specs of it and that turquoise dial. Once I got it, I was super impressed with the look and feel of this watch. The finishing on the case is very nice with some really fine brushing on the sides and lugs with really nice polished accents. The applied indices and hands all are well done in my opinion. I could do without the day\date complication but it doesn’t take away from the watch at all. Very comfortable for a lot of wrist sizes. For the money you get a lot with this watch including sapphire crystal, in house automatic movement, 200m water resistance etc. The only critique would be on the bracelet. I feel like they could still keep this watch affordable and update the bracelet a little bit. Solid end links and a little bit better milled clasp would be an appreciated upgrade without making the price go up tremendously. I have another bracelet coming that will make this watch near perfect. The bezel is fine. The subtle color is appreciated. This has turned out to be one of my favorite watch purchases of 2022. I love it so much I bought one as a gift.

My reasons for purchasing a watch are often nebulous. Sometimes I think a watch just looks cool. Other times, I am looking for a watch to wear during specific occasions (dress, beater, etc.). For the Orient Kamasu I was looking for a watch to pair with a Tropic style rubber strap. I’ve always loved the look of those straps; I just love the vintage vibe they give to a diver. Like something out of a 1970s magazine cover. So, I was looking for a smaller sized diver (39mm-42mm), with a more classic look, but with just a bit of color. The turquoise Kamasu was the perfect option for me. The Kamasu is not my first Orient watch, I purchased a Defender about 5 years ago and have been happy with that watch. I also did quite a bit of research on this watch before pulling the trigger so there wouldn't be any surprises when I actually unboxed the watch. The watch has been on my wrist for 10 straight days and overall, I have been very happy with my purchase. It has kept reasonably good time, +8 seconds a day. I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how small it wears (in a good way). It wears thinner (13.2mm) than I thought it would and it fits nicely underneath a collared shirt, or a sweatshirt. On the rubber strap it is incredibly comfortable, I didn’t bother with the metal bracelet which is your basic cheap metal bracelet. I really think this will stay in my collection for a while. There are a few things I wanted to address that were in reviews and videos that I saw during my research. There were a lot of comments about the undersized crown, and while the crown is small, I don’t feel it negatively impacts the function of the watch. In the future, Orient should make it bigger. Another persistent comment was the oversized lug width (22mm). I do feel the watch would work better at 20 mm size and this would be my main gripe with the watch. A small pro/con list will fill in a few more details Pro -The clicking action of the bezel is awesome -The cream-colored applied markers look awesome and really evoke a vintage look. -I like silver framed day and date windows. Some of the comments side this made the watch unbalanced, but I disagree. -I love how thin and small the watch wears on my 7 ¼ inch wrist. -A signed crown is always a nice touch. Con -The lum is not good. -22mm lug width is too big. One thing I wanted to add that I am not sure if it is a negative or a positive. The bezel insert is a very dark green between the 0-15 minute marker, but it is so dark you almost can’t tell. The picture I’ve added has been adjusted so you can actually see it. Given that it doesn’t quite match the watch dial Orient should have just kept the bezel all black. Overall this is a good watch I would compare it favorable to my SKX and given the price point and the fact that it has a screw down crown I think it is a better option than the 5KX’s that are currently available at a similar price point.

I love dive watches, sapphire crystals, and automatic movements. I also love Coke-bezel watches. Unfortunately, this is not a Coke bezel, although the pic looks like it due to the lighting. I was a little surprised to learn what I thought was a blackened portion of the bezel is brown and the watch face is red. Then I double-checked the pic and realized that is what I was seeing. So, if you think it's a Coke bezel, like I did, it isn't. Still, it's a great watch, and I like the dark-red face. The bezel rotates nicely, and the day/date complication is very cool. The sapphire crystal is terrific. The band is stainless steel but a little on the light side. Still, it works. The clasp works fine, but I do like them a bit more robust. I saw another review mention the band, and it would be easy to replace it with something sturdier and with a clasp that doesn't rattle slightly. But, overall, it's a great watch at a great price. I might have opted for the blue bezel and dial had I realized I was getting a red/brown bezel. But, it's still a great buy. This watch will last a very long time and might appreciate in value. It certainly won't lose much value, as it's high-quality and made by a well-known brand. It's kind of like a fancier Invicta, since both use the Seiko movement, which is excellent.

Great watch. High quality craftmanship. Japanese but assembled in Thailand. Mechanics works fine. Seems like running a little bit faster and thus require manual time correction.

Looking like rolex watch

The Orient RA-AA08 is such a solid watch for the price. I love the design and sizing is great. Not too big and not too small. It feels solid, has a solid design, and a solid movement. The bracelet is a little meh but when you're paying sub-$400 for a diver with saphire crystal, screw down crown, and 200m water resistance, a less than perfect bracelet is fine by me. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking. :)

I have been wearing this watch non stop for over a week now, and did a lot research before buying it. This watch has a great reputation in the online watch community. For this price I don't think you can get better value - the sapphire crystal, automatic Japanese movement, water resistance, loom and elegant design makes it a great piece. Many people complain about the bracelet, and while I agree that the quality could be better, I found it to be just fine and don't plan on replacing it anytime soon. It looks way better in person than on videos and pictures, so if you like it online, you'll love it in person. The gradient dial has many different appearances depending on lighting, which is really cool. Overall this is a great watch and I definitely recommend it. All things considered, this is a 5 stars product for me.

Looks better in person.

Muy bonito color, se ve elegante. En la imagen la carátula se ve más verdosa, pero en físico el color tira más a turquesa. El reloj es pesado, se siente bien hecho.