8 ms·

I've been wearing a Casio F-91W for a number of years now and it really is a joy. It's always there, and it always works. I've gone down the rabbit hole with e

by ngd 5y ago

I've been wearing a Casio F-91W for a number of years now and it really is a joy. It's always there, and it always works. I've gone down the rabbit hole with expensive time pieces but they become a burden / obligation rather than a tool - especially as the prices of certain pieces in the secondary market have gone so high - so over time I've reverted back to much cheaper watches and find myself getting more joy out of the cheaper & much better value for money brands. Very occasionally I'll take it off in favour of a dress watch for a special event but otherwise I just wear it all the time, knowing that if it finally fails I'm looking at $10 to replace.

EamonnMR 5y ago
Luckily Casio makes a gold-colored version for special occasions.
- cunidev 5y ago
  In all honesty, the gold Casio doesn't look bad at all with a dress
  - spicybright 5y ago
    You're definitely right! Although when I get mildy dressed up I'll still rock the black strap lol https://www.ebay.com/itm/274335788294 https://www.ebay.com/itm/274335788294 Rose gold looks awesome here.
- _tik_ 5y ago
  I am wearing one. Switched from smartwatch. A silver colored version is nice looking too
MegaDeKay 5y ago
I got an F-91W in April for those times when I am banging around and don't want to risk messing up my beloved Casio 6510BC. I set the time on the F-91W when I got it and it has only drifted off 21 seconds in that time. That is impressively accurate for a $20 CAD watch.
- foxfluff 5y ago
  > Casio 6510BC What's this?
  - CraigJPerry 5y ago
    Typo i think, 5610 is a really popular gshock
    - MegaDeKay 5y ago
      Yes, thanks. That was indeed a typo. 5610BC is the 5610 with negative display and "combi" polymer-steel bracelet.
- kqr 5y ago
  > it has only drifted off 21 seconds in that time Quartz watches are really magic in terms of keeping time. We take it for granted, but it's insane how accurate they are. Watch accuracy was a big deal before quartz-based watches, because it was really hard to construct watches that kept time with the accuracy required for celestial navigation etc. Sufficiently accurate watches are a whole separate category, called chronometer. There are certification institutes that put watches through internationally standardised thorough testing to check whether the watch truly conforms to the chronometer label. Even the cheapest quartz watch will pass the chronometer tests with ample margins. It's not even a fair fight.
kqr 5y ago
I agree on all points, except I prefer my watches mechanical, rather than electronic. So I got one of the cheapest Seiko automatic watches. Being mechanical it's obviously going to cost more and keep time much less accurately than a quartz watch. Other than that, I identify with your comment. The cheap automatic Seiko is always there, and it always works. Don't have to worry about putting it away and then needing to replace its battery – it has no battery. I can bang it about and while I'm sure it might break at some point with the way I treat it, it won't be too painful to get another one. It's no-frills, keeps the time as accurately as I need it to, and doesn't take a lot of space on my wrist. Couldn't be happier.
- ilamont 5y ago
  Citizen is another Japanese watchmaker and the eco-drive solar technology has been around for about 30 years. You can get a low-end Citizen Eco-Drive for about $100, sometimes even less on sale. Solar powered, very durable, and they look great. Most are water resistant as well. I've had one model running continuously for 11 years. I love never having to charge it or change the battery.
  - q-base 5y ago
    I can only chime in and support this claim about Citizen. I have had one of their Eco-drive models for about 15 years now and it has had months in drawers or laying on shelves not being used, but it has never stopped working. I am so impressed with that watch!
    - Tarsul 5y ago
      yes, I love mine too. However, after a very dark december mine stopped (and I was very confused by it ;)). Had to put it on the window sill for a few days for it to work again. My personal advice for anyone looking would be the following triumvirate: solar ("eco-drive"), sapphire glass (never mineral glass!), radio controlled. It just works - you don't have to do anything ever again (except maybe if you have a december like me...).
marban 5y ago
I buy one every year or so I go to Japan purely on impulse but in reality, there are hardly any occasions for me to use such sandwich products when the decision is between an Apple Watch as the daily driver and a Tag Heuer for a night out.
- DiggyJohnson 5y ago
  I think there's not a whole lot of discussion going on whether Apple Watch powerusers would prefer a Casio. Not to say you were implying this in the first place, though I think the point is relevant.
- criddell 5y ago
  If you stop thinking about the Apple Watch as a watch and more as a data collection and display device, maybe dual-wristing would be an option? It's not that unusual to see people out with a watch on one wrist and a fitness device on the other wrist.
  - ngd 5y ago
    I also found that being able to always reach to my wrist for the time has become a habit and when I tried an Apple watch that was scuppered by the off wrist charging so like you say, I treat that right wrist as the "data collection" wrist, which for the last few years has been home to a heart rate and HRV monitor.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - t0mas88 5y ago
    I used a Tag Heuer Carrera as a watch for many years. Accuracy isn't perfect, but you adjust it maybe once every few months, so it also isn't an issue. And I really liked the see-through kind of mechanics and the strap. But then came the Apple Watch, and now I wear that every day. It's a bit more convenient, tracks health data I like and is around 1/10th the price of a nice watch. The latter also means I don't take it off when I go to the playground or jump in the pool. There were some scratches on my previous Apple Watch, but before that really becomes an issue you want to buy a new model anyway for the extra features and better battery life. So in practical use I like it more than a "real" watch.
walrus01 5y ago
> I've gone down the rabbit hole with expensive time pieces but they become a burden / obligation rather than a tool If you want something that looks nice and is a Casio, search "casio edifice" on ebay, used, you can find many good watches under $100. randomly chosen example https://www.ebay.com/itm/192205400394?epid=19011028556&hash=item2cc055a94a%3Ag%3A94QAAOSwlY1ZMYci&LH_BIN=1 https://www.ebay.com/itm/192205400394?epid=19011028556&hash=...
- ngd 5y ago
  That's a cool recommendation. Thank you! Like many others on here have noted, there are some really nice Seikos and Casios that look great, keep fantastic time and won't break the bank. I am not a completely reformed addict though in this regard, as I do have a handful of Seikos and Casios, and recently picked up a Serica 4512 as my dressy / special occasions watch. One thing I've realised about this world and "collecting" in general is there is nothing wrong with trying things out and refining your collection / process as you learn more about yourself and what you get out of it all. I've learned that the more traditional expensive time pieces are just more of a headache then I care to bare. A Rolex or Patek sitting in a safe because you're stressed about using it, scratching it or getting robbed just isn't worth it for me personally. No judgement passed on what other people do or don't do with their stuff though! If a Patek in a safe brings you joy, all power to you!
  - walrus01 5y ago
    What I have found is that if you look carefully, good condition watches from the edifice series (there must be 200 models by now) occasionally show up at $35-45 per piece. I even found a few original waveceptors which will receive the US WWVB time broadcast for automatic time synchronization over long wavelength radio. I cannot even imagine wearing a watch with more than a hundred bucks, because I'm clumsy and will inevitably hit it on some hard surface and scratch it.
- dogline 5y ago
  I think I've had that, but the wristband is _so_heavy_.
jacquesm 5y ago
Unfortunately my eyes are so bad now that when I'm nog wearing glasses I can't read the display on the Casios, so instead I got a Seiko '5', an old fashioned mechanical watch that keeps fairly accurate time and has a normal dial that I can read easily without glasses. It's an automatic, nothing to wind and no batteries to replace. I'm super happy with it, have it for about five years now and it looks as good as new in spite of wearing it every day, rain or shine (or mud, grease, sandpaper and so on).
coldtea 5y ago
Pro tip: Casio F-105W-1A. 95% the same as F-91W, but with an actual working backlight. (The "square" models, e.g. DW-5600 are also quite cheap and even better functionality wise, though a tad more expensive).

by ngd 5y ago

EamonnMR 5y ago

Luckily Casio makes a gold-colored version for special occasions.

cunidev 5y ago
In all honesty, the gold Casio doesn't look bad at all with a dress
- spicybright 5y ago
  You're definitely right! Although when I get mildy dressed up I'll still rock the black strap lol https://www.ebay.com/itm/274335788294 https://www.ebay.com/itm/274335788294 Rose gold looks awesome here.
_tik_ 5y ago
I am wearing one. Switched from smartwatch. A silver colored version is nice looking too

MegaDeKay 5y ago

I got an F-91W in April for those times when I am banging around and don't want to risk messing up my beloved Casio 6510BC. I set the time on the F-91W when I got it and it has only drifted off 21 seconds in that time. That is impressively accurate for a $20 CAD watch.

foxfluff 5y ago
> Casio 6510BC What's this?
- CraigJPerry 5y ago
  Typo i think, 5610 is a really popular gshock
  - MegaDeKay 5y ago
    Yes, thanks. That was indeed a typo. 5610BC is the 5610 with negative display and "combi" polymer-steel bracelet.
kqr 5y ago
> it has only drifted off 21 seconds in that time Quartz watches are really magic in terms of keeping time. We take it for granted, but it's insane how accurate they are. Watch accuracy was a big deal before quartz-based watches, because it was really hard to construct watches that kept time with the accuracy required for celestial navigation etc. Sufficiently accurate watches are a whole separate category, called chronometer. There are certification institutes that put watches through internationally standardised thorough testing to check whether the watch truly conforms to the chronometer label. Even the cheapest quartz watch will pass the chronometer tests with ample margins. It's not even a fair fight.

kqr 5y ago

I agree on all points, except I prefer my watches mechanical, rather than electronic. So I got one of the cheapest Seiko automatic watches. Being mechanical it's obviously going to cost more and keep time much less accurately than a quartz watch. Other than that, I identify with your comment. The cheap automatic Seiko is always there, and it always works. Don't have to worry about putting it away and then needing to replace its battery – it has no battery. I can bang it about and while I'm sure it might break at some point with the way I treat it, it won't be too painful to get another one. It's no-frills, keeps the time as accurately as I need it to, and doesn't take a lot of space on my wrist. Couldn't be happier.

ilamont 5y ago
Citizen is another Japanese watchmaker and the eco-drive solar technology has been around for about 30 years. You can get a low-end Citizen Eco-Drive for about $100, sometimes even less on sale. Solar powered, very durable, and they look great. Most are water resistant as well. I've had one model running continuously for 11 years. I love never having to charge it or change the battery.
- q-base 5y ago
  I can only chime in and support this claim about Citizen. I have had one of their Eco-drive models for about 15 years now and it has had months in drawers or laying on shelves not being used, but it has never stopped working. I am so impressed with that watch!
  - Tarsul 5y ago
    yes, I love mine too. However, after a very dark december mine stopped (and I was very confused by it ;)). Had to put it on the window sill for a few days for it to work again. My personal advice for anyone looking would be the following triumvirate: solar ("eco-drive"), sapphire glass (never mineral glass!), radio controlled. It just works - you don't have to do anything ever again (except maybe if you have a december like me...).

marban 5y ago

I buy one every year or so I go to Japan purely on impulse but in reality, there are hardly any occasions for me to use such sandwich products when the decision is between an Apple Watch as the daily driver and a Tag Heuer for a night out.

DiggyJohnson 5y ago
I think there's not a whole lot of discussion going on whether Apple Watch powerusers would prefer a Casio. Not to say you were implying this in the first place, though I think the point is relevant.
criddell 5y ago
If you stop thinking about the Apple Watch as a watch and more as a data collection and display device, maybe dual-wristing would be an option? It's not that unusual to see people out with a watch on one wrist and a fitness device on the other wrist.
- ngd 5y ago
  I also found that being able to always reach to my wrist for the time has become a habit and when I tried an Apple watch that was scuppered by the off wrist charging so like you say, I treat that right wrist as the "data collection" wrist, which for the last few years has been home to a heart rate and HRV monitor.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- t0mas88 5y ago
  I used a Tag Heuer Carrera as a watch for many years. Accuracy isn't perfect, but you adjust it maybe once every few months, so it also isn't an issue. And I really liked the see-through kind of mechanics and the strap. But then came the Apple Watch, and now I wear that every day. It's a bit more convenient, tracks health data I like and is around 1/10th the price of a nice watch. The latter also means I don't take it off when I go to the playground or jump in the pool. There were some scratches on my previous Apple Watch, but before that really becomes an issue you want to buy a new model anyway for the extra features and better battery life. So in practical use I like it more than a "real" watch.

walrus01 5y ago

> I've gone down the rabbit hole with expensive time pieces but they become a burden / obligation rather than a tool If you want something that looks nice and is a Casio, search "casio edifice" on ebay, used, you can find many good watches under $100. randomly chosen example https://www.ebay.com/itm/192205400394?epid=19011028556&hash=item2cc055a94a%3Ag%3A94QAAOSwlY1ZMYci&LH_BIN=1 https://www.ebay.com/itm/192205400394?epid=19011028556&hash=...

ngd 5y ago
That's a cool recommendation. Thank you! Like many others on here have noted, there are some really nice Seikos and Casios that look great, keep fantastic time and won't break the bank. I am not a completely reformed addict though in this regard, as I do have a handful of Seikos and Casios, and recently picked up a Serica 4512 as my dressy / special occasions watch. One thing I've realised about this world and "collecting" in general is there is nothing wrong with trying things out and refining your collection / process as you learn more about yourself and what you get out of it all. I've learned that the more traditional expensive time pieces are just more of a headache then I care to bare. A Rolex or Patek sitting in a safe because you're stressed about using it, scratching it or getting robbed just isn't worth it for me personally. No judgement passed on what other people do or don't do with their stuff though! If a Patek in a safe brings you joy, all power to you!
- walrus01 5y ago
  What I have found is that if you look carefully, good condition watches from the edifice series (there must be 200 models by now) occasionally show up at $35-45 per piece. I even found a few original waveceptors which will receive the US WWVB time broadcast for automatic time synchronization over long wavelength radio. I cannot even imagine wearing a watch with more than a hundred bucks, because I'm clumsy and will inevitably hit it on some hard surface and scratch it.
dogline 5y ago
I think I've had that, but the wristband is _so_heavy_.

jacquesm 5y ago

Unfortunately my eyes are so bad now that when I'm nog wearing glasses I can't read the display on the Casios, so instead I got a Seiko '5', an old fashioned mechanical watch that keeps fairly accurate time and has a normal dial that I can read easily without glasses. It's an automatic, nothing to wind and no batteries to replace. I'm super happy with it, have it for about five years now and it looks as good as new in spite of wearing it every day, rain or shine (or mud, grease, sandpaper and so on).

coldtea 5y ago

Pro tip: Casio F-105W-1A. 95% the same as F-91W, but with an actual working backlight. (The "square" models, e.g. DW-5600 are also quite cheap and even better functionality wise, though a tad more expensive).