Mechanical Watches · owner-verdict comparison

Orient Bambino Version 7 vs Kamasu: what real owners say

Real owners rate these about evenly: 81% of 16 Orient Bambino Version 7 owners recommend it, vs 80% of 83 for the Kamasu.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Orient Bambino Version 7

81%of 16 owners recommend
81% recommend · 7% neutral · 12% don't
Owners praise
  • The 38mm size hits near-perfect dress-watch proportions on most wrists
  • Exceptional value, hard to beat for the price
  • Classic, classy dial that looks great and pairs with many straps
Owners complain about
  • The included stock strap is poor and most owners swap it
  • "Water resistant" printed on the dial annoys some on a dress watch
  • No sapphire crystal; the crystal feels soft and may scratch
Full owner report →

Kamasu

80%of 83 owners recommend
80% recommend · 10% neutral · 10% don't
Owners praise
  • Owners repeatedly say nothing else near the price is built this well
  • Holds up to swimming, cycling, and hard daily work years in
  • The green, teal, and red dials draw the most unprompted praise
Owners complain about
  • The stock bracelet has hollow end links, a rattle, and a stamped clasp
  • Many owners buy an aftermarket bracelet or strap soon after
  • The colored aluminum bezel insert scratches easily and fades with heavy water use
Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the Orient Bambino Version 7 if
  • ✓Buyers wanting a properly sized 38mm dress watch
  • ✓Value seekers after clean, versatile styling
  • ✓Owners who like swapping straps to suit outfits
Skip it if
  • Those wanting a sapphire crystal
  • Buyers who dislike 'water resistant' text on the dial
Get the Kamasu if
  • ✓First-time buyers of an automatic or a dive watch
  • ✓Anyone who wants one watch for the beach, the pool, and the yard
  • ✓Collectors who want something they can knock around without worrying
  • ✓Buyers who swap bracelets and straps as a matter of course
Skip it if
  • Buyers who want the bracelet in the box to be the last one they buy
  • Anyone who needs the bezel to stay unmarked through regular water use

What Kamasu owners think

Owners land in much the same place on the Kamasu: at around $300 it gives them more than they expected, and the complaints are about the parts bolted to it rather than the watch itself. Those who wear it swimming, cycling, on a farm, and in a commercial kitchen report it still running years in, and several who have since bought watches many times the price say it stays in the rotation. The dials, the green and the red in particular, draw more unprompted praise than any other feature; the green reads nearly black indoors and opens up in sunlight, which owners treat as versatility rather than a compromise. The bracelet is where owners split, with most calling it the weak link and a good number swapping in an aftermarket bracelet or strap, while a minority insist it is fine for the money and gets more criticism than it deserves. The bezel is the other soft spot: the colored aluminum insert picks up scratches fast, sometimes on day one, and fades with constant pool and ocean use. Accuracy is the one thing no owner can promise a buyer, since reported rates run from a few seconds a day to roughly thirty.

What Orient Bambino Version 7 owners say

“Just bought a Bambino a little over a week ago and after watching this I still would have picked the Bambino, just a simple yet clean and elegant look!”
— @johnschuller2157 on YouTube
“it's so cool, I have to say”
— @peterpicard4028 on YouTube
“I have problem with my bambino glass, is very reflector Especially in dark dial”
— @radorano3992 on YouTube

What Kamasu owners say

“Loved mine, ended up giving it to a buddy who loved it more! That red dial is just so good! This watch and the BB58 Burgundy are easily my favorite red dial watches that I know of.”
— rivers_to_rooftops on Reddit
“the red kamasu has been a placeholder and it's a great watch”
— hgonz14 on Reddit
“I got a green one and the very first day I got a gnarly scratch on the bezel hahah. Only ceramic inserts from here on out for me.”
— lodermoder on Reddit

Orient Bambino Version 7 vs Kamasu: frequently asked questions

Is the Orient Bambino Version 7 or the Kamasu better?

Real owners rate these about evenly: 81% of 16 Orient Bambino Version 7 owners recommend it, vs 80% of 83 for the Kamasu.

Who should get the Orient Bambino Version 7?

Owners point the Orient Bambino Version 7 at buyers wanting a properly sized 38mm dress watch, and value seekers after clean, versatile styling.

Who should get the Kamasu?

Owners point the Kamasu at first-time buyers of an automatic or a dive watch, and anyone who wants one watch for the beach, the pool, and the yard.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the Orient Bambino Version 7 is the included stock strap is poor and most owners swap it. For the Kamasu, it's the stock bracelet has hollow end links, a rattle, and a stamped clasp.