It’s certainly no secret that Orient has long been among our favorite budget brands here at aBlogtoWatch. Orient is one of those rare value propositions that gives their consumers the feeling that they are wearing a much more expensive watch than they are – none more apparent than their simple Bambino dress watch designs. And new-for-2018, Orient furthers that sentiment with the new Orient Bambino Open Heart collection. With 5 new models featuring an open heart, varying dial and case colors, and a cool onion crown, Orient expands the Bambino collection with yet another solid new offering to arguably its most popular line of watches.
The 40.5mm x 12mm case remains the same size as most of the Bambino collection and will come in an array of polished steel variants. The white dial version has a rose gold plated, yellow gold plated, or classic steel option while the black dial and blue dial options will both be in stainless steel. The same classic domed dial and mineral crystal remain untouched with the open heart feature at 9 o’clock – something that makes the exclusion of the date window (a first for the Bambino) seem all the more fitting. Like always with Orient, the finishing is superb. The polished handset and hour markers give this model a bit more of a modern feel, especially when paired with the polished escapement bridge in the dial cutout. Added to this case is an onion crown borrowed from the Bambino V2 – one of my favorite features. While I understand where some potential consumers will think it’s unnecessary, I feel that it fits the open heart layout nicely.
Inside the Orient Bambino Open Heart, beats (heh) the Caliber F6T22 – a caliber specifically designed for the many open heart models in Orient’s catalog. The Japanese in-house automatic movement allows for hand-winding and hacking seconds. Visible through the caseback, the movement appears to be pretty highly decorated, or as Orient calls it, “polished.” The Caliber F6T22 features a 40-hour power reserve, and is water-resistant to 30m – so don’t take it for a long swim. The white dial models will come on a brown leather alligator strap, while the black and blue dial models come with a black and blue alligator strap, respectively.
Open Heart watches are simply not everybody’s “thing.” In fact, I regularly hear them called a “poor man’s tourbillon.” I would typically fall into the category of giving this a once-over and moving on, but overall, I thoroughly enjoy this watch. If you, like me, enjoy simple dress watches, then this would be a fun addition to your collection. Having had the Orient Envoy for a bit, I can attest to the better-than-its-price-point-suggests finishing of Orient’s F6T22 caliber, with Orient’s already high level of attention to aesthetic detail being an enticing proposition. If you’re in the market for a dress watch with a bit of a visible complication, and something interesting to watch, this watch offers a lot. In-house movement? Check. Visually interesting? Check. Can still afford to send your kids to college? Double check.
Price for the Orient Bambino Open Heart is $335 for the yellow and rose gold models and $310 for the steel versions. All models are currently available. orientwatchusa.com
