Casio is one of the biggest and most trusted Japanese electronics companies in the world. Over the years, the brand has developed new watches with exciting new designs and technologies and retained some of its beloved vintage pieces. Below, we will talk about some of the brand’s best releases, its story, and a closer look at some of the best watches from its many collections.
This article will zero in on the essentials that you need to know about Casio’s brand history, its product line and the quality of Casio watches.
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Casio History
Casio Computer Co., Ltd. was founded in 1946 in Tokyo, Japan by engineer Kashio Seisakujo. Kashio’s first major product was a successful finger ring pipe that allowed the smoker to smoke hands-free.
In 1949, Kashio and his brothers Toshio, Kazuo, and Yukio used the profits from the pipes they sold to develop calculators, which were first introduced in 1954–a revolutionary calculator using an electromagnet called a solenoid. Improvements continued in the following years, allowing the brothers to eventually produce an electronic office calculator. You can read more about their calculator journey here.
One of its first big innovations was an early digital camera in the 80s, and then electronic musical instruments in the 90s. It was also in the 90s when the company started producing timepieces (the world’s first mass-produced digital watches)
Casio has a wide range of products. Aside from watches, the company specializes in a number of electronics as well: musical instruments, calculators, cash registers, and printers, just to name a few. You can check out their products here.
Casio Watch Collections
Here are some of Casio’s most popular watch collections. We’ll divide them into categories and talk about some of the most popular watches.
Casio G-Shock
One of the most popular Casio watches, the G-Shock is known for being extremely tough and durable. Known as “the watch that never breaks” and the “toughest watch of all time,” the collection was born in 1983.
In addition to ever-evolving technologies, the watch is described to have seven elements: “electric shock resistance, gravity resistance, low-temperature resistance, vibration resistance, water resistance, shock resistance and toughness.”
Over the years, hundreds of variations of the watch have been introduced. You can find the models here, or you can visit the official G-Shock website here. Because there are simply so many models to choose from, the site has a section that helps you narrow down your choices. It’s on this website where you can search for G-Shock watches by category: bestsellers, men’s watches, women’s watches, and limited editions.
One example of a G-Shock best seller is the G-Shock Full Metal 5000, an all-metal watch that was inspired by DW5000C, the first G-Shock model. This watch can self-charge and has a super illuminator LED light, as well as the Multi-Band 6 Atomic Timekeeping technology, which allows the user to have accurate time from anywhere using radio signals all over the world. This can also be connected to the G-Shock app and has Bluetooth connectivity.
Another crowd favorite is the G-Shock Rangeman, which was built for tough conditions. This model has a shock, dust, mud, low temperature (-20°C / -4°F), and water resistance (200m); and has survival features such as a GPS and a Triple Sensor (Compass, Thermometer, Depth Sensor) and solar operation. Like the Full Metal 5000, this can also be connected to the G-Shock app.
Some G-Shock models are often compared to Luminox. Check out this article from our site to see them side by side.
See all our G-Shock articles here, including everything from budget G-shocks to the top G-shocks you can buy.
Casio Pro Trek
The Casio Pro Trek is the line created for adventures and the outdoors—a collection of high-precision watches that allows you to detect the changes in your environment.
Powered by Google’s Wear OS, the Pro Trek smartwatches are equipped with the brand’s Triple Sensor Technology. The watches of this collection contain sensors that measure three essential things: barometric pressure/altitude, direction, and temperature.
These are known as the ABCs: there’s the Barometer, which allows the user to see the weather based on atmospheric pressure tendency; the Digital Compass, which aligns a map with surrounding terrain; and the Thermometer, which predicts the temperature in your destination relative to the temperature of the current location, see details about Pro-Trek features here.
One of the newest releases from this line is the Casio Pro Trek WSD-F30RG. This powerful 60.5mm watch has a full-color map and GPS navigation, the ABCs, an activity tracker, a dual-layer LCD structure, a microphone, and a water resistance to 50m. The navigation feature can also be used offline—once the maps are already downloaded, you will not need connectivity. This watch is also compliant with the Standard MIL-STD-810G testing (you can read more about this test here).
The Pro Trek watches range from $180 to $550. One of the most popular, affordable models is the Casio Pro Trek PRG270-1, a solar-powered watch that boasts of the brand’s new Triple Sensor Version 3 engine.
The barometer on this model has the unique Barometric Pressure Tendency Alarm, which will alert the user if there are sudden changes in pressure readings. Some of the updates include improved accuracy and efficiency—altitude can be measured in 1m increments (the previous model was 5m), and display compass readings with 60 seconds (formerly 30 seconds) of continuous measurements. There are 35 styles of Pro Trek watches to choose from.
We’ve included Casio Pro-Trek on our list of Best Solar Powered Watches.
If you’re looking at Casio for the first time you might think that Pro-Trek and G-Shock are very similar but do have distinct differences.
Casio Edifice
The Edifice is Casio’s line of chronographs and watches with computerized movements. This line is geared towards professionals with a sleek and dressy aesthetic.
The watches under this collection have multiple functions such as world time, multiple dials, and alarms. Available in both analog and analog with digital displays, this line has watches that are stylish, functional, and comfortable.
One of the most prominent features of Edifice watches Casio’s Tough Solar technology. Higher-end Edifice Waveceptor models automatically calibrate time using atomic clocks and radio waves. Newer models also incorporate Bluetooth connectivity as well which further expands their functionalities.
While Edifice is a lesser-known Casio watch line, you definitely shouldn’t overlook this collection. Edifice has its own signature look that separates it from other Casio watch lines like Pro-Trek and G-Shock.
This collection has a wide range of watches to choose from. They can be divided into four categories: Standard, Solar-powered (chronographs), Smartphone Link, and Limited Edition models.
One of the latest releases from the Standard line is the Casio Edifice analog EQS900PB-1BV, which is from the EQS900 Series.
These are solar-powered (one of the things that the Edifice collection is known for), and has water resistance up to 100m. Other features include a 1-second stopwatch, three hands (hour, minute, and second), a battery level indicator, and three dials (24-hour, stopwatch minutes, and stopwatch seconds). This is one of the pricier models from the Standard line—if you’re looking for something more affordable, there’s also the Casio Edifice EFV120DB-1AV (around $99), which has an analog date display.
Casio Baby-G
Baby-G is Casio’s female timepiece collection. According to its website, this line was created as a counterpart to the G-Shock—”a brand that exemplifies the meeting of fashion and function for the vibrant, active woman with watches that are stylish, bold, tough and chic.”
Available in a wide array of colors—from dark ones like blacks and grays to pastels—this line has the same toughness as G-Shocks. Introduced in 1994, these watches have shock resistance, water resistance, and feminine colors which help land it on our list of best G-shock watches for women.
Today, Casio has continued to expand the line, growing into a brand with over 30 million timepieces sold. Some of the most important features of Baby-G watches include world time, stopwatch, tide graph, and at least a 100-meter water resistance. You can read more about the technologies here.
One of the best sellers includes the BGD-500 Series watches, which are recreations of the first Baby-G model, the DW-520. These watches have a square design, a water resistance to up to 200 meters, a backlight with afterglow, world time, 29 time zones in 48 cities, and a 1/100 stopwatch.
One of the newer Baby-G models includes the BGD-570 Series, which has three color variations (black, pink, white), with logos and functions names in one-tone coloring. These watches have a clean matte finish and a 200m water resistance, shock resistance, a resin case/bezel, an electro-luminescent backlight, a full auto-calendar to the year 2000, and five daily alarms. Check out this page for the complete specs.
Casio Classic
If you’re looking for a casual watch that you can use every day, the Casio Classic collection has a lot of models to choose from. This is a line of watches devoted to simplicity—available in digital and analog models, the watches from this collection are Casio’s most affordable. You can get a durable watch for less than $20.
One of the most popular models is the Casual Classic (F91 series) watch with a resin band. Available in different colors, this line has the basics: a daily alarm, hourly time signal, and an auto-calendar. Other features include a 1/100-second stopwatch, a microlight, and water-resistance.
This line also has smaller models—the square petite ladies digital watch with a molded resin band, and features such as a stopwatch, alarm, and a five-year battery.
The Classic collection has a line of both analog and digital sports watches, with prices ranging from $20 to $60. One popular model is the W735 series, which has the unique vibration alarm feature—”a function that is useful where discretion is required or in loud environments where audible alarm signals could be missed.” Having a resemblance to a G-Shock, these watches have a 10-year battery, a water resistance to 100 meters, and an LED light with high brightness. Check out some of the models here.
For those who travel frequently, there’s the Casio Classic with world time, which allows the user to have three separate time zones on display. The AE3000WD-1AV has a 10-year battery, five daily alarms, and an LED backlight.
Casio Vintage
This is another collection of affordable Casio watches that have been around for decades—vintage pieces that continue to be popular today. One popular model is DBC-32D-1A. Casio incorporated a calculator in some of its watches in the multi-lingual data bank, a watch with a 10-keypad, 8-digit calculator. This one has a big and high-contrast LCD, a databank memory for up to 25 entries, currency conversion, dual time, and 10-year battery life. It can also display the day of the week in 13 languages.
Another vintage model that remains popular today is the LA690WEMY-1, a digital watch with a stainless steel mesh band. The gold model has an adjustable clasp, a 1/10-second stopwatch, a countdown timer, an alarm, and an auto-calendar.
Casio Dress
For those who are looking for Casio watches for dressier occasions, this line of designs will give that professional, sophisticated look. The Dress collection has watches for small and big wrists (women’s and men’s), and range from $30 to $85.
The MTP4500D-1AV is a three-hand analog watch that has a one-second chronograph and a water resistance to 50m. This 42mm model from the Aviator series has a stainless steel bracelet, three subdials, and a scratch-resistant mineral crystal.
There are also feminine designs, like the dress watch LTP1254D-1A, which has a three-hand analog and three-year battery life, or the LTP1237D-7A, which is also a three-hand analog that has a hint of color and a silver metal band. Click here to check out our top women’s watch picks for $100 and under.
Where To Buy Casio Watches
Visiting a Casio website will give you easy access to the brand’s stores all over the world. This page, for instance, has more than a dozen countries with hundreds of sellers to choose from. This Casio US page allows you to shop online or locate Casio sellers all over the country.
Brand new and second-hand Casio watches are also available on Amazon or check out Casio watches on eBay.
The Casio website has a warning that tells customers that some Casio products are sometimes advertised and sold by unauthorized companies: “Casio products obtained by these companies are not purchased from Casio, but may instead be obtained through a secondary “gray” market. These goods could possibly be defective, damaged, “B” stock goods, counterfeit products, or even stolen goods.”
Casio advises that their customers only purchase from authorized sellers with a retailer badge. Learn more about it here.
Casio Warranty Policy
Casio watches have a limited warranty which is valid only for service in the country of purchase. According to the Casio US website, the Casio product “is warranted to the original purchaser to be free from defects of quality at the time of delivery for a period of one year from the date of purchase.” The customer will not be able to claim the warranty for repair or adjustment expenses if the problem of the item is caused by improper treatment, fire/natural calamity, improper repair by a non-Casio-authorized service center, damaged case/band/glass/battery, no proof of purchase, or expired warranty.
Casio has a wide selection of watches for every budget. Whether you’re buying a $20 analog model to a premium tactical watch, you’ll be sure that your timepiece has a tried-and-tested quality.
We hope this article allowed you to learn more about Casio and its wide array of watches. If you’re looking for a brand that’s affordable, durable, and is constantly evolving, this Japanese company is the one that you should check out.
