Orient Bambino

Orient, a traditional Japanese watch manufacturer, is famous for offering high-quality watches at moderate prices. Of course, this also applies to the Bambino collection, which is home to a wide range of affordable, classically elegant dress watches.

Bambino watches are defined by a sense of reserved retro charm. They feature a steeply domed mineral crystal that protects the domed dial from the elements. The elegant stainless steel case is a comfortable 11 mm thick. You can choose from 40.5-mm men's models and 36.4-mm women's watches. With a depth rating of 30 m (3 bar, 98 ft), these timepieces are also splashproof.

The Bambino is available in a wide variety of designs, from simple Bauhaus-style watches and classic models with Roman numerals and a railroad minute track to versions with a small seconds or partially skeletonized dial. However, they are all united by their quality construction, applied indices and numerals, and beautiful sunburst dials. Each watch also has a perfectly sized date window with chamfered edges at 3 o'clock.

Another attractive feature of these timepieces is their movements. Orient exclusively outfits Bambino watches with robust and precise automatic in-house calibers. The manufacturer also regularly updates and improves their movements.

Orient's naming system for the Bambino series is wonderfully simple. It starts with Version 1 and ends with Version 5. You'll also come across plenty of individual editions with "Generation 2" in their names. This designation is exclusive to models produced after 2018 and powered by the entirely reworked F6724 family of calibers . Unlike the previous caliber, the 48743, these new movements come with a stop-seconds mechanism and a manual winding option. If you're interested in a Bambino, second-generation models are the way to go.

Versions 2 and 5: Bambino Watches with Numerals

The Bambino ref. AC00008W is a second-generation Version 2. Like all V2 Bambinos, its dial has a classic design modeled after vintage pocket watches. It features a railroad minute track and applied Roman numerals. The numerals and narrow dauphine hands are rose gold and contrast beautifully with the silver-white dial and stainless steel case. A dark leather strap with a crocodile-skin pattern completes the look. You can purchase a never-worn timepiece for about 170 USD. Pre-owned pieces cost even less at around 110 USD.

Orient also offers the Bambino Version 2 with a black or champagne dial, silver or tempered blue hands, and with a gold-plated case. These variants cost between 110 and 230 USD.

If you prefer the look of Arabic numerals, you're sure to enjoy the Bambino Version 5 . Black Breguet-style numerals are stamped directly onto this model's white lacquer dial. Narrow feuille (or leaf) hands and delicate dot indices for the minutes underscore the traditional design even further. As for the case, options include polished stainless steel and rose or yellow gold plating. Regardless of which variant you choose, it will come on a dark brown crocodile leather strap.

The Bambino V5 ref. RA-AC0003S is made of plain stainless steel and demands roughly 160 USD. Gold-plated editions like the RA-AC0001S sell for slightly more at around 220 USD.

Versions 1, 3, and 4: Less Is More

Bambino Versions 1, 3, and 4 embody the concept of "less is more." Their dials are especially plain and do without numerals entirely. Instead, applied indices mark the hours, while small dots indicate the minutes. You can tell the different versions apart by their hand and index shapes.

For example, the Version 1 pairs trapezoidal hour markers with relatively wide dauphine hands. As for the Version 3, it features very narrow line indices and narrow baton hands. Finally, the Version 4 combines elements of the V1 and V3. It has slender diamond-shaped indices and thin dauphine hands.

Each model is available with a black, white, blue, green, or gray dial. Orient equips the Bambino Versions 1 and 3 with black leather straps, while the Version 4 comes on your choice of a leather strap or stainless steel bracelet.

Plan to spend around 140 USD for a new Bambino V1 ref. FAC00001B0. This edition features a black dial and a rose gold-plated case, hands, and indices. The Version 3 with a blue dial (ref. FAC0000DD0) changes hands for about 160 USD. Last but not least, you can purchase a Bambino V4 ref. FAC08003A for roughly 170 USD. This timepiece has a dark gray dial, rose gold-plated accents, and a light brown leather strap.

The Bambino Small Seconds deviates from the traditional Bambino design. Instead of a central second hand, this watch has a small seconds at 6 o'clock. Arabic numerals mark the hours at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock, while baton indices indicate the other hours. The caliber F6222 provides this timepiece with its precision timekeeping and 40-hour power reserve.

The Bambino Small Seconds comes with a white, black, or champagne dial. You can also choose from a polished stainless steel or a yellow or rose gold-plated case. Prices for mint-condition models fall between 150 and 230 USD. Pre-owned pieces cost only slightly less.

Orient also produces a partially skeletonized version of the Bambino known as the Bambino Open Heart . These watches feature a cutout in their dials at 9 o'clock, offering a view of the caliber F6T22's ticking balance beneath. Unlike the other Bambino models, Open Heart editions lack a date display. However, this only adds to the Bambino Open Heart's balanced look.

The Open Heart series is as diverse as the rest of the Bambino collection. It contains watches with line indices, Roman numerals, or Arabic numerals that sit atop a black, white, blue, green, reddish-brown, or gray dial. What's more, you can select from variants with leather straps or stainless steel bracelets. Those with a leather strap sell on Chrono24 for as little as 180 USD. If you'd prefer a stainless steel bracelet, be sure to have around 280 USD on hand.