I saw a friend from elementary school rocking the iconic Casio F91W, which sent me on a watch hunt. That’s how I ended up with the Casio AE1200WHD-1A. Whether you see its features as limited or rich, they are more than enough to keep you on time. For just $30 USD, there’s no better watch that combines such a feature set, durability, readability, comfort, 100-meter water resistance, a pinch of nostalgia, and with a resemblance to a watch worn by James Bond, you’ve got the cool factor covered.
This amazing watch has been part of my rotation for almost a year, and I’d like to share my thoughts based on my experience. I’ll cover its design, wearability, legibility, and how it fits into my lifestyle.
Design
Starting with its dimensions, the watch measures 45 × 42.1 × 12.5 mm. My watch weighs around 82g, compared to the 91g listed on Casio’s website, as I removed 2-3 links from the bracelet. While it might sound a bit large, the watch doesn’t feel heavy or oversized despite my small to average wrist size (6.75in / 17.15cm). The watch i s rated 10 BAR (100 meters) of water resistance, which I believe is more than enough.
The materials of my unit consist of a stainless steel band, a resin bezel, and a resin crystal, making it very lightweight. This lightness can be seen as both a positive and a negative. Initially, I couldn’t help but think it felt a bit cheap in hand. However, this feeling quickly fades once you put it on and realize it practically disappears on your wrist, making it extremely comfortable to wear. The watch features a quartz movement powered by a CR2025 battery, with an estimated lifespan of about 10 years, as indicated on the watch dial.
The watch features five screens that display your local time, world time, alarms, stopwatch, and timer. It has four buttons, or pushers, used for navigation and configuration. These pushers offer a soft, air-piston-like tactile response. While each button is labeled, their actual functions vary depending on the mode you’re in.
Wear Experience
The watch undeniably has a sporty look, which slightly limits its versatility. I often wore it casually, especially when my other watches either didn’t complement my outfit, felt too refined for the occasion, or required extra care due to the day’s activities. It’s a great choice for work, as it complements my casual attire. Despite its bold design, it remains understated rather than flashy.
Its design makes it a great choice for most occasions, aside from formal events. However, its features, affordability, and practicality increase the likelihood that you’ll reach for it. The watch is exceptionally lightweight, providing a comfortable fit while remaining highly functional. It doesn’t require delicate handling, making it suitable for everyday wear, and if it gets damaged, replacing it is fairly easy.
Both the bezel and crystal are made of resin, making them highly susceptible to scratches. The severity of the scratch matters, but I typically don’t mind marks on the bezel, as they add character and enhance the worn-in look over time. However, scratches on the crystal can be more problematic, as they may obstruct visibility and make checking the time harder.
I have the advantage of 20/20 vision, which allows me to see most of the dial’s data clearly. The watch features an orange light that illuminates the dial effectively, making it easy to read in low-light conditions. With a Japanese quartz movement, it boasts a decent accuracy of ±30 seconds per month. However, I’ve encountered two complications. First, the analog display can sometimes be difficult to read. Second, the alarms are linked to the primary time setting, which can be inconvenient when using a different time zone.
In conclusion, this watch is a solid and affordable choice for a reliable, highly practical timepiece. Though it’s not a G-Shock, it can still handle rough use. It would make a great daily driver. I find myself wearing it on almost every occasion, and its world time feature and budget-friendly price make it my go-to option for travel. It provides the necessary time zones, and I wouldn’t be too concerned if it were lost or stolen, and with its 100-meter water resistance, it’s well-suited for snorkeling and diving adventures.