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This time we are going to check yet another watch from Japanese watchmaker. Meet Orient Sports RA-KV0502B – sleek-looking chronograph which is designed as pilot’s watch. Newcomer touted as completely fresh model, so it was interesting to see what is included inside. Moreover, manufacturer promises a lot of value for a reasonable price. Sounds like a typical thing, right? Well, this watch seems like true bargain, so let’s take it out for a walk and see each part closer. 🙂
By the way, note that there is also a RA-KV0503Y version, which comes in the same styling, but in different color with leather strap. I recommend to check it if you would like to have a beige dial on your wrist.
Here you can read review with another great watch.
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Get this watch here in Helveti webshop.
Dial
I would bet that die-hard fans of flieger watches will start shaking their fists after seeing the dial on today’s watch. The main thing is the chronograph subdials, which weren’t present on original pilot watches. They come in the same style, so it is not that easy to notice them on the first sight. All the classic features are still in place, including the small triangle at 12″ position.
Writings and logos are reduced to the possible minimum. Well you will still find rather large Orient logo almost in the centre of the dial. Note also the date window which is hidden at 6″ position. Dark color makes it look sleek and Manufacturer has managed to avoid the bright white spot here. You should be also ready to look in the right place, as it literally hides behind all indices and digits. I am not sure about different font for this element, maybe it was done in order to avoid confusion with the “main” digits.
Watch size is 42.4mm, so it is a typical round case which should look fine on average man’s wrist. Orient Sports RA-KV0502B offers good legibility when it comes to time-tracking. I think it should be considered as the benefit of having large hour and minute hands. Of course, they are also covered with luminescent layer and should be easy to find in the dark.
Whole dial is covered with mineral glass, which features slight angle on the edges. It adds to overall visual interest, but I would still be careful with such material.
Case
Today’s watch features stainless steel case. I already mentioned that size is reasonable and should be great for everyday use. Moreover, we deal with chronometer here, so you can expect two pushers from both sides of the crown. Both buttons are polished, what creates a nice contrast with brushed case. All three elements are easy to operate, so you shouldn’t worry about this.
By the way, here you can see at the brushed surface as well as the edge of the glass. Orient Sports RA-KV0502B might look simple on the first sight, but there are those minor things which actually create a bit more sophisticated image. I like that designers managed to keep various cues in reasonable borders and watch case doesn’t look cheap. By the way, water protection is set at 50m, so it is definitely not the right choice for divers. 🙂
Strap
As you might have noticed in the video-review, new watch comes with NATO strap in black color. This accessory also features polished metal add-ons and looks great with the watch. Such item should be easy to change as well, so you might experiment with your own special configuration of watch and strap. Who knows, maybe some leather option would look great with this military black dial.
Movement
Orient Sports RA-KV0502B features quartz movement inside – Orient VR322. I wouldn’t say it is a surprise as such caliber is expected for the price. It should be a reliable workhorse with good precision – +/-15sec per month. As you remember, we also get a date indication here.
Orient Sports – in Use
First of all I would like to note the sleek profile of this watch. It is quite easy to hide under your sleeve, and whole shape doesn’t feel thick. My wrist is approximately 18cm, and Orient chronograph sits nicely, without looking too big. Moreover, it is good to have textile strap, which adds to the comfort of use.
Large hands and digits are easy to find on the dial, but that’s not something I would say about subdials. As I wrote in the beginning, their location and understanding what is shown will require some time to get used to. Who knows, maybe thicker hands on subdials would help or maybe central circle could be removed to make whole design a bit “cleaner”…
Price and Availability
New chrono should be available for around 250USD and you can get it right now in Helveti webshop. In my opinion this is a good option for all aviation fans and those who search for a sleek-designed watch. I have to say that price-quality ratio is crazy here and you get a great timepiece for everyday use. Moreover, it is great to see that designers didn’t join large size bandwagon and decided to stay in reasonable dimensions.
I think this watch has all the chances to become a “strap monster” as it will be interesting to try various combinations. I know, pilot watch aficionados would say that design is not up to the standard. Well, what can you expect when original Flieger brands are also trying chrono functions in such watches. In my opinion there is nothing bad in having extra functions and more or less preserving the original idea of such watch.
