Buying guide
Orient Kamasu vs Mako II
Same movement, same 200m case, same brand. One has a sapphire crystal. This comparison is really one question — is the crystal worth the difference? — and the answer depends entirely on today's price gap.
These two watches are closer than almost any pair we compare. Both are Orient dive watches with 200m water resistance and a screw-down crown. Both run the in-house F6922, which hacks and hand-winds and carries a published −15/+25 sec/day spec. Both wear at around 41.5–41.8mm. Mechanically, buying one over the other changes nothing.
The short answer: the Kamasu adds a sapphire crystal and a slightly upgraded dial. If the live price gap is small — and it usually is — take the Kamasu, because a scratched crystal is the thing that will eventually make a good watch look tired. If the gap has widened to $100 or more, the Mako II is the better buy and you lose nothing mechanically. Check both prices below before you decide; they move independently.
Disclosure
Some links here are affiliate links — mostly to Amazon. If you buy through one we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which watch we pick or the price you pay. Prices are pulled live and date-stamped; where we can't verify one, we show none. Full disclosure.
The contenders
Orient
Orient Kamasu
Price as of Sep 6, 2026. Prices change — Amazon's is the one that counts.
#ad · we may earn a commission from this link to Orient Kamasu
Orient
Orient Mako II
$250.008% off
Price as of Sep 6, 2026. Prices change — Amazon's is the one that counts.
#ad · we may earn a commission from this link to Orient Mako II
Head-to-head
| Factor | Kamasu | Mako II |
|---|---|---|
| Movement | In-house F6922 | In-house F6922 |
| Hacks & hand-winds | Yes | Yes |
| Stated accuracy | -15 / +25 sec/day | -15 / +25 sec/day |
| Crystal | SAPPHIRE | Mineral |
| Water resistance | 200m, screw-down crown | 200m, screw-down crown |
| Case | 41.8mm | 41.5mm |
| Dial finishing | Slightly upgraded | Standard |
| Typical price | Higher | Lower |
What sapphire actually buys you
Scratch resistance, and nothing else. Sapphire is dramatically harder than mineral glass, so it survives the door frames, desk edges and car keys that haze a mineral crystal within a year or two of daily wear. It does not make the watch more accurate, more waterproof or better built. What it does is decide how the watch looks in year three — and a hazed crystal makes an otherwise excellent watch read as cheap.
The counter-argument is genuine: sapphire is more brittle under a hard impact. If your watch lives on a building site rather than at a desk, mineral's greater shatter resistance is worth something. For most owners, most of the time, sapphire is the better trade. Our sapphire list covers the whole crystal question.
Where the Mako II wins
Price, and only price — but that's not a small thing on a value-first site. The Mako II gives you the identical in-house movement, the identical 200m dive case and the identical screw-down crown for less money. If you're assembling a first watch collection on a budget, the difference is a nylon strap and a decent spring bar tool with change left over. It anchors our under-$300 list for exactly that reason.
What about the Ray II?
Worth mentioning because it confuses people: the Orient Ray IIis the same watch again — same F6922, same 200m, same mineral crystal — with a different dial and bezel treatment. Ray versus Mako is purely a styling choice, and the two swap places on price regularly. If you've decided against sapphire, buy whichever of the two is cheaper on the day and looks better to you.
Which should you buy?
- Buy the Kamasu if the price gap is modest and this will be your main watch. Sapphire is the upgrade you thank yourself for later, and the Kamasu is our overall value pick across the site.
- Buy the Mako IIif the gap has widened, if the watch will take real abuse, or if you're working to a hard budget. You are giving up the crystal and nothing else.
- Buy neitherif you want class-leading lume or the strongest resale — that's the Seiko Turtle, and we compare it to the Kamasu here.
Questions
FAQ
What is the difference between the Orient Kamasu and Mako II?
The crystal, mainly. Both use Orient's in-house F6922 movement in a 200m dive case with a screw-down crown, and both hack and hand-wind. The Kamasu adds a sapphire crystal and a slightly upgraded dial; the Mako II uses mineral glass and costs less.
Is the Kamasu worth the extra over the Mako?
Usually yes, when the price gap is modest — sapphire is what keeps the watch looking new after a couple of years of ordinary wear. If the gap has grown to $100 or more, take the Mako II: you lose the crystal and gain nothing else against you.
Mako II or Ray II?
They're mechanically the same watch — same F6922, 200m case and mineral crystal — with different dials and bezels. Pick on looks and on which is cheaper on the day you buy.
Specs & sources
Specifications on this page are compiled from manufacturer datasheets, official product pages, and published standards. Prices are pulled live from Amazon and date-stamped; nothing is invented.
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