News · Orient

Orient lets the old SK shape flow again

The new Orient Flusso recasts the SK Model's broad case and four recessed accents as a clean 39 mm integrated-bracelet watch.

Hen & Mills Editorial · 4 min read · 14 September 2026

• Orient Flusso reinterprets the 1970s and 1980s SK Model with a newly developed integrated case and bracelet.
• All five references use a 39 mm steel case, sapphire crystal, 100-metre water resistance and automatic F6522 calibre.
• The global range launches in December 2026; Japanese equivalents cost ¥39,000 to ¥46,000 plus tax, while Australian pricing is unannounced.

Orient has reached back to one of its more assertive 1970s and 1980s shapes for a new everyday range. Announced on 9 September, the Orient Flusso turns the old SK Model's flowing case and four recessed accents into a 39 mm integrated-bracelet watch. Five references will launch in December, including a red-gradient edition limited to 4,500 pieces.

The SK outline, without the old display

The original SK Model placed a round dial inside a broad case whose sides continued into the bracelet. Four circular recesses broke up the flat upper surface, while asymmetric lines around the crown gave the shape a direction. Orient has retained those recognisable cues for Flusso but says the case, upper and lower sections, bracelet links and their connection have all been newly developed.

The name comes from the Italian word for flow, an accurate description of what the design is trying to achieve. The broad shoulders do not end at conventional lugs. They narrow into the first links, while horizontal brushing continues from the case onto the bracelet. A raised round bezel and sapphire crystal sit above that flat structure, giving the watch a layered profile rather than letting the entire front become one slab of metal.

Orient has simplified the display at the same time. The SK influence remains in the applied batons and the Arabic minute numerals at 15, 30 and 45, but there is no inner rotating ring and no calendar. Hours, minutes and central seconds are the complete set of indications. That choice keeps the dial legible and lets the unusual case, rather than a nostalgic complication, do the historical work.

Five colours, one limited reference

The range opens with four regular models. RA-BB0201S pairs a white dial with a gold-coloured plated case and bracelet treatment. RA-BB0202N uses dark grey, RA-BB0203L is blue and RA-BB0204S offers a second white option in unplated steel. The limited RA-BB0205R has a red gradient that recalls a heritage colour associated with the SK Model, along with the Orient logo, limited-edition wording and individual number engraved on its caseback.

That red reference is the extrovert of the group, but its gradient also shows how much the new dial contributes. Fine lines radiate from the centre and catch the light behind polished markers. The four recesses on the case then provide a quieter echo of that circular treatment. There is a risk in reviving a strong 1970s shape: too many period details can make the result feel like costume. Removing the calendar and inner ring gives Flusso space to look current.

The stainless-steel case is 39 mm wide, 47 mm from top to bottom and 10.9 mm thick. It is a sensible set of numbers for a design with broad shoulders, although the 24 mm bracelet connection will give it more presence than the diameter suggests. The complete steel watch weighs 141 grams and uses a push-button triple-folding deployant clasp.

Sapphire covers the dial, while a screw-down steel back closes the case. Water resistance is 100 metres and the watch meets JIS Type 1 magnetic-resistance requirements. Orient also applies luminous material to the hands and markers. These are straightforward specifications, but they make the revived shape practical enough to be more than an archive exercise.

A new three-hand movement inside

Flusso uses the in-house F6522, an automatic mechanical calibre with hand winding and a stop-seconds function. It has 22 jewels, runs for more than 40 hours and is rated to plus 25 to minus 15 seconds per day. Orient says it was newly configured as a three-hand movement without a calendar display, aligning the mechanism with the stripped-back dial.

More than 40 hours is modest beside the longer reserves now appearing across the industry, including elsewhere in Orient's own portfolio. Flusso is not framed as a technical flagship, however. Its argument rests on a distinct case and bracelet at the accessible end of mechanical watchmaking, with the movement providing familiar automatic convenience and enough protection for regular wear.

There is also value in the range not being limited entirely to the anniversary colour. Four regular references let the case become a continuing design rather than a one-off nostalgia piece. The red model carries the strongest link to the SK story, while dark grey, blue and white show whether the shape can work after that story recedes.

Orient Flusso pricing and availability

The five global Orient Flusso references are scheduled to launch in December 2026. Japanese-market equivalents arrive in November: gold-coloured RN-BB0201S costs ¥50,600 including tax, or ¥46,000 before tax; blue RN-BB0203L and white RN-BB0204S cost ¥42,900 including tax, or ¥39,000 before tax; and limited red RN-BB0205R costs ¥45,100 including tax, or ¥41,000 before tax. Australian and other international prices have not been published. RA-BB0201S, RA-BB0202N, RA-BB0203L and RA-BB0204S are regular models; red-gradient RA-BB0205R is limited to 4,500 numbered pieces. Orient lists a three-year warranty.