Should You Buy the Orient Kamasu 2?

Are you thinking about buying the Orient Kamasu 2? Check out the pros and cons of this affordable dive watch in this review.

Orient is one of four key Japanese players in the watchmaking industry. It prides itself on moderately priced timepieces and in-house movements, specializing in dress and dive watches. 

The brand began manufacturing watches in 1950 and now offers a catalog occupied by stylish mechanical and quartz watches.

While we can divide half its offerings into the more affordable “Orient” category, its “Orient Star” designs are somewhat fancier. These models include more intricate complications and skeleton dial watches.

Furthermore, the brand offers Classic, Contemporary, and Sports watches. If you want an Orient dive watch, the sports collection is worth a look.

Here live the Orient Ray, Mako, and Kamasu models. The latter is a diving watch of exceptional quality for its price bracket. 

It launched in 2019, followed by the Kamasu Gen 2 a couple of years later. This second generation refreshes this original design, sporting signature gradient dials in various colors. 

In this article, we will explore one of the best Orient watches in more detail. 

The Key Features of the Orient Kamasu 2

Upon first glance, the Orient Kamasu DNA looks similar to the brand’s other affordably priced diver, the Mako. The main difference between the two is the Mako’s less premium mineral crystal, compared to the Kamasu’s sapphire crystal. 

The Kamasu also has a thicker bezel than the Mako (which often receives criticism for its hard-to-grip design). The Kamasu design has a more prominent crown guard, too, and a better lume on the dial than the Mako range.

When the Orient Kamasu arrived in 2019, it became the go-to dive watch for its robustness and affordability. 

A couple of years later, the second generation of the Kamasu arrived. The blue, grey, and turquoise options belong to the standard line, whereas only 2000 pieces of the burgundy version are available.

Overall, the Orient Kamasu II promises exceptional legibility, a robust case, sufficient water resistance, and accurate movement. 

Although no longer available from retailers, many examples in good condition are still knocking around on the pre-owned market.

The watch has an identical case structure to the original. It also has a sapphire glass recessed below the bezel for added damage protection. 

The 200-meter water-resistant model and 120-click rotating bezel are other valuable features. I love the fact that the bezel is now two-toned. I particularly like the blue and red Pepsi-inspired colors of the RA-AA0812L reference. 

However, it is the dial that shows the most changes between the first and second generations of the Kamasu. I’ll cover those differences in the next section. 

The Orient Kamasu Red Limited Edition

The Orient Kamasu Red Limited Edition is in higher demand than the other models since just 2000 are available. The watch boasts a stunning burgundy dial framed by a copper-plated case.

The creamy-yellow luminous-coated hands and brown calf leather strap give the watch a vintage-esque style. The second-generation watch dials feature a mix of circular and baton markers, unlike the first-generation stick markers.

The dial also features a day-date window against a white date wheel for enhanced legibility. The Calibre F6922 drives the gradient burgundy dial, offering a 40-hour power reserve and -15/+25 seconds per day accuracy. 

The Orient Kamasu Lug to Lug Measurement

The Orient Kamasu lug to lug measurement is 46.8mm. Some collectors argue that this measurement is more important than the case width itself. It’s the case measurement from the tip of the north lug to the base of the south lug.  

The Kamasu II resumes a confident stance across the wrist, but don’t let this put you off. Since the case width is 41.8mm, this watch still wears pretty comfortably. 

Subtle finishes like the brushed top and sides (which Orient swapped from the original brushed top and polished sides) are a nice touch.  It makes the watch feel and look a little more refined. 

Flip the case over, however, and you have the same original polished surface engraved with the familiar dolphin motif. 

Some disappointed collectors have noted that while the lug-to-lug width wears pretty well, elements like the crown design need improvement. The crown is small, causing difficulties when carrying out the simple steps to wind the automatic watch.  

The Orient Kamasu Bracelet 

Judging by some collector feedback, the Orient Kamasu bracelet is another area that needs refinement. However, bracelets aren’t Orient’s strong point, which may explain why we don’t see an upgrade here.

That said, the bracelet’s folded end links do a great job of hugging the contours of the wrist. The brushed surfaces pair well with the case design, and the folding clasp features a brand-name engraving. 

The bracelet does rattle slightly, and you’d naturally expect that of a watch valued at this price. But on the whole, the bracelet is smooth and comfortable, with four adjustment lengths to play around with.

Is the Orient Kamasu ISO Certified?

So, if you were wondering, “Is the Orient Kamasu ISO Certified?” then the answer is no. However, it does meet the requirements of some criteria outlined by ISO 6425 standards to an extent. 

The watch is 200 meters water-resistant, which makes it great for snorkeling, swimming, showering, and some water sports. It also has sufficient lume-coated dial details, surpassing Mako’s legibility. 

The Kamasu 2 may not be shock-absorbent or resistant to magnetic fields. But it does promise a legible dial with clear markers for plenty of underwater use. 

Did You Know

Seiko Epson, a subsidiary of the Seiko Group, owns Orient, not Seiko Watch Company itself. More specifically, Seiko Holdings Group owns Seiko Watch Company. This means that Orient and the Seiko Watch Company are two completely separate companies.

Conclusion

For under $300, you can pick up an impressive dive watch from Orient. The Orient Kamasu 2 is robust enough to withstand daily endeavors and water-resistant for underwater use. 

Yes, the bracelet may lack finesse, and the crown may be a little fiddly to operate. However, for an affordable diver, the Orient Kamasu II’s design offers great value, leaving little to grumble about.

Do you own an Orient Kamasu 2? Share some photos and tell me what you love about its design.