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Orient RA-AA0B03L39B Neo-70's Revival Automatic Watch - W29123
Ref. RA-AA0B03L39B
Sits in Orient’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Orient watches we list, which start at £185.
Price range £185 to £440 across 37 Orient watches in stock.The Neo-70's is a direct re-issue of Orient's SK Super King diver from the 1970s, and Orient has been careful not to modernise it out of existence. The four rivets bolted to the bezel ring, the asymmetric case proportions and the gradient blue-black dial are all lifted from the original — this is restoration work more than design work, and the better for it. At 41.7mm across and 12.6mm thick, it wears with some presence, and 124 grams on the wrist confirms the bracelet is doing most of the work. The detail that separates this from a conventional diver is the internal rotating ring, which is adjusted not through the main crown but through a secondary crown at four o'clock — a period-correct touch that keeps the outer case line clean and gives the watch a slightly unusual profile in the hand. The F6922 movement hacks and hand-winds, which is not a given at this tier of Japanese automatic; setting the day-date display is precise rather than approximate.
- Reference
- RA-AA0B03L39B
- Brand
- Orient
- Collection
- Revival
- Case size
- 41.7mm
- Case thickness
- 12.6mm
- Lug width
- 18mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Blue
- Crystal
- Mineral
- Bezel
- Bidirectional rotating
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- F6922
- Functions
- Day-date
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 46mm
- Power reserve
- 40 hours
Learn more about Orient
Orient began in 1950 as Tama Keiki, successor to a Tokyo watch business Shogoro Yoshida had started in 1901. It became Orient Watch Company the following year and set out to do something few companies attempt: build complete mechanical movements in-house, at prices aimed at ordinary buyers.
That is still the point of the brand. Orient designs and manufactures its own calibres rather than buying Swiss ébauches, which is why an Orient automatic can cost less than a quartz watch from a fashion label while containing a movement the company made itself.
The Bambino made the case to a wider audience — a domed-crystal dress automatic at a price that embarrassed a lot of more expensive watches — and the Kamasu and Mako divers did the same for tool watches.
Orient Star sits above the main line, with higher finishing, power-reserve indicators and in-house calibres of greater complexity.
The company became a subsidiary of Seiko Epson in 2009 and remains one, which gives it manufacturing depth while leaving the identity distinct from Seiko's own.
- 1901
- Shogoro Yoshida opens a watch business in Tokyo.
- 1950
- The company is refounded as Tama Keiki.
- 1951
- Renamed Orient Watch Company.
- 1964
- Orient Star establishes the upper collection.
- 2009
- Becomes a subsidiary of Seiko Epson.
Also in 4 collections
This watch appears in Stainless Steel Watches (3,084), Automatic Watches (1,759), Blue Dial Watches (840) and Automatic Watches Under £500 (336).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 46mm lug-to-lug keeps the 41.7mm case wearable
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- One of Orient's more premium watches
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
- 40-hour reserve means winding it after a day off
Orient RA-AA0B03L39B Neo-70's Revival alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | RA-AA0B03L39B | RGB10074/24 | 981662 47 45 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £315 | £329 | £332 |
| Case size | 41.7mm | 42mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 40 hours | — | — |
| This watch | Closely matched | Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Showering yes, swimming no. 50m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
It can, over time. Mineral glass handles daily wear but will pick up fine scratches that sapphire would not.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 40 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
What size strap does it take?
18mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 46mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16cm (6¼ inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
How to size a watch to your wristIs it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
F.Hinds is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
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