Casio
- Founded
- 1946
- Based in
- Tokyo, Japan
- In our catalog
- 12 watches from $15 to $1,700
Casio makes some of the cheapest watches in our catalog and some of the most loved. The F-91W has sold in the tens of millions, and the gold-tone A168 has been on wrists from school playgrounds to fashion runways. Casio is also more than budget digitals: its solar, radio-controlled and Bluetooth watches are packed with technology.
History
Tadao Kashio founded the company in Tokyo in 1946, and his brothers joined soon after. Casio built its first all-electric compact calculator in 1957 and became a major name in calculators. Its first watch, the Casiotron of 1974, was one of the earliest digital watches with an automatic calendar.
In 1983 Casio launched G-Shock, which has become a brand of its own (see its page). Through the 1980s and 1990s Casio released hundreds of digital and analog watches with features like calculators, databanks, thermometers and compasses. The Pro Trek line for hikers arrived in 1995, Edifice for motor sport fans in 2000, and Oceanus, its premium line, in 2004.
Signature models
- F-91W: The ultimate basic digital watch, launched in 1989, light and long-lasting.
- A168: A slim gold or silver retro digital with a backlight, a classic of 1980s and 1990s style.
- MRW-200H: A simple analog sports watch, one of the best-value watches anywhere.
- Duro Diver: A cheap, capable dive watch with a rotating bezel, nicknamed the "Marlin" after the fish printed on its dial.
- Pro Trek PRW-3500: An outdoor watch with altimeter, barometer and compass sensors.
- Oceanus Manta S5000: A titanium watch with solar charging, radio time sync and Bluetooth, Casio's most refined.
What it's known for
A Casio quartz watch can run for years on one battery, and many models are solar-powered. Casio's "Vintage" line has made retro digitals fashionable again. The brand also has a huge range: sports, outdoor, dress, women's, calculators and more.
Price and positioning
Most Casio watches cost under $100, with the Edifice and Pro Trek lines going to a few hundred dollars and Oceanus above $1,000. There's no better place to start if you want a watch that just works.
Casio watches in our library
- Casio F-91W ($15 to $25)
- Casio MRW-200H ($20 to $30)
- Casio LA670W Ladies ($20 to $30)
- Casio A168 Vintage ($25 to $40)
- Casio A700 Vintage Slim ($35 to $50)
- Casio Duro Diver ($50 to $70)
- Casio Duro Diver Bracelet ($70 to $90)
- Casio Vintage A1000 ($80 to $110)
- Casio Edifice Chronograph ($90 to $130)
- Casio Edifice Solar Sapphire ($250 to $300)
- Casio Pro Trek PRW-3500 ($250 to $320)
- Casio Oceanus Manta S5000 ($1,300 to $1,700)