Bambino RA-AC0024L Orient's classic dress watch goes navy

What is new about the Bambino RA-AC0024L?

The RA-AC0024L is one of four new colours Orient added to its 40.5 mm Bambino in a press release dated 31 January 2025, timed for the brand's 75th anniversary. The others are green, bordeaux and the first beige Bambino, and a white-dial limited edition of 9,500 pieces sits alongside them. This one has a navy blue sunburst dial, silver Roman numerals and hands, and a matching navy leather strap.

The shape is the familiar Bambino recipe that Orient fans call the Version 2: a curved dial, a high domed crystal, slender lugs and an onion-style crown. What changes is the mood. Orient says it chose these colours to give the Bambino a more casual look, so it works with a jumper as well as a suit. The other news is the strap. Orient's release says this batch introduces an easy-exchange spring bar system, a first for the Bambino, so you can swap the strap without tools.

How big is it, and how will it wear?

Orient UK lists a 40.5 mm case, 46.5 mm from lug to lug, with a 21 mm lug width. The launch release gives the thickness as 12.3 mm; the UK product page says 12.0 mm. Either way, the short 46.5 mm lug to lug is the number that matters: it should sit comfortably on most wrists from about 16 cm upward, and the curved lugs help it hug the wrist.

The domed crystal adds height in the centre, so it will not slip under a tight shirt cuff as easily as a flat-crystal dress watch. If 40.5 mm feels too big, Orient also makes a 38 mm Bambino, though in different dial styles.

What movement does it use, and how accurate is it?

Inside is Orient's in-house F6724 automatic calibre, which also winds by hand and hacks (the seconds hand stops when you pull the crown, so you can set the time to the second). Orient quotes a 40 hour power reserve and accuracy of +25 to -15 seconds per day. That is a wide official tolerance, and typical of mechanical watches at this price. You can watch the movement through the exhibition case back.

The rated figure is a ceiling, not a promise of poor timekeeping. One owner on Orient's US site reports theirs running at +3 to +7 seconds a day, though that is a single example. The 40 hour reserve means a watch left off over a weekend will probably need winding on Monday.

How well is it built?

The case is stainless steel and water resistant to 30 m, which covers rain and hand washing but not swimming. The crystal is mineral glass, not sapphire. That is normal for the Bambino, and the domed shape is a large part of its charm, but mineral glass scratches more easily, and the high dome takes knocks first.

The quick-release strap is a useful upgrade. The Bambino has always looked good on different leathers, and swapping one in now takes seconds. Orient's 21 mm lug width is less common than 20 or 22 mm, so check strap sizes before you buy spares.

Is it good value against its rivals?

Orient UK lists the RA-AC0024L at £284.99. The closest rival is the Timex Marlin Automatic 40mm, which costs £240 on Timex UK. The Marlin uses a Miyota automatic and an acrylic crystal, so the Bambino gives you an in-house movement and a glass crystal for about £45 more.

Orient's own Bambino 38 No Date, at £295, is the other obvious comparison. It is smaller and cleaner, but loses the date. If you want a date and a bit more presence on the wrist, the 40.5 mm model is the better fit.

What is the catch?

The specification is old-school: mineral glass, 30 m water resistance and a 40 hour power reserve. None of that is a surprise at this price, but it means this is a watch for the office and evenings, not for the pool or the garden. The colour may also not be what you expect. One owner describes the dial as more slate blue than deep navy in person, so look at real-world photos before you order. If those points do not bother you, this is one of the most characterful automatic dress watches under £300.

“A dress watch that is just as happy with a jumper as with a suit.”

What do owners say?

Themes from public owner feedback, paraphrased. We never copy Amazon reviews or ratings.

• Owners report good timekeeping, with one measuring +3 to +7 seconds a day

  Orient Watch USA customer reviews (opens in a new tab)

• The dial reads more slate blue than deep navy in person, which some find easier to wear with grey and blue clothes

  Orient Watch USA customer reviews (opens in a new tab)