Orient Kamasu RA-AA0004E19B review

What it is

The Kamasu is Orient's mid-level dive watch, sitting above the Mako range and close to the top of its entry-level mechanical divers. This RA-AA0004E19B has a green dial and bezel insert on a steel bracelet. It has a loyal following among budget dive-watch fans.

Orient is part of the Seiko Epson group but designs and builds its own movements.

Many reviewers describe it as the benchmark for an affordable mechanical diver, partly because the sapphire crystal and in-house movement are rare at this level.

The movement

It uses Orient's in-house F6922 automatic, with a power reserve of about 40 hours and the ability to be hand-wound. Accuracy is typical of a mechanical watch at this level, a few seconds a day either way with variation between examples, and a service is needed every several years. The movement keeps going while you are wearing the watch, so regular wear keeps it topped up without winding.

The F6922 is not the slimmest or the finest finished movement in the catalogue, but it is robust and built to be used rather than admired, and parts and service are available.

On the wrist

The case is about 41.5 mm across, a medium-sized diver, and fairly thick. The steel bracelet is solid but has a basic clasp without micro-adjustment, so sizing is by links and a clasp hole. It suits most wrists, though it sits tall. The green sunburst dial looks dark in shade and brighter in sunlight.

The green is a deeper shade than you might expect from photographs, and it pairs well with the steel bracelet. The clasp is a fold-over type with a push-button release rather than a toolless adjuster.

Water and everyday wear

The 200 m rating makes it suitable for swimming and snorkelling, and it has the screw-down crown and unidirectional bezel of a proper diver, though it is not certified to the ISO diver standard. The crystal is sapphire, which resists scratches much better than the mineral glass on cheaper divers. The lume is generous, and the bezel turns one way only. Screw the crown fully home before going in the water.

After swimming in salt water, rinse the watch in fresh water and dry it, as with any diver.

Against the alternatives

The Orient Kamasu RA-AA0002L19B is the same watch in blue. The Seiko 5 Sports SRPD63K1 is a green automatic at a lower level with a Hardlex crystal and 100 m rating. The Citizen Promaster Diver BN0150-28E is a solar diver that needs no winding. The Tissot Seastar 1000 Powermatic 80 T120.407.11.081.01 is a Swiss automatic diver with a longer reserve.

Who it's for, and who should skip it

It is for people who want a green automatic diver with sapphire glass and a proper rating without paying a lot. Skip it if you want accuracy to the second, a bracelet with fine adjustment, or a low-maintenance solar or quartz watch.

It is a good watch to grow into if you are new to mechanical divers, as it gives you plenty to enjoy without too many compromises.