# Orient Bambino or Orient Star sel05004w?



## jaiwanjin (Oct 20, 2012)

Hello everyone, as you can see by the title I'm torn between two watches and thought I'd ask the community for their collective opinion. :think:

I recently discovered Orient watches, though technically I've known of them for some time. I used to live in Japan for a time and always saw tons of orient watches in stores wherever I would go. I always thought their designs looked great but dismissed them based on their price alone, assuming they were cheap and unreliable. Also at the time I didn't really understand the benefits of an automatic and also dismissed the short term (compared to solar or kinetic) power reserve.

Fast forward to today, I have learned a bit more about the company, and recently stumbled across the Bambino, which is everything I was looking for in a retro sixties inspired dress watch. I was previously looking at watches like the Longines conquest heritage, and Hamilton intra/view matic, but there was always some minor point (lack of second hand, lack of case back, color of dial, etc) that held me back. :rodekaart

The orient bambino looks amazing and looks like everything ive been looking for, in an inexpensive package to boot. However my one concern is the build quality due to the price, overall I've heard pretty good reviews, but also found the orient star sel05004w, which pretty much looks like the bambino but with a power reserve and a different logo.

Does anyone with experience handling these watches have any advice either way? My purchase will be solely online as I don't have anywhere near me I can really go to handle them, save for the next time I travel to Japan. (Apparently a few jewelers have started carrying them but not anywhere near me)

Pro Bambino:
Love the style, the orient logo, the simple dial.
Price!
Better looking (in my personal opinion only) than the orient star.

Pro Orient Star:
Higher price point = Higher build quality?
Better strap?
Smaller diameter at 38.5mm (I have small wrists)
Hacking second hand
Power reserve
Self winding and hand winding
See through case back

As obvious as this list would seem to make the choice I can't get over the fact the bambino just sings to me a little more looking at it in pictures. As a result I keep waffling back and forth between the two. o|
Also it looks like Orient USA just recently started carrying the white dial with strap, which they didnt have a week or two ago. :-!

If the watch is right the price isn't that much of a factor, especially considered to the swiss watch I was almost considering giving myself as a 30th bday present. This is actually closer to what I wanted and cheaper to boot. I take a strange pride in wearing a well built brand nobody has ever heard of.

Any and all opinions welcomed!


----------



## arislan (Jun 6, 2013)

Whenever I get this kind of dilemma, I usually end up getting both, as whichever one I got with will only make me want the other more 

Sorry not much help... I do love my bambino, and saving up for the same Orient star model..


----------



## bender (Nov 23, 2007)

I have the black version of the Orient Star and have held the Bambino several times. The Bambino is larger but you will notice the difference in build quality once you start to turn the crown. Adjusting the Orient Star and also winding it, you will appreciate the tactile feedback of the mechanical movement. But then again, i have 6 different Orient Star models so I would notice the difference in build quality versus the Orient automatics.


----------



## jaiwanjin (Oct 20, 2012)

Good things to keep in mind! Does the Bambino feel particularly cheap, or just you can tell the Orient Star is better?


----------



## AutomaticWatch (Jan 14, 2012)

jaiwanjin said:


> Good things to keep in mind! Does the Bambino feel particularly cheap, or just you can tell the Orient Star is better?


Not so much that the Bambino feels cheap (it's one of the most popular Orient watches), but the EL05 just feels better. A good example would be the rotor. If you regularly visit this forum you'll probably see a topic along the lines of 'The rotor of my Bambino is noisy - is this normal?' coming by once a week. That's not something that would happen with the Star. There's quite a few of these relatively small differences, that together make a pretty big difference (skeleton caseback, hacking, hand winding, power reserve etc.).

I guess it's more of a budget thing and how much you value those premiums.


----------



## fluppyboy (May 24, 2009)

AutomaticWatch said:


> I guess it's more of a budget thing and how much you value those premiums.


Not the case for everybody, I guess. I recently picked the Bambino over a Tissot Visodate, because the Bambino looks better - it was *exactly* what I wanted, without any compromises (like the day of the week complication, which just ruins that lovely clean dial of the Tissot). I have to say - I am not disappointed! No, the watch does not hack and you cannot wind it by the crown, but the movement is very accurate, and the watch looks even better in the flesh than it does in pictures. (I'm used to "hacking" my Omega Speedmaster Professional with a little back-pressure on the crown anyway, and the same technique works with my Bambino... not that it matters all that much on a dress watch whether your seconds are exactly lined up ;-) ).

I was tempted by the Orient Star as well, but the cleaner dial of the Bambino won me over (if that power reserve indicator on the OS was a bit less pronounced then maybe my decision would have been different). I don't regret my decision one bit! The fact that the Bambino was cheaper was just a bonus, I would have been quite happy to pay what Tissot wanted for their watch, or even more... *if it was exactly what I wanted* (I already have higher end watches, so price was definitely not the most important aspect of this purchase).

My advice would be - if you prefer the cleaner look of the Bambino (I know I do), then get the Bambino - it's a great watch! |>


----------



## jaiwanjin (Oct 20, 2012)

Thanks for the replies everyone, I too was looking at the Visodate and other retro inspired models, but none caught my eye as being exactly what I'm looking for like the bambino did. I'm going to try to go to Fred Meyer jewelers today to take a look in person. Ideally they will have an orient star and bambino I can compare, I will be disappointed if I don't get to see at least one of them.


----------



## fluppyboy (May 24, 2009)

Just in case you don't get to see them both in person, try and not over-think this! You already know which one you prefer, you just think that because it's cheap it can't possibly be good. Let me tell you - there is *nothing* that disappoints me about my Bambino. Nothing!


----------



## jaiwanjin (Oct 20, 2012)

Stopped by the mall today and saw the bambino! They didn't have the color I wanted but I felt the size and feel of the watch was what I have been looking for. Rotor is definitely noisy, but I don't think that will bother me too much... They all looked so good in person I am excited. :-!


----------



## fluppyboy (May 24, 2009)

What colour combo are you after?


----------



## weigojmi (Jul 22, 2013)

TTIWWP!


----------



## jaiwanjin (Oct 20, 2012)

fluppyboy said:


> What colour combo are you after?


White and silver.

Fluppy I took your advice and decided not to over think it, went ahead and placed an order for the Bambino which sung to me more. Got a confirmation call from Orient in LA today and hopefully I will hVe my new watch soon!


----------



## temchik (Oct 25, 2011)

I had the Bambino and, while a great looking watch, I wished it was smaller. Not enough vintage. Build quality was decent for the price


----------



## fluppyboy (May 24, 2009)

jaiwanjin said:


> White and silver.
> 
> Fluppy I took your advice and decided not to over think it, went ahead and placed an order for the Bambino which sung to me more. Got a confirmation call from Orient in LA today and hopefully I will hVe my new watch soon!


White and silver is what I have. You will love it!


----------



## JR1 (Nov 23, 2012)

With the kind indulgence of the OP, i would like to ride on this thread as we have similar concerns. i was going to post this very exact topic but i saw this.

i have the black dial SS bambino. a rolex sub used to be my default dress watch until i got the bambino. I have my bambino for almost a year now and i love it so much, i decided to get the white dial in SS. i am satisfied with the bambino's quality, noisy rotor and all even if i have other nice swiss watches. the orient star classic intrigues me as i know orients are great bang for the buck watches, and orient stars are a step up in quality over orients. i haven't seen the orient star classic yet in the metal, so i wouldn't know for sure. the nearest retailer i know is several hundred miles away so driving to see it is out of the question, ordering online is more feasible. 

my question: is the orient star classic worth the premium over the bambino? is the quality difference worth it? at 2X the price over the bambino, do you feel the value is 2X? or is it just small incremental value, a case of diminishing returns? your inputs would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## JR1 (Nov 23, 2012)

i would like to add that in looks, it is dead even i both like theim 50/50 so i could go either way and be happy. bonus is that the bambino is just half the price of the classic. if i get the classic and feel that it is not twice as good as the bambino or even if the quality is just at par i might be dissapointed in getting it.


----------



## JR1 (Nov 23, 2012)

bender said:


> I have the black version of the Orient Star and have held the Bambino several times. The Bambino is larger but you will notice the difference in build quality once you start to turn the crown. Adjusting the Orient Star and also winding it, you will appreciate the tactile feedback of the mechanical movement. But then again, i have 6 different Orient Star models so I would notice the difference in build quality versus the Orient automatics.


bender, i am not interested in the winding, setting and movement. what would you say based on looks and feel on the wrist alone? is it worth 2X the bambino?


----------



## JR1 (Nov 23, 2012)

fluppyboy said:


> Not the case for everybody, I guess. I recently picked the Bambino over a Tissot Visodate, because the Bambino looks better - it was *exactly* what I wanted, without any compromises (like the day of the week complication, which just ruins that lovely clean dial of the Tissot). I have to say - I am not disappointed! No, the watch does not hack and you cannot wind it by the crown, but the movement is very accurate, and the watch looks even better in the flesh than it does in pictures. (I'm used to "hacking" my Omega Speedmaster Professional with a little back-pressure on the crown anyway, and the same technique works with my Bambino... not that it matters all that much on a dress watch whether your seconds are exactly lined up ;-) ).
> 
> I was tempted by the Orient Star as well, but the cleaner dial of the Bambino won me over (if that power reserve indicator on the OS was a bit less pronounced then maybe my decision would have been different). I don't regret my decision one bit! The fact that the Bambino was cheaper was just a bonus, I would have been quite happy to pay what Tissot wanted for their watch, or even more... *if it was exactly what I wanted* (I already have higher end watches, so price was definitely not the most important aspect of this purchase).
> 
> My advice would be - if you prefer the cleaner look of the Bambino (I know I do), then get the Bambino - it's a great watch! |>


i saw the visodate and i like it, except that the day and date eats too much of the right side of the dial, making it look unbalanced. if only the date was there, it would be a good choice. if there was no day/date complication i'll get this over the bambino. but not sure about the orient star classic since i haven't seen it in the metal yet.


----------



## fluppyboy (May 24, 2009)

JR1 said:


> i saw the visodate and i like it, except that the day and date eats too much of the right side of the dial, making it look unbalanced. if only the date was there, it would be a good choice.


It's what I've been saying all along, If the Visodate looked like this, then I'd already own it.


----------



## JR1 (Nov 23, 2012)

fluppyboy said:


> It's what I've been saying all along, If the Visodate looked like this, then I'd already own it.


if this has no date too and the old style lugs i'd get this in a heartbeat. looks good and polished the second hand sweeps smoother than the bambino and the OS Classic.


----------



## fluppyboy (May 24, 2009)

JR1 said:


> if this has no date too and the old style lugs i'd get this in a heartbeat. looks good and polished the second hand sweeps smoother than the bambino and the OS Classic.


I don't buy my watches based on how smooth the second hand sweep is, but if this had nothing marring the beautiful dial, I'd certainly be even happier. But... I'd settle for a Visodate that had a date-only complication, like above.


----------



## raisedbyrats (May 31, 2008)

Isn't the Bambino lug width a non-standard 21mm, making it difficult to get a new strap or bracelet?


----------



## JR1 (Nov 23, 2012)

raisedbyrats said:


> Isn't the Bambino lug width a non-standard 21mm, making it difficult to get a new strap or bracelet?


yes it is indeed 21mm. you can squeeze in a 22mm strap and it will crease a bit. not the best of fits but i suppose good enough if you have existing 22mm straps.


----------



## jaiwanjin (Oct 20, 2012)

JR1, that is exactly the reason I went with the Bambino. Ultimately I was worn between the Orient Star and Bambino but liked the clean dial of the Bambino better, even though I wanted a watch with clear caseback and potentially better quality. I wasn't sure if I would like the Orient Star twice as much, so I figured I would use it as an introduction to Orient and see how I liked the brand.

And today it arrived! :-!

https://sphotos-a-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1148847_10101953658484591_1360317376_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1229923_10101953658649261_1997635746_n.jpg


----------



## jaiwanjin (Oct 20, 2012)

Last one, the domed crystal makes it really hard to avoid reflections.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/549011_10101953703254871_367866166_n.jpg


----------



## JR1 (Nov 23, 2012)

jaiwanjin said:


> Last one, the domed crystal makes it really hard to avoid reflections.
> 
> https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/549011_10101953703254871_367866166_n.jpg


congrats on getting the bambino! my black dial bambino says hi!










does the white dial look really white in person, or is it off white, pearl, or sunburst?


----------



## jaiwanjin (Oct 20, 2012)

It looks pretty white, but in direct sunlight definitely has a bit of that sparkling pearl thing going on.
Overall though I think you can say it is white.


----------



## raisedbyrats (May 31, 2008)

The Bambino looks great. What is the lug-to-lug length?


----------



## JR1 (Nov 23, 2012)

jaiwanjin said:


> It looks pretty white, but in direct sunlight definitely has a bit of that sparkling pearl thing going on.
> Overall though I think you can say it is white.


thanks for the tip! you sold me on getting the white dial bambino over the orient star classic. i don't care much for the better movement, exhibition caseback. just for the aesthetics and the fit and finish. i am satisfied with my bambino's quality.


----------



## JR1 (Nov 23, 2012)

raisedbyrats said:


> The Bambino looks great. What is the lug-to-lug length?


will check. it got short abbreviated lugs though.


----------



## jaiwanjin (Oct 20, 2012)

You're gonna love it! Especially if you already have one and are satisfied by the quality. 
I wear a suit to work every day and I could stop smiling when looking at it.

This is my first automatic and I can definitely see why people get more attached than quartz. I have seven other watches before this, all quartz solar or battery powered.


----------



## JR1 (Nov 23, 2012)

raisedbyrats said:


> The Bambino looks great. What is the lug-to-lug length?


46MM lug to lug length.


----------



## Made In Machines (Aug 22, 2016)

I'd buy that tissot is it looked like that. I've been debating the orients too. Between the Star Classic, Bambino, Symphony and Capital. I think I'm going to go with either a steel and white or steel and black bambino v4 with leather strap even though I do like the symphony display back. I prefer the bambino to the star in terms of looks although knowing how much power you have in reserve would be really handy and it has the display back I wanted. I like both the bambino and symphony looks for different reasons but I think the domed glass and more vintage look is my current preference. It would be my first automatic watch and used mostly for special occasions or going out so at first I thought maybe I should get a quartz capital for everyday use and an automatic for special occasions. I'm not sure about the coloured display day on it though. I'm not sure how much of a hassle automatics are to use in practice in terms of it having enough power, telling the correct time, winding/moving etc. I do like the idea of a the real mechanics inside them though and like the display back so you can see what's happening.


----------



## TheBigBadGRIM (Aug 6, 2015)

Just so you know, the post before yours was dated "2013" not "2016".

Yeah.............


----------

