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Orient RA-AR0009L30B Contemporary Automatic Bracelet Watch - W2969
Ref. RA-AR0009L30B
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 38 Orient watches in stock.Orient's in-house movements are built entirely in Japan, and the F6S22 is a good example of what that means in practice: hand-winding, hacking seconds, and a proven record for steady long-term reliability. At 21,600 vibrations per hour it is not chasing precision records, but it keeps time honestly and is straightforward to service. The open-heart aperture at nine o'clock puts the balance wheel directly in view, and the asymmetric small-seconds subdial sitting just below centre gives the dial a layout that rewards a second look without working hard to attract the first. The sunburst blue has a quality that changes meaningfully under different light — closer to turquoise in strong daylight, deeper and calmer indoors. At 10.9mm thick with a 48mm lug-to-lug, it sits flat and contained on an average wrist without the lugs overhanging, which is not something every 40mm-plus case can manage. The exhibition caseback extends the mechanical view to the rotor for those who want it.
- Reference
- RA-AR0009L30B
- Brand
- Orient
- Collection
- Contemporary
- Case size
- 40.8mm
- Case thickness
- 10.9mm
- Lug width
- 22mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Blue
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- F6S22
- Functions
- Small seconds, Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 48mm
- Power reserve
- 40 hours
- Origin
- Made in Japan
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 7 collections
This watch appears in the Orient Contemporary range (14), Back in Stock (4,683), Stainless Steel Watches (3,109), Automatic Watches (1,756), Blue Dial Watches (852), Automatic Watches Under £500 (324) and Skeleton Watches (307).
Temporarily out of stock
F.Hinds is not currently taking orders for this reference. Last listed as available on 9 October 2026. Stock is checked nightly and this page updates when it returns.
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 48mm lug-to-lug keeps the 40.8mm case wearable
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- 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-AR0009L30B Contemporary alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | RA-AR0009L30B | SRPB41J1 | 98A291 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £365 | £370 | £359 |
| Case size | 40.8mm | 40.5mm | 41mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 30m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Ceramic bracelet |
| Power reserve | 40 hours | 41 hours | — |
| This watch | 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?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
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?
22mm. 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 48mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16.5cm (6½ 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.
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