The fastest and most secure way to protect the watches you love.
We've minimized the paperwork and maximized protection, so you can stop worrying about your watches and focus on enjoying them.
In most cases, you'll get a personalized quote in seconds and your policy kicks in immediately.
Wherever you are on planet Earth, your watches are protected. Rest easy and travel safely.
If you suffer a covered loss, there's no deductible and no gimmicks. Ever.
Each of your watches is covered up to 150% of the insured value (up to the total value of the policy).
Our quotes are based on historical sales and real-time market data allowing us to give fair prices without all the hassle.
The fastest and most secure way to protect the watches you love.
We've minimized the paperwork and maximized protection, so you can stop worrying about your watches and focus on enjoying them.
In most cases, you'll get a personalized quote in seconds and your policy kicks in immediately.
Wherever you are on planet Earth, your watches are protected. Rest easy and travel safely.
If you suffer a covered loss, there's no deductible and no gimmicks. Ever.
Each of your watches is covered up to 150% of the insured value (up to the total value of the policy).
Our quotes are based on historical sales and real-time market data allowing us to give fair prices without all the hassle.
The fastest and most secure way to protect the watches you love.
We've minimized the paperwork and maximized protection, so you can stop worrying about your watches and focus on enjoying them.
In most cases, you'll get a personalized quote in seconds and your policy kicks in immediately.
Wherever you are on planet Earth, your watches are protected. Rest easy and travel safely.
If you suffer a covered loss, there's no deductible and no gimmicks. Ever.
Each of your watches is covered up to 150% of the insured value (up to the total value of the policy).
Our quotes are based on historical sales and real-time market data allowing us to give fair prices without all the hassle.
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It's been about seven years – like three years shy of an entire decade – since we decreed that the Seiko SKX007 was the no-brainer best value in automatic watches. It reigned mightily as king. And we were its loyal subjects.
Today, with the SKX long since discontinued, the best value in watches is the forum darling from a well-known Japanese brand with a tangential connection to Seiko. That's right, it's the Orient FAC00008W0 – also known as the Orient Bambino. This watch in particular is the Bambino Version Two.
There's a big difference between the Bambino and the SKX. The Seiko was an ISO-rated dive watch – a tool watch at heart which matched a do-anything ruggedness with an everyman affordability. Sure, the movement inside was nothing great (and it didn't have stop-seconds hacking capability), but it was still a mechanical watch that looked awesome and wore hard. You didn't have to worry about getting it wet or banging it around. In fact, it looked better with scuffs. The Bambino is more of a dressy timepiece. But it's so inexpensive that you can wear it out without babying the thing.
The Bambino collection dates back to 2012, and since then has been renamed The Contemporary Classic (though we're still calling it the Bambino). The Version Two came out around 2013. Orient has issued additional versions of the Bambino in the ensuing years, and most of the line has stayed intact and in the current Orient catalog. That makes this a current production watch. You can buy one today. And you should.
On Orient's website, right now, you can pick up a Bambino V2 for a cool $150 (it's original MSRP is $300). Plunge into the grey waters of Amazon and you can find one as low as $120.
My fellow collectors, do not sleep on this deal. It's a kingly value proposition hidden in plain sight, with quality fit for a prince and a price fit for a pauper. John Mayer had a poignant quote about collecting in his second episode of Talking Watches. He said, "If we're constantly looking back, going 'Why didn't we know?' there have to be future iterations of 'Why didn't we know?' that we can act on now." This is one of those watches.
I'm sure you've heard countless watch nerds say something like "I remember when I could pick up an SKX for $150." And then you go look up the watch and see it for $300, $400, or even – gasp – $500. Stories like this have become a collector cliché – a way of proving how long someone's been in the game, walking to their AD uphill both ways in the snow.
But if you're reading this story right now, then you should know that these are the good old days for anyone who wants a Bambino.
If you buy one, here's what you're getting.
The Orient Bambino V2 measures 40.5mm in diameter. It has a whitish silver-tone dial with the slightest sunburst effect that's visible if held in certain light. There is a tight little date window at three o'clock with an aperture that blends into the dial. The hands take a rose-gold coloration which match the applied Roman numerals. These numerals look modern with straight, sharp lines akin to those on the Rolex Day-Date 40. Am I straight-up comparing this Orient to a Rolex? Absolutely not, but I am comparing its numerals. All of this is found beneath a vintage-y mineral crystal which lightly distorts the dial on its outer edges.
The case has an almost non-existent polished bezel. You barely notice it because there's so much dial. You begin at the Orient logo, work your way out to the Roman numerals, then see a classic minute track with printed Arabic numerals at five-minute intervals, and then another almost-railroad-style track beyond that. Examining the rest of the case, you'll quickly notice the thin 11.8mm case height. The sides feature a brushed surface that contrasts nicely against the thin polished bezel.
Looking at the dial, if you didn't know the price, you might think you were holding a watch that cost $1,000 (or more). In fact, I've seen $3,000 watches with lower-quality dial work. The printing of the Orient wordmark is neat and crisp, as is the word "automatic" in script. The logo is applied in a matching rose-gold coloration, with a level of detail fairly shocking for a watch under $200. Everything feels proportionate; nothing's out of place. Even the crown looks premium.
Inside this watch beats the F6724 caliber from Orient. Now it's important to note that Orient is owned by the Seiko Epson Corporation, but from a business operations perspective Orient operates independently. In this way, the movements are considered to be in-house and Orient's manufacturing is considered to be vertically integrated, which says more about the way watches are produced in Japan than it does about the actual quality of the movement. Much like the 7S26 in the SKX007, you're looking at an entry-level automatic movement – though it's worth noting that the F6724 does offer hacking capability. So unlike the SKX, you can buy the Bambino and begin to understand the simple pleasure of winding a watch.
On the wrist, I would say this is the first timepiece I can remember in a long time that wears true to size. The dial (and absence of a prominent bezel) give this piece a lot of wrist presence. The lug-to-lug is fairly compact at 46.8mm, keeping those lugs from hanging over smaller wrists. Nobody likes a hangover.
Of course, the rock-bottom price means Orient has to cut corners somewhere. And that somewhere is the OEM leather strap. It feels much more like plastic than leather, and it doesn't taper. I personally would put the Bambino on an aftermarket strap, which would probably cost more than the watch itself. If you feel likewise, know that the lug width is 21mm – which makes strap swapping a bit more complicated, but just a bit.
One final virtue of this watch is that it's still rather insider-y. Whereas fashion watches can be found in any department store, and smartwatches can be found a few doors down in the mall, you've got to seek out the Orient. To my mind, that makes it a quintessential watch for young professionals and watch-curious newbies. It has a sense of style that allows it to be worn both with a suit (remember those?) or a casual night out.
And when you're at the bar and your buddy complains that the batteries on his $300 fashion watch just died, you can talk his ear off on the pros of mechanical timepieces. You'll rave about their inherent lasting value. How they can be passed down through generations, and how they will likely outlive us. You'll say that this Orient is technically not called the Bambino but that's what real collectors call it, and you'll go on and on about how it's the heir apparent to this particular Seiko that they don't make anymore. And right around the time when you explain all about how your amazing affordable watch features 22 jewels and offers 40 hours of power reserve behind a polished closed caseback, you'll look up and notice everyone left you at the bar. Welcome to the hobby.
The Orient FAC00008W0. 40.5 x 11.8mm case with 46.8mm lug to lug and a 21mm lug width. Stainless steel case and leather strap with a steel buckle. 30m of water resistance. White dial with applied Roman numeral markers in rose gold color. Stop seconds feature via the windable crown. Caliber F6724 featuring 40 hours of power reserve and 22 jewels. Price: $150.
For more about Orient watches and the Orient Bambino (FAC00008W0), visit the brand's website.
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