If the Bambino is Orient’s daily beater with classical leanings, then the Stretto is their daily beater with a more contemporary style. It’s a little sharper and brighter than its Bambino cousin and nowhere is that expressed better than with the new Orient Stretto Date 2026 Special Edition collection. I got hands-on with the quartet of colourful time-and-date models, which are limited not by quantity but order period.
I must admit that when I first opened the package that contained the four watches I was pleasantly surprised by just how bright they are. The colours – pink, orange, blue and green – are really intense with slightly unusual shades that make them stand out compared to other colourful collections.
The pink is perhaps the most familiar, reminding me of the Tag Heuer Carrera in fuchsia. The orange is a paler tone than the majority of orange watches, which typically follow the matte safety orange used in dive watches. The blue is a really nice colour that’s a bit richer than turquoise without becoming teal and light without becoming sky blue. Lastly is the green which is most simply described as lime.
Moving them around under the lights reveals a slightly spiralling sunray brushed finish that really makes them pop. Although they lack the strong anti-reflective coatings on the sapphire glasses seen on divers or tool watches, which does mean you get quite a bit of glare at the wrong angle. At the same time, while it’s mildly inconvenient occasionally, it also makes them more sparkly and brighter as befitting a summer beater.
On the wrist, that fun summer feeling continues. Despite the Stretto Date 2026 Special Edition’s steel construction and three-link steel bracelet that could feel cumbersome, it feels light and unobtrusive. That’s largely thanks to its slim proportions of 38.5mm diameter x 11.1mm thickness. The overall design is quite restrained with a polished, smooth bezel and curving lugs that echo the facetted shape of the hour markers on the display. Those hour markers are arrayed on a circular, snailed ring that adds a bit more structure to the dial.
When you undo the deployant clasp and slide the watch off, you can see the exhibition caseback on the reverse of the piece. It reveals the calibre Orient F6722, an automatic time and date movement with hacking seconds and a 40-hour power reserve. It’s not exactly a specs monster but it’s solid enough given the price range and its casual summer vibes.
For the price, all four versions are £349.99, and they are also only available in 2026 without being actual limited editions. Although, there is actually a fifth blue-black gradient edition that I don’t have here at £369.99 which is a limited edition of 2,300 pieces.
Of the four watches I have been hands-on with though, my favourite simply has to be the orange one as any long-time readers of Oracle Time will no doubt have guessed. Though I do have to give kudos to the blue which is one of the nicest I’ve seen on a watch in a while.
Price and Specs:
More details at Orient.
