I saw a friend from elementary school rocking the iconic Casio F91W, which launched me into a watch hunt. That’s how I ended up with the Casio AE1200WH. Whether you see its features as limited or rich, they are more than enough to keep you on time. At 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 the resembles of a watch worn by James Bond, you have the cool factor cover.
This amazing watch has been part of my rotation for almost a year, so 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 it’s rated 10 BAR (100 meter) of water resistance which I believe is more than enough.
The materials of my unit consists of a stainless steel band, a resin bezel, and a resin “glass,” 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, providing a lifespan of about 10 years, which is indicated on the watch dial.
The watch features five screens displaying your local time, world time, alarms, stopwatch, and timer. It has four buttons, or pushers, used for navigation and configuration. These pushers have a soft, air-piston-like feel. 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 somewhat limits its versatility. I found myself wearing 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. Taking it to work is great since it complements my casual attire. While bold, it remains understated rather than flashy.
Its appearance makes this watch an excellent choice for most occasions, except formal events. However, its features, affordability, and practicality make it even more likely that you’ll reach for it. The watch is exceptionally lightweight, providing a comfortable fit, and is highly functional. You don’t have to handle it delicately, so you can wear it anywhere—and if it gets damaged, replacing it is fairly easy.
Both the bezel and ‘crystal’ are made of resin, which makes them highly susceptible to scratches. The severity of the scratch matters, but I typically don’t mind marks on the bezel, they add character and enhance the worn-in look over time. However, scratches on the glass can be more problematic, as they can obstruct your view and make checking the time more difficult.
I have the advantage of 20/20 vision, allowing me to see most of the data displayed on the dial. The watch features an orange light that illuminates the dial effectively, making it easy to read in the dark or at night. Powered by a Japanese quartz movement, it boasts impressive 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 tied to the primary time setting, which can be inconvenient when using a different time zone.
To conclude, this watch is a solid and affordable choice for a reliable, highly practical timepiece. While it’s not a G-Shock, it can certainly withstand some rough use. 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, I wouldn’t be too concerned if it were lost or stolen, and with its 100-meter water resistance, it has me covered for snorkeling and diving adventures.