Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Limited Edition Orient Bambino 38 Models
A simple, stylish and compact pair of new Bambino watches with refreshed dial colours and straps
Japanese watchmaker Orient is one of those rare brands that produce in-house models at very affordable prices, rivalling and often beating Japanese juggernauts Seiko and Citizen with value propositions. The best-selling Bambino series is clearly very popular, particularly the recent 38mm collection. The latest two pieces don’t break the mould, but do introduce fresh dial colours and calf leather straps in limited edition offerings – each has a different production amount. They prove that you don’t need a redesign to keep a series interesting and both are welcomed additions.
As the name implies, the stainless steel case is 38.4mm in diameter (down from the original 40.5mm) and 12.5mm in height (lug-to-lug 44mm). With the ongoing trend of smaller case sizes, this seems to hit the latest sweet spot. A domed mineral glass crystal protects the dial and there’s a mineral glass exhibition case back with a limited edition engraving. As this leans more to the dressy side, water resistance is perfectly fine at 30 metres and the push/pull tapered crown makes for easy winding and setting. The case is fitted with a refreshed 20mm brown calf leather strap.
The understated dial colours are baby blue and copper with a subtle sunray effect and matte coating. The copper dial is a darker shade than a recent Bambino release and definitely separates itself, as it leans a bit more towards salmon. Both have clean, time-only designs with applied and faceted silver indices and faceted hands. A simple minutes/seconds track spans the outermost perimeter and a date window sits at 3 o’clock. Straightforward, functional and stylish.
Powering the new Bambino 38 models is the in-house calibre F6724 automatic with 22 jewels, a beat rate of 21,600vph (3Hz) and a power reserve of 40 hours. Functions include central hours, minutes, hacking seconds and the date, and accuracy is rated at +25/-15 seconds per day (usually within those parameters in practice).
The watches are limited to 6,500 pieces for the blue dial and 2,500 pieces for the copper dial, and both retail for USD 330. For more information and to place an order, please visit Orient-Watch.com.
