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Casio Men's Classic Dive Style Watch, 200 M WR, Screw Down Crown and Case Back, MDV106 Series
€4.70
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| Asin | B009KYJAJY |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | |
| Weight | |
| Manufacturer |
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€4.70
| Asin | B009KYJAJY |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | |
| Weight | |
| Manufacturer |
€4.70
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by Amazon Customer
First of all let me say this is a great looking watch. At just over 40mm it’s large but it wears very nicely on a medium or large wrist and with a stainless steel case, screw down crown, rotating bazel and 200M of water resistance it is also an amazing value at $49! The mineral crystal gives it a nice sunburst appearance and I really like the marlin logo. If I could improve anything it would be a larger date window. My old eyes are not what they used to be. I had seen and read so many good reviews from reputable watch people about this watch I had to see for myself and at $49 it wasn’t much of a risk. I received the watch the first week of November and it has been on my wrist everyday since. I have a more expensive watch but I like this better as a daily wearer and unless you’re familiar with the Casio Marlin (Duro) you would never guess it only cost 49$!
by Brian Horner
I’ve got a really nice collection of watches ranging anywhere from $30.00 to over $1,000.00. I’ve recently gotten serious about divers. And everywhere you turn someone inevitably says, “Get a Duro. You cannot and will not be let down by this watch. Especially for the price!”
They’re all right. I knew it almost immediately that I was going to get one once I started to look into them and all I can say is, “If you’re thinking about it, do it.”
I’ve already ordered the blue to go along with this one. I’ve already got the bracelet to swap out for the band ( not that there’s anything wrong with the band, it’s just my preference ) and I know I’ll like the watch even more than I already do.
And if you like the look of the Marlin on the face, order now! Once the current supply is gone the Marlin is gone.
by Crisis Doc
So of course, like millions of other watch lovers, I eventually succumbed to the hype and purchased the venerable casio Duro. I held out for so long fearful of the 44mm size, mineral crystal and quartz sensibility.
In the end what got me over the hump was losing yet another orient mako in the dust; my first one was lost at sea when a particularly robust wave in Hawaii hit it knocking it off it’s bracelet and a second used model recently, when I foolishly tried to regulate it myself (risks of ebay purchases) and just couldn’t keep away from the hairspring (this one also had a stuck day pusher so wasn’t completely missed).
I still had the OEM bracelet from the original mako, since I never really liked it on the watch, feeling it was too bulky for the 41mm case, and this was probably why I lost the watch (the aftermarket bracelet I swapped didn’t fit as well).
However I still kept the bracelet as it remained the only reminder of the watch which was gifted to me from friends and colleagues when I left a particularly loved place of work, for a move out of town. However, this time I waffled on getting yet another orient mako, as I wasn’t as enamored of it as I was previously. I hated the bezel that looked great but could barely be turned. And I was never a fan of the day date window (too cluttered and date is sufficient) and non winding inaccurate automatic movement. I wore it rarely…
So I decided this time to look into possible alternatives to fill the cheap name brand Japanese dive watch slot achingly waiting to be filled, and hopefully one with 22mm lugs so I could repurpose that bracelet and still be reminded of that gift. However all the options, aside from the mako, were well above 200$ (unless I risked going used and perhaps reenacting how I lost my last Japanese dive watch). I wondered if it was worth risking only $50 to see if the Duro would fit. And it did!
And like so many others, after finally seeing the Duro in the flesh, I succumbed to it’s charms. it’s not that big…an omega planet ocean 43.5 is as big if not bigger so well wearable on my 7″ wrist; also on casio quartz watches, the seconds hand hits all the markers! the lume while not superb still reads at 4am if charged before bed, which is better than my Invicta 1953. The sunburst dial and marlin logo is charming. And the 120 click unidirectional bezel is much better to use than the mako one and still aligned correctly, unlike the one on my 1953. Also the mako bracelet size and minimal taper fits this case size much better than it ever did on the mako. And the bracelet seems to elevate the duro as well, making it seem so much more premium. A match that works in so many ways! And now with many more watches in my collection, I see the value in having a quartz daily as it is always ready to return to when I’ve rotated something else in temporarily.
Now I have a new daily beater that I like wearing a lot more. It allows me to see that gifted orient bracelet on a regular basis and keeps yet another important sentimental item in the rotation. So glad I went for it!
Addendum: as this is the mdv 106 (vs the 107), this is the model that has the Marlin which is now discontinued per the license apparently not being renewed. I’m glad I got this version as it won’t be available when the current stock runs out. Something to consider if you are on the fence and want a new Duro watch with the marlin logo on it.
by Grayson Gilman
I’ve only had the watch now for a few days, so this review will stand as an initial impressions statement. I will, however, return and expand upon my review as time goes on. You can see this on my Casio W-735H review. I bought this watch so that I’d have a real diver style watch for our vacation to St. Lucia. I wanted something that looked and felt the part and could actually take some abuse in the water, but not make me cry if it breaks or I lose it.
Initial impressions: Really beautiful color, I got the blue dial and bezel and it’s an extremely deep, gorgeous azure. The size and heft are perfect for me, I have a 7.25″ wrist and this fits perfectly. Any larger and it would look a little ridiculous. I’m not normally into polished cases like this one has, but I’m ok with it. The bezel is hard to turn, but that’s actually a design feature. Dive watches are meant to be uni-directional and you really don’t want them just freely spinning, it’s meant to track usable oxygen in a tank, after all. I put mine on a NATO band and it fits the style very well, but I was not prepared for how good the stock bands are, they feel like very decent quality for mass produced plastic. The operation is silent, I’m sure that’s from the density of the case and crystal, but it’s totally silent, even when I held it up to my ear, I couldn’t hear anything. I also have no idea how deep I’m going to take this watch, but the 200 meter depth rating instills confidence. I’ll go nowhere near that, but it’s still a nice feature.
Gripes: Almost everything I have an issue with is subject to personal bias based on a design (artistic) choice and will not be applicable to most other people. First, I don’t care for how small the Casio name and the Marlin logo at the bottom is on the dial, not a good use of negative space. Next, I also wish the lumed indices were slightly larger to help eat into the dial center a little more as well as the date window and number, I feel it’s a little small. Again, a negative space design choice. I feel if the dial were balanced out just a little better, this would become my favorite daily wear watch. Very personal, small dings that really only matter to me. Some things that aren’t design gripes? This thing really does attract fingerprints and it shows them off in all their detail, so I find myself constantly wiping them away. Also, you can get a pretty bad glare off the crystal unless it’s pointed straight at your face. Lastly, the lume doesn’t last very long, maybe 15 minutes before it’s pretty well dead. In perfectly dark environments I’m sure you might still be able to see it, but not in partially lit, but still very dark areas.
Overall impression after just a week: I really enjoy wearing and looking at this watch, the deep blue color catches my eye and I tilt and turn in the light so that I can see the ultra deep color through the crystal. And, for what it’s worth, it’s plenty accurate from what I can tell (quartz watches usually are). The value for money is just off the charts, even Bill Gates wears one and he can afford like…any watch…company, he can afford a whole watch company, he could afford a bunch of watch companies, multiple factories, the people to make them, stores…and yet, he wears one of these….so yeah….The value is there. Anyone who wants to get into diver watches should really look at these, give them a try and see if you like the style. There are also plenty of colors to choose from and lots of NATO straps out there to help complete the look, if that’s your thing. Somehow, this piece manages to have it’s cake and eat it to, and then go back for seconds. It looks amazing, works very well and yet, is so cheap that you wish you bought another one, just for fun. Other than my design dings, there isn’t much to dislike about this watch. Right about now I wish I’d bought a solar model, but that’s only so that I’d never have to change a battery. I’m also very surprised by the following that Casio has on Reddit. The Casio subreddit is loaded with people who love their cheap, yet incredibly accurate, amazingly tough and truly capable watches, and now, I’m one of them.
by K.C.
First off let me explain I live on a lake (not small either) so when I need a diver it’s for being in the water not at the desk. This watch does everything I need it to do IE:
wr 200m -check
stainless case for durability -check
large enough to read easily with my contacts in -check
120 click coin edge bezel that stays put -check
Keeps excellent time -check
decent battery life -check
OK By now you get the idea,I really like it,this is my second one and my first is still going strong I just thought so much of it I had to have another for back up.
When you open the cheap package you find a surprisingly good looking watch that’s aprox. 44mm w/o crown so yes it is bigger than advertised it is also 12mm thick which is advertised. This 44mm size seems to be a concern for some but I am NOT a HAIRY MIDGET like most of the pics on forums and here indicate most men who wear watches are by the pictures IE: 6" wrist and hairy as a spider monkey? This is the biggest watch I own and it fits well on my 8" wrist and I’m not obese, remember you want to be able to see it easily when in water etc. so the size is a plus in this situation.By the way I am not a fan of super size flavor flav watches it’s just ugly.
Next the finish is very good No it’s not a rolex but it’s not junk either,The dial has a very nice sheen to it with a marlin on it which I find pleasing for some reason? The bezel is gloss black unfortunately metal but still appealing to the eye.The coin edge is deep enough to be functional but not sharp edged like some sub homage brands. The case is rounded or beveled on the edges as you would expect and is brushed on top and polished on the sides which makes a good look.The crown is unassuming and neatly polished screw down with a knurl that is deep enough to grab even with gear on (maybe if you want to sync up with your buddy)and still won’t dig into you wrist.The screw down case back is stainless also and has the marlin on it as well and is comfortable on the skin.
Function, well what can you say casio makes a good reliable watch period. Both mine the second hand lines up with the indices relatively well-maybe luck? The calender is a bit too small for my liking and when the calender switches to double digits it’s very hard to read it could benefit from a magnifier but it would also detract from the clean look of the dial.
Now let’s gripe…
The strap is junk in my book because I don’t like rubber/resin/silicone type straps, they make my wrist sweat in the sun (which is where I am when I’m in/on the water)even when I wear them loosely.I do wear them (like when I know I’m going to be IN the water all day) just not my favorite.This strap is flat with no curve to it at all so you have to install a curve if you will but still not very comfortable in my opinion. Yes I have tried nato,zulu,canvas and leather but none of those will hold up in the water or they get a rancid smell after a very short time so bracelets work best for me and frankly I don’t understand WHY anyone would put a diver on a leather strap IT"S SILLY SO STOP IT. Put this watch on a nice oyster,mesh,engineer or jubilee style bracelet and it looks sharp too. Yes you are going to spend as much on a bracelet as you did your watch but it will be worth every penny for looks and funtion.
The lume is almost nonexistent not to say it isn’t there it just doesn’t stay bright very long to the point of almost uselessness.I will admit that if you are just doing shallower dives frequently in and out that it does work although the lume isn’t very large on the dial,The pearl is also very small and protrudes from the bezel slightly and I have seen others with it gone after a little scrape. I’ve been lucky not to hit mine directly.
SO overall what you have here is a very good watch for water sports that looks good and functions to the price point of $40 double that for a bracelet and now you are looking at a real diver (200m) that looks good for under $100.I don’t think you can touch anything else for that at least not and stay with an ADULT METAL watch not some plastic thing you wore as a child.
The only reasons I knocked it down to 4 stars is the lume,calender and strap.So if you like rubber/resin straps you have a decent $40 watch that you can dive in and not worry about because after all it’s only 40 bucks.
Update; Well I was wearing this watch again today on the lake and pulled into one of the nicer restaurant/marina’s and noticed more than one person looking at my watch then an older looking gentleman with a very nice omega seamaster on looked at me and actually said "nice watch" ,I was floored I thanked him and we started talking watches of course and he agreed that for a "beater" he had never seen such a "striking watch", I have it on a shark mesh bracelet, of course I could tell this guy probably never owned a cheap watch in his life but he genuinely liked the watch you could tell by the way he looked very closely at it and he asked what it was and MODEL NUMBER!
I cannot explain in words how good this watch really does look. I bought the first one as a beater but when I am working on old trucks/cars/motorcyles where I really beat up watches I can’t bring myself to wear the 106 it almost has it’s own ranking somewhere between beater and nice watch ,hard to explain once again. So if you are buying this for a beater watch beware you’ll probably find yourself being a little too cautious with it to be a real beater it really is that appealing to my eye.
by Mitchel D.
This is an excellent watch.
This is a big watch. Ladies, if you’re looking for a watch. This will most likely be too big for your wrists. I’m a fairly big dude, and it’s big for me
That being said, I personally love it. It’s a heavy dive watch, with good water resistance. I think that it is also beautiful.
You can pair this with a jubilee bracelet and make it look like money.
It keeps the time incredibly well.
This is by far, the greatest watch by value I’ve ever owned. You won’t believe that it’s only 50$
Greatest analog watch Casio has ever produced
by Andrew
As if you didn’t already know from the other reviews, the Casio Duro is a great value. It’s a reliable and handsome quartz watch at a good price.
I’ve given four other colors as gifts and so I figured I’d get a color for myself that I hadn’t yet given to anyone. The green bezel was calling my name. I figured a white band would look better with green, so I paired the watch with a white 22mm silicone strap from Archer. I like the result. I’m sure it would look good with other silicone strap or nato strap colors and textures, too. A stainless steel band would look great. You can make this watch look however you want. For me, the green bezel model is a bit dark and drab with the stock black band.
I guess I lucked out with a seconds hand that aligns pretty well with the dial markers, but at this price I was prepared to disregard misalignment. As far as other quality considerations go, I haven’t tested in water yet, but a couple of the ones I gifted have been surfing in the ocean with no problem. I noticed a review in which someone said his was faulty due to lack of water resistance and he showed a picture of moisture inside the crystal. The same picture showed that his crown was not screwed in, so I have to speculate that the water damage was due to user error. Screw down the crown, or your watch will be not much more than a tiny canteen without a cap.
I own all sorts of watches including very expensive Omega, Rolex, Tag Heuer, etc. I like inexpensive watches as much as I like expensive ones. The cheaper watches are generally more fun to wear, to be honest. This Casio could fall off my wrist onto concrete, or it could be lost at sea, and while I’d be disappointed to have to replace it, my soul would not be crushed… and I wouldn’t have to make an insurance claim. 😉
There are some automatic divers with Japanese movements near this price point, and they’re cool. But they lose 30 seconds a day and stop when you don’t wear them. So if you’re looking for a good-looking, reliable, rugged, versatile, convenient and affordable watch I think you’ve found it.
by dave
I received this watch on 1-20-2018. I received my first Casio watch on Christmas morning somewhere around 1979. That watch, a simple, black plastic digital one, kept working for about 15 years, on the same battery. This wasn’t any great feat in my mind at the time. It was just all I really knew, except for the time when I got an Armitron calculator watch at some point. Not only did the Armitron not last, it also felt like it wouldn’t last. The buttons were flimsy, the edges rough, and it had an overall plasticky feel, even though it was gold. My old Casio shined by comparison. My dad got himself the same one as me that Christmas, except in stainless, and anytime it came up in later years, he’d laugh and say something like "David, I think I wore that watch for thirty years and I only replaced the battery once." So that is what Casio is in my mind.
One time at the office I said to a coworker that Casio was the best watch in the world. Of course he laughed and quickly pointed out that there are FAR better watches. And he was certainly correct, but not for the money.
I’ve had a few other Casios in my life. A Forester model which was really cool because of the forest green color and the fact that it was a fishing watch. What "fishing watch" actually meant was that it would tell you the about the ocean tides. Living in New Mexico, this was totally useless, but I still liked the little fish that would appear when the tide was high or something. Another Casio I got was the one with the world time with the atomic clock sensor. This one was a little off. The light stopped working after a while and setting it was a pain. But it’s still ticking in my drawer right now after eight or so years and I still wear it here and there.
But probably not anymore.
This watch…this watch has me all smiles. I don’t really have words to say. I’m not necessarily a "watch guy" in that sense, but I have always had one on my left arm since the age of ten or so. And honestly if it wasn’t for Casio, I probably would have skipped wearing one mostly.
Casio doesn’t always hit it out of the park. After all they live and breathe like the rest of us. Maybe that’s what makes this one such a beauty.
I bought a very nice Bulova a couple years back for around $400. I like that watch. I get compliments on it and for good reason. It’s solid. It’s heavy. They paid very close attention to the design and the finish is beautiful. It feels like a $400 dollar watch or more. It is perfect for wearing to the office. Well, not really. Not since 1-20-2018.
I don’t dive. I have never diven (?) OK I have never dived. But something about a watch that is designed to be SIX HUNDRED FEET UNDER WATER AND STILL WORK gets me interested. There are many watches that can do this and much more, but they are not this watch.
If I was a Viking, this would be the watch I wore.
So what can I say? Yes, the date is comically small. I need reading glasses for small print and still can’t read the date with them on. I guess most people who have not just come out of a coma should know the date. Touche, Casio.
Oh and the Lumiglo or whatever is weak and nearly pointless, but at least it’s there. I do like to light it up with my phone flashlight and look at it in the closet, however.
But if I tap the crystal with my fingernail you know, it feels like I am tapping bulletproof glass.
The bezel has a great click and I actually find myself using it! I use it to time my commute, or to time how long the waiter takes to bring the food out after I order.
This is the kind of watch that is not going to win you any likes or impress anyone, unless they are a very smart, unselfish engineer type. Maybe. With my Bulova, people have actually wanted to hold it, they have examined it closely and then complimented me on it, gave it back, and then looked at it on my arm as if they may mug me later. This one won’t really do that. You are the only one who will ever truly appreciate what this watch is. It’s a secret love affair. I like that about it.
A few things that I will say that I haven’t read about it in those other reviews. The band for one thing. It’s pretty good. It looks all plasticky and horrible in the pictures, I thought anyway. But in fact it is pliable, if not supple, and rather well proportioned, if not svelte. The clasp is also sort of excellent. It’s not cheap. It’s like they actually realized that the clasp is just as important as the other parts. It’s like some executive with Casio said "The clasp is the most important part of any watch. It’s what keeps it on. Make it beefy." Yep. That’s exactly what happened. It is well made, with a soft, rounded finish, and it makes a nice clink sound when you are putting it on.
There’s really nothing more to say.
Except when I look at this watch to see what time it is, I know the time within .003 seconds of my eyes seeing the face. It’s just so clear. And functional. And simple. I never really thought about that with any other watch, and I love it.
So I’ll stop now, but expect an update when this watch becomes less of what it is now, or in the year 2040, whichever comes first.
***UPDATE*** April 27, 2021
The watch has become slightly less of what it was then, but not really. Let me explain. This thing has lived on my arm most days since I bought it. That’s about 1,200 days. Before you ask, I do not take the watch into water. No showering with it, no swimming with it. I don’t sleep with it, but I do remodel homes here and there and other sweaty messy things too and it gets dirty sometimes.
Anyways, my first tiny little bummer happened last June, though it was so tiny I did not do an update. The bummer was that the battery died. Bummer. So I took the watch in to some random fancy jewelry store I found on Google maps, and they replaced the battery. I waited five days for the job to be completed and it cost twenty bucks. I got the watch back and all was well. Then about four months later it died again. This time slightly more furious, I went to a little jewelry store I happened to be driving past and this guy took it apart, checked the battery, which he said was perfect, cleaned it really well and said it was probably just dirty inside. I suspected shoddy workmanship and/or a lack of attention to detail on behalf of the fancy place. So I was on my way with a clean, healthy watch. The guy didn’t charge a dime and did this on the spot and it took five minutes. He was a pro.
The watch actually seems to keep even more perfect time since that happened. Seriously.
And then the other day the band broke while putting it on. (See pictures)
I just ordered a genuine replacement band from Casio, and I noticed in the pictures that the replacement says Casio JAPAN on it, while my original one says CHINA. (See pictures) So I have high hopes for the new one.
Other than these two things, the watch has been stellar.
by Bjoerk
I wanted a weekend beater for surfing and off-road motorcycling. It had to be big-faced and easy to read at a glance. No digital crap, please. I needed another watch like a hole in the head. I have some really nice watches and I’m not a collector. But since I am single and nobody around to tell me no, I got it. Great value for the price, just an impeccable knockout of the Rolex Submariner of old that I always envied. As soon as I got it as set the time and took it surfing. I banged it around, held it under water, sprayed with a fire hose, took a shower with it, and just hammered it with abuse as much as I could so I could return it promptly. No success; I could not destroy it. It still holds time to the millisecond with no fogging and no problems. Just a big hunk of phat shiny blissful steel with black highlights, a discrete second-hand, a tight rotating bezel and a light rubber wristband. For $37 this is a steal. I might just hang up my Tag Heuer and Victorinox watches until this thing lets me down, which may be a while. Very easy to read at a glance which is why I got it. Not too heavy, really shiny, Big and fat. Classic good looks.
UPDATE: December 5, 2014. ‘still looks brand new, has not lost even 1-second of time. How can this be more accurate than my $1,500 dollar Tag Heuer???? I’ve worn it every day since I got it.. 🙂 The rotating bezel is still tight, firm and crisp and you can update the calendar without stopping the second hand. This should cost a lot more.
UPDATE: October 17, 2015. Replaced the battery finally, Still holds the time to the millisecond and not a scratch on the bezel or the steel. Every short month I calibrate it to the atomic clock NHIST in Colorado and it has never failed to be dead nuts on. The rubber wristband and the chrome look like brand new. I have really abused this thing and it just laughs at me.
UPDATE April 6, 2016 The band finally gave out, I replaced it at a watch store for $10 with the exact same type. I went to set it to the atomic clock, and did not need to adjust the time at all. Right on the money; still keeping perfect time. Still looks like day 1.
UPDATE Sept 27, 2016 I hate this watch, I’m looking for a reason not to wear it anymore, It just keeps going on and on and looking brand new. Now all my other watches have had battery death from neglect, Why did I ever buy anything else? I wear a Casio over a Rolex and can’t find any reason to switch back. My VW gets the job done and my Rolls Royce sits in the garage. fooey.
Update 8/16/2023 OMG, will this thing finally just die???!! No, just keeps time to the second, looking fresh as the day I bought it. I’m getting tired of seeing the same glorious glistening crystal smerking at my doubt and disbelief 🫢. I way underpaid, it way over performs. Crap, I’m such a fickle and unappreciative 1st world funk- monkey.
by Buddy
>>Update 12/16/23<<
I loved this watch for a few years. I loved the value for such an elegantly simple watch with such a rugged design. I really like the expansion of the new design options. Over the long term, however, I no longer have faith in the build quality of this watch.
The first two of these lasted just over a year before they started loosing time. The case is bullet proof and the band is probably the toughest I’ve ever seen from a soft, flexible silicone/plastic band. However, my third one started loosing time only a few weeks after I started wearing it daily. I suspected this happened with the first two because the case is so heavy that kinetic type shocks and vibrations happen with extra force due to the extra mass which eventually damages the movement inside, likely the gears. But it happened so quickly with the third one and there was no sharp strike or vibration which should have caused it.
To be clear, I’m EXCESSIVELY rough on my work watches (see the original review below). However, I became disappointed with the sturdiness of the movement installed in this watch. This watch does have a great, simple diver look and if you don’t beat the heck out of watches working in them they may hold up just fine. However, due to my waning confidence and the fact that the price has increased from $32 to $49 (but mostly the former) I don’t think I will be purchasing this watch any more.
On the other hand, my current favorite work watch is the Casio AQ-S810W, “Tough Solar”. It’s not the same look as this watch but it has held up much better. In fact, it has held up the best as a work watch of any watch I’ve ever had. If you’re looking for tough maybe give that one a look. If you’re just looking for that diver look (but maybe not quite as tough) I still think this one is a good deal.
>>Update 12/16/18<<
I mentioned the simplistic look in my original review. Paired with the black silicone band that comes with the watch it is a bit of a utilitarian look. That’s fine for a work watch, quality silicone bands have a lot of advantages: they are very durable, very comfortable & very easy to keep clean day in & day out. On the other hand, I bought a few NATO/Zulu watch bands to swap around & use on a few of my watches for about $9-$13 each and what a difference!
Almost all of my watches take a 22mm band (including this Casio diver) so I could swap them around & see what pairings I like the best. In addition, NATO/Zulu bands take about 5-10 seconds to swap out (without the use of tools once you have the old strap removed & spring bars in place).
I added 2 pics to my review. One is my work watch (that I’ve been working in for about a year now) paired with a nylon band. By the way, it was actually my least favorite band which is why I put it on the work watch but it still looks really sharp! The other is my newest watch paired with a leather band (yep, I love this watch so much I got another one so I’ll have one I haven’t beat to death by working in it). It looks absolutely outstanding to the point it even makes a beautiful dress watch (albeit one that will take a heck of a beating!).
Guys, I love watches. I already had an excellent dress watch. I have a Luminox blackout that I love. I have owned, literally, dozens of watches. This watch is the best value of any watch I have ever encountered and is one of my absolute favorites, ever. It’s an excellent work watch, an excellent dress watch and anything in between.
>>Original Review<<
To summarize: I’ve found this watch to be tough, functional & an unbelievably good value.
Now, I’ve worn a watch 24/7/365 since I was in 3rd grade. If I can’t wear a watch to bed, in the shower & when I jump in the pool it’s not for me. While I have different watches for different needs (work, every day, dress, SCUBA diving) I have no need for a delicate, fragile watch. Also, doing HVAC, I work with my hands. Suffice it to say, I beat the everliving crap out of my work watches. I have been through dozens of work watches of various styles & brands through the years. By now Casio is pretty much the only brand I buy for work watches. In my experience, no other brand has even come close to the right balance of features, toughness, value & looks.
I got this watch for a work watch. It has a clean, simple look, as most divers do, which makes it pretty easy to tell the time at a glance. It’s a tough, tough watch that takes a heck of a beating. That goes for the band as well. You could pair this watch with a better looking band but the silicone band that comes with it is made for comfort & longevity. Bands like this tend to last at least 2-3 years, even with the roughest of daily wear and they are extremely comfortable, especially after you break it in for a few weeks. The rotating bezel makes for a good, simple timer and the highly visible red second hand makes for simple timing for shorter periods. The low profile & smooth edges means it doesn’t get caught easily, even in tight areas.
I’m going to give you some information but I want you to keep it in perspective. The dozens of work watches I’ve gone through before I started using Casios rarely made it even 6 months. I’m HARD on work watches. So my first one of these watches made it about 13 months before it developed a problem. It would loose time about once or twice a week. It would loose, maybe, 15 or 30 minutes suddenly and replacing the battery didn’t help. Now, for a work watch to last more than 12 months is very rare for me. Even the Casios that are still in working order after a year are so beat up I would replace them, always with a different watch that I thought had an interesting & useful set of features. But, for the first time, I replaced this watch with the same watch because I had liked it so much. My current one is 11 months old and still holding up quite well. Who knows, this may be my work watch for now on. This solid stainless steel case is practically bullet proof.
That brings me to the negatives. That solid stainless steel case is relatively heavy. I have had heavier watches that beat up my hand & wrist. This one isn’t quite that heavy to me but if you’re used to Casios (which tend to be, overall, lighter than most watch brands) you may notice this watch is a little heavy. Having said that, it’s noticeable when you first put it on but I’ve gotten used to the weight very quickly & easily & it doesn’t bother me at all. Also, I would note the simplistic look. There are advantages & disadvantages to that extreme simplicity but it is perfectly inline with the style of a diver. I like the look of divers but it isn’t exactly the flashiest style for a dress watch. On the other hand, you could put a different band on it and enhance the stylishness quite a bit.
So, this watch is, in my opinion, probably the best value I’ve seen. It’s a tough watch for a great price.