Orient’s Kamasu Watch Is the Low-Key Diver of Your Dreams

Jacques Cousteau didn’t just introduce the world to the enduring beauty of coral reefs and chambray shirts—he also helped kick off a collective love affair with dive watches. More than 50 years after Cousteau and his shipmates first pulled on their rolled-up beanies, the dive watch has become a ubiquitous, with or without the addition of a set of fins and an oxygen tank. 

Over the years (and with a little help from guys like James Bond and Thomas Magnum) the modern dive watch has become a go-to for anyone looking for a timepiece that’s as stylish as it is durable. While the Rolex Submariner is by far the most coveted (and other high-end models from Omega, Tudor, and Panerai have devoted followings of their own) you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to put a classic diver on your wrist. The Orient Kamasu, a Japanese-made dive watch with an automatic movement, ticks all of the right boxes, and will set you back just $226. 

While less well-known than other Japanese brands like Seiko and Citizen, Orient has been in the watchmaking game since the 1950s, and introduced its first automatic dive watch in 1964 (four years before The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau premiered on ABC, in case you were wondering). Since then, Orient has quietly maintained its commitment to building mechanical timepieces like the Kamasu, which combine vintage-inspired looks with premium specs and affordable prices. 

Launched in 2019, the Kamasu is a newer addition to the Orient dive watch lineup, but its big, blocky hour markers, three-piece steel bracelet, and matte black unidirectional bezel place it squarely in the company of classic designs from the golden era of dive watches. A scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, a screw-down crown, and 200 meters of water resistance, meanwhile, make it more than capable of standing up to the rigors of the deep. Which means whether you’re exploring the ocean’s depths or just getting to the bottom of your inbox, the Kamasu’s rugged design and classic styling—much like a chambray shirt or a teeny-tiny beanie—will service you as ably today as they did in Cousteau’s era.