Dial & Lume

Orient Kamasu vs Invicta Pro Diver

One names its caliber, publishes its power reserve and fits sapphire. The other costs a fraction as much and calls its movement IM-A-005. Both are 200m divers, and both are a defensible buy.

By Stephen V.Last updated How we pick

The short answer

Buy the Orient Kamasu if this is a watch you intend to keep. Orient publishes everything that matters about it — the in-house F6922 caliber that hacks and hand-winds, roughly 40 hours of reserve, a sapphire crystal, 41.88mm across and 47mm lug-to-lug, 200m with a screw-down crown and a 120-click bezel — and it is the cheapest sapphire-crystal automatic diver from a maker that builds its own movements. Buy the Invicta Pro Diver 8926OB instead if the budget is roughly a hundred dollars and you want a real automatic diver anyway: it is the cheapest honest one on the market, and nothing else near the price has a self-winding movement at all. What the extra money at Orient buys is not a tougher watch — both state 200m — it is a harder crystal, a named caliber, published figures and a design Orient drew itself.

These two watches get cross-shopped constantly, and the reason is that they look like the same purchase from a distance: a steel automatic diver, a rotating bezel, a 200m rating, a bracelet. The gap between them is about two hundred dollars, which on a budget diver is the difference between one watch and three. So the question people actually ask is whether the Orient is worth the multiple.

It is a fair question with a factual answer, because the two makers behave completely differently about information. Orient publishes a specification sheet for every reference: caliber, reserve, crystal, diameter, lug-to-lug, thickness, lug width, bezel click count, warranty. Invicta publishes a case, a rating and a movement it labels only “IM-A-005” — widely reported to be a Seiko/TMI NH35-class unit, which is reasonable but not a figure we will print as fact. The one exception is the Pro Diver 8930 below, whose listing does name an NH35A with 24 jewels. That is the entire asymmetry, and it decides the comparison for anyone who wants to know what they own.

What it does not decide is whether the Invicta is a bad watch. It is not. The 8926OB is the one Invicta enthusiasts consistently endorse, and a hundred-dollar automatic with a 200m case is a genuinely remarkable object. It is also an overt Submariner homage, which some people want and some people cannot stand. We have not handled either watch; every figure below was read from Orient’s own published sheets or from the retail listing, on the dates shown under the table.

How this is funded: we earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It never changes which watch or winder we recommend, and we’ll tell you plainly when to skip one. Full disclosure.

Quick picks

Ranked on movement, specs and buyer fit. Select a row to jump to the full write-up. We have not tested these — here is exactly what we do instead.

#ProductBest forPriceCase sizeWater resistanceCrystal
1

Orient Kamasu Diver (RA-AA0003R)

The value dive watch to beat. The Kamasu (Mako III) runs Orient's proven in-house F6922 — which hacks and hand-winds — behind a sapphire crystal, on a true 200m case. That sapphire is the main hardware upgrade over the older mineral-crystal Mako II, and it all lands for well under the Seiko it competes with.

Best overall41.88 mm200 mSapphire
2
Invicta Pro Diver 8926OB

Invicta Pro Diver 8926OB

The cheapest automatic diver worth owning, and an honest one about what it is: a Submariner-homage case, a 200m rating, and a Japanese automatic Invicta labels only 'IM-A-005' — widely reported to be a Seiko/TMI NH35-class unit — for around a hundred dollars. Nobody's fooled it's a Rolex, and at this price nobody minds.

Best on a budget
$91.22 · View on Amazon

Price as of October 17, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

40 mm200 mMineral
3
Orient Mako II Diver

Orient Mako II Diver

The budget diver that built the reputation. The Mako II gives you a true 200m case and Orient's in-house F6922 — which hacks and hand-winds — for even less than the Kamasu. The one real trade versus the Kamasu is the crystal: mineral here, sapphire there. A lot of watch for the money.

Cheapest in-house Orient
$240.00 · View on Amazon

Price as of October 17, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

41.5 mm200 mMineral (Hardlex-class)
4
Invicta Pro Diver 8930

Invicta Pro Diver 8930

The cheapest way into a Japanese automatic movement with a diver's silhouette, and the one Pro Diver whose listing tells you what is inside it: Invicta states an NH35A, 24 jewels, in a 40mm case 14mm thick with a 200m rating. The catch is the look — this is the gold-tone execution with a blue dial, so it reads as jewellery in a way the steel 8926OB does not.

Cheapest named caliber
$55.99 · View on Amazon

Price as of October 17, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

40 mm200 mMineral
5
Orient Kanno Diver (RA-AA0913L19B)

Orient Kanno Diver (RA-AA0913L19B)

Orient's under-appreciated diver: the same in-house F6922 as the Kamasu in a noticeably bigger case — Orient publishes 44mm across and 50.5mm lug-to-lug — usually for less money. If the Kamasu is out of budget, this is the pick rather than dropping to a homage brand.

Best for a large wrist
$239.98 · View on Amazon

Price as of October 17, 2026. #ad How we’re funded

44 mm200 mMineral

Specs read from each maker’s published data and retail listing on July 21, September 15 and October 12, 2026. Prices checked live — as of October 17, 2026. “Not published” means the maker does not state that figure; we don’t fill the gap with a guess.

The picks in full

#1Best overall

Orient Kamasu Diver (RA-AA0003R)

The value dive watch to beat. The Kamasu (Mako III) runs Orient's proven in-house F6922 — which hacks and hand-winds — behind a sapphire crystal, on a true 200m case. That sapphire is the main hardware upgrade over the older mineral-crystal Mako II, and it all lands for well under the Seiko it competes with.

Strengths

  • Sapphire crystal at a price where mineral is the norm
  • True 200m rating with a screw-down crown and solid bracelet
  • In-house F6922 movement that both hacks and hand-winds

Trade-offs

  • The in-house movement isn't chronometer-accurate
  • Roughly 42mm with a broad case — wears large on a small wrist
MovementOrient F6922 (automatic + hand-winding)
Stated accuracyNot published
Power reserve40 hours
Case size41.88 mm
Water resistance200 m
CrystalSapphire
Hacks / hand-windsYes / Yes

Why this one. The Kamasu's real upgrade over the Mako II is the sapphire crystal — both share the same F6922 movement, so both already hack and hand-wind. (The Orient diver that does neither is the original Mako I, on the older 46943 caliber.)

Specs read from the product listing and the maker’s published data, on September 15, 2026. “Not published” means the maker does not state that figure.

#2Best on a budget

Invicta Pro Diver 8926OB

The cheapest automatic diver worth owning, and an honest one about what it is: a Submariner-homage case, a 200m rating, and a Japanese automatic Invicta labels only 'IM-A-005' — widely reported to be a Seiko/TMI NH35-class unit — for around a hundred dollars. Nobody's fooled it's a Rolex, and at this price nobody minds.

Strengths

  • 200m rated automatic diver for roughly $100
  • Reportedly a Japanese Seiko/TMI (NH35-class) movement
  • Coin-edge bezel and a look far above the price

Trade-offs

  • Overt Submariner homage won't suit everyone
  • Invicta doesn't name the movement, and the bracelet feels its price
MovementAutomatic — Invicta labels it only "IM-A-005"
Stated accuracyNot published
Power reserveNot published
Case size40 mm
Water resistance200 m
CrystalMineral
Hacks / hand-windsNot published / Not published

Why this one. Invicta's reputation is mixed, but the 8926 Pro Diver is the exception enthusiasts actually endorse. Invicta names the movement only as 'IM-A-005'; it's widely reported to be a Seiko/TMI NH35-class caliber, and the value is real.

Specs read from the product listing and the maker’s published data, on July 21, 2026. “Not published” means the maker does not state that figure.

#3Cheapest in-house Orient

Orient Mako II Diver

The budget diver that built the reputation. The Mako II gives you a true 200m case and Orient's in-house F6922 — which hacks and hand-winds — for even less than the Kamasu. The one real trade versus the Kamasu is the crystal: mineral here, sapphire there. A lot of watch for the money.

Strengths

  • 200m rated automatic diver at a genuinely low price
  • In-house Orient F6922 movement, hacking and hand-winding
  • A modern classic with a huge owner base

Trade-offs

  • Mineral crystal, not sapphire — the Kamasu fixes exactly this
  • Roughly 41mm with a broad case — big on a small wrist
MovementOrient F6922 (automatic + hand-winding)
Stated accuracyNot published
Power reserve40 hours
Case size41.5 mm
Water resistance200 m
CrystalMineral (Hardlex-class)
Hacks / hand-windsYes / Yes

Why this one. The Mako II versus Kamasu decision comes down to one thing: the crystal. Both use the same F6922 (both hack and hand-wind), so you're really deciding whether sapphire is worth the small step up from mineral.

Specs read from the product listing and the maker’s published data, on September 15, 2026. “Not published” means the maker does not state that figure.

#4Cheapest named caliber

Invicta Pro Diver 8930

The cheapest way into a Japanese automatic movement with a diver's silhouette, and the one Pro Diver whose listing tells you what is inside it: Invicta states an NH35A, 24 jewels, in a 40mm case 14mm thick with a 200m rating. The catch is the look — this is the gold-tone execution with a blue dial, so it reads as jewellery in a way the steel 8926OB does not.

Strengths

  • The listing names the caliber — NH35A, 24 jewels — rather than Invicta's in-house "IM-A-005" label
  • Published 40mm x 14mm case, exhibition caseback, screw-down crown and a 200m rating
  • Sits well under the price of the better-known 8926OB

Trade-offs

  • Gold-tone plating over steel, which wears through at the edges over years
  • Mineral crystal, and still no published accuracy figure or power reserve
  • Invicta's dial branding is not to everyone's taste
MovementSeiko NH35A automatic (24 jewels), per the listing
Stated accuracyNot published
Power reserveNot published
Case size40 mm
Water resistance200 m
CrystalMineral
Hacks / hand-windsNot published / Not published

Why this one. Invicta's Pro Diver family is the reason a 'best automatic under $100' list can exist at all. Almost nothing else in that band has a real self-winding movement. The plain-steel 17044 that used to sit here is no longer listed; the 8930 is the cheapest live Pro Diver automatic and the one that publishes the most, which is why the caliber, case and crystal lines below are filled where the 17044's were null.

Specs read from the product listing and the maker’s published data, on October 12, 2026. “Not published” means the maker does not state that figure.

#5Best for a large wrist

Orient Kanno Diver (RA-AA0913L19B)

Orient's under-appreciated diver: the same in-house F6922 as the Kamasu in a noticeably bigger case — Orient publishes 44mm across and 50.5mm lug-to-lug — usually for less money. If the Kamasu is out of budget, this is the pick rather than dropping to a homage brand.

Strengths

  • In-house Orient automatic with hand-winding
  • Usually undercuts the Kamasu while sharing its mechanical DNA
  • Proper dive styling with a substantial case

Trade-offs

  • Orient publishes 44mm across and 50.5mm lug-to-lug — genuinely big
  • Mineral crystal, where the Kamasu gets sapphire for a little more
MovementOrient F6922 (automatic + hand-winding)
Stated accuracyNot published
Power reserve40 hours
Case size44 mm
Water resistance200 m
CrystalMineral
Hacks / hand-windsYes / Yes

Why this one. Orient is owned by Seiko Epson and builds its own movements — which is why an Orient diver at this price is a genuinely different proposition from a marketplace homage.

Specs read from the product listing and the maker’s published data, on September 15, 2026. “Not published” means the maker does not state that figure.

The four differences that are actually documented

1. The crystal

The Kamasu has a sapphire crystal; the Pro Diver has mineral. This is the most visible long-term difference between them, because it is the part of a watch that collects damage from ordinary life. Sapphire (corundum) is 9 on the Mohs scale and quartz is 7, and everyday grit is largely quartz — so mineral glass accumulates fine scratches from doorframes, desks and sand, and sapphire does not. In five years the Orient will still look new through the glass and the Invicta probably will not. Our crystal comparison has the detail.

2. The named movement

Orient states the F6922, which it builds itself, and states that it hacks (the seconds hand stops when you pull the crown) and hand-winds. Invicta names “IM-A-005” on the 8926OB, and publishes neither a power reserve nor an accuracy figure for it, so both rows read “Not published” in our table. If you want the Invicta price with a named caliber, the 8930 listing above states an NH35A with 24 jewels — the same Seiko-made movement half the budget diver market runs. What hacking and hand-winding are worth in practice is a matter of how you use the watch, not of status.

3. The size, which Orient publishes and Invicta mostly does not

Orient states 41.88mm across and 47mm lug-to-lug for the Kamasu, 41.5mm and 47mm for the Mako II, and 44mm and 50.5mm for the Kanno. The Pro Diver listings state 40mm diameter and nothing else. Diameter alone is the weakest predictor of fit — the lug span is what decides overhang — so the Orient range is the one you can shop by measurement. If your wrist is under about 6.5 inches, that matters more than the crystal. See the watch size guide for the method.

4. Who made the design

The Kamasu and the Kanno are Orient’s own dive designs. The Pro Diver is a Submariner homage down to the coin-edge bezel, and Invicta has never pretended otherwise. There is nothing illegitimate about an homage — it is a long established corner of the market — but it is a different purchase from a design its maker drew, and if that distinction matters to you it outranks every number on this page. Our homage roundup draws the line between an homage, a replica and a frankenwatch.

What the two have in common

More than the price gap suggests. Both state a 200m water-resistance rating with a unidirectional bezel. Both are automatics that will run for decades with occasional attention. Neither states ISO 6425 compliance, which is the standard that requires a lockable elapsed-time bezel, dark legibility and pressure testing of every individual watch before a dial can read “DIVER’S”. Both are comfortably swimming watches and neither is a scuba instrument on paper. The practical reading of those ratings is in can you swim with an automatic watch.

Orient is not an independent underdog — and that is good news

Worth knowing, because it changes how you read the brand: Orient began in 1950 and, per its own history page, merged with Seiko Epson in 2017, which now operates both the Orient and Orient Star brands “from planning to manufacturing”. So an Orient diver at this price is not a marketplace brand that bought in a movement. It is a watch designed and built inside one of the two Japanese groups that make their own calibers at scale. That is the actual reason the Kamasu reads as more watch than its price — and why we put it up against Seiko rather than against Amazon brands in Seiko vs Orient vs Citizen.

The honest recommendation, by budget

Under about $150, buy the Invicta — there is no credible alternative with a real automatic movement, and the 8926OB is the version to get rather than the gold-tone executions. Between $150 and $250, buy the Orient Mako II: the same in-house F6922 as the Kamasu, 200m, mineral crystal, and the cheapest route into a watch whose maker publishes everything. Above $250, buy the Kamasu and stop shopping — sapphire is the one upgrade over the Mako II and it is the upgrade that keeps mattering. If your wrist is big enough to carry 44mm and 50.5mm lug-to-lug, the Kanno usually undercuts the Kamasu for the same movement. The full lists are best automatic dive watches and the sub-$200 divers.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Orient Kamasu better than the Invicta Pro Diver?

On everything that is documented, yes: a sapphire crystal instead of mineral, a named in-house caliber (F6922) with a published 40-hour reserve, published case and lug-to-lug measurements, and Orient's own design rather than a Submariner homage. Both state a 200m rating, so the Orient is not the tougher watch - it is the better documented and better finished one.

Is the Invicta Pro Diver worth it?

For around a hundred dollars, yes, and it is the one Invicta that enthusiasts endorse. It is a genuine automatic in a 200m case with a coin-edge bezel, which nothing else at the price offers. Accept two things: Invicta does not name the movement on the 8926OB, labelling it only 'IM-A-005', and the design is an overt Submariner homage.

What movement is in the Invicta Pro Diver?

Invicta labels it 'IM-A-005' and publishes no reserve or accuracy figure. It is widely reported to be a Seiko/TMI NH35-class caliber, which is plausible but not something the maker states, so our spec table leaves those rows as 'Not published'. The one Pro Diver whose listing does name a caliber is the 8930, which states an NH35A with 24 jewels.

Kamasu or Mako II?

The crystal, and nothing else of substance. Both run the same Orient F6922, both hack and hand-wind, both are 200m rated, and Orient publishes 47mm lug-to-lug for each. The Kamasu adds sapphire; the Mako II has mineral and costs less. If the price gap is small on the day, take the sapphire.

Can you scuba dive with either of these watches?

Both state 200m, which covers swimming, snorkelling and recreational water sports comfortably. Neither states ISO 6425 compliance, the standard that requires testing of every individual watch, a lockable unidirectional bezel and legibility in the dark. For actual scuba, the watch is secondary to a dive computer, and the gasket condition matters more than the number on the case.

Which wears bigger, the Kamasu or the Pro Diver?

The Kamasu is wider on paper - Orient publishes 41.88mm against the Pro Diver listing's 40mm - and Orient states a 47mm lug span. Invicta publishes no lug-to-lug figure, so a direct comparison is not possible on published data. Both are broad-cased divers that will read large on a wrist under 6.5 inches.

Sources

  • Orient Watch USA — Kamasu RA-AA0003R39B specification — Orient's published sheet for the Kamasu: caliber F6922 automatic, hand-winding, hacking; approximately 40 hours reserve; sapphire crystal; 41.88mm diameter, 47mm lug-to-lug, 12.8mm thick, 22mm lugs; 200m; screw-down crown; 120-click unidirectional bezel; three-year warranty (accessed September 15, 2026)
  • Orient Watch USA — Mako II FAA02009D9 specification — Orient's published sheet for the Mako II: caliber F6922, approximately 40 hours reserve, MINERAL crystal, 41.5mm diameter, 47mm lug-to-lug, 13mm thick, 22mm lugs, 200m, screw-down crown, 120-click unidirectional bezel (accessed September 15, 2026)
  • Orient Watch USA — Kanno RA-AA0913L19B specification — Orient's published sheet for the Kanno: caliber F6922, approximately 40 hours reserve, mineral crystal, 44mm diameter, 50.5mm lug-to-lug, 12.9mm thick, 22mm lugs, 200m, screw-down crown, 120-click unidirectional bezel (accessed September 15, 2026)
  • Invicta - Pro Diver 47mm model 35725 retail listing specification — The listing specification for the 35725, which replaced the delisted 27611 on this site on 2026-10-12: a gold-tone stainless steel case 47mm across and 15.5mm thick, exhibition caseback, desert-sand dial with luminous hands, an 'NH35A Japanese Automatic movement, 24 jewel', a 215mm x 22mm stainless steel band, mineral crystal, screw-down crown, unidirectional bezel and 200m water resistance. No lug-to-lug, power reserve or accuracy figure is published. Invicta's own specification pages for the Pro Diver line name the movement only 'IM-A-005'; this listing is the document that names the caliber (accessed October 12, 2026)
  • Orient — About Orient (brand history) — Orient's own history page: the company began in 1950 as Tama Keiki Co., Ltd., was renamed Orient Watch Co., Ltd. in 1951, and 'In 2017, Orient Watch Co., Ltd. merged with Seiko Epson Corporation' — Seiko Epson now 'operates the Orient Star and Orient brands, handling everything from planning to manufacturing' (accessed September 15, 2026)
  • ISO 6425:2018 — Divers' watches — The standard a watch must meet to be legally marked 'Diver's [depth]m': minimum 100m, a unidirectional/lockable elapsed-time bezel, dark legibility, and testing of every piece (accessed July 21, 2026)
  • Mohs scale of mineral hardness — Wikipedia — The hardness ranking behind every watch-crystal argument: corundum (sapphire) 9, quartz 7, glass 5.5, plastic 2 to 2.5 — which is why sand and grit, largely quartz, scratch mineral glass and acrylic but not sapphire (accessed August 19, 2026)

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