CasioMDV106 Series | Unisex Analog Watch | 200M WR | Stainless Steel Case | Resin Band | 2 Hand Analog (HR, Min, SEC) | Date Display | Screw Down Crown/Screw Down Caseback | 3 Year Battery

I received this watch on 1-20-2018. I received my first Casio watch on Christmas morning somewhere around 1979. That watch, a simple, black plastic digital one, kept working for about 15 years, on the same battery. This wasn't any great feat in my mind at the time. It was just all I really knew, except for the time when I got an Armitron calculator watch at some point. Not only did the Armitron not last, it also felt like it wouldn't last. The buttons were flimsy, the edges rough, and it had an overall plasticky feel, even though it was gold. My old Casio shined by comparison. My dad got himself the same one as me that Christmas, except in stainless, and anytime it came up in later years, he'd laugh and say something like "David, I think I wore that watch for thirty years and I only replaced the battery once." So that is what Casio is in my mind.One time at the office I said to a coworker that Casio was the best watch in the world. Of course he laughed and quickly pointed out that there are FAR better watches. And he was certainly correct, but not for the money.I've had a few other Casios in my life. A Forester model which was really cool because of the forest green color and the fact that it was a fishing watch. What "fishing watch" actually meant was that it would tell you the about the ocean tides. Living in New Mexico, this was totally useless, but I still liked the little fish that would appear when the tide was high or something. Another Casio I got was the one with the world time with the atomic clock sensor. This one was a little off. The light stopped working after a while and setting it was a pain. But it's still ticking in my drawer right now after eight or so years and I still wear it here and there.But probably not anymore.This watch...this watch has me all smiles. I don't really have words to say. I'm not necessarily a "watch guy" in that sense, but I have always had one on my left arm since the age of ten or so. And honestly if it wasn't for Casio, I probably would have skipped wearing one mostly.Casio doesn't always hit it out of the park. After all they live and breathe like the rest of us. Maybe that's what makes this one such a beauty.I bought a very nice Bulova a couple years back for around $400. I like that watch. I get compliments on it and for good reason. It's solid. It's heavy. They paid very close attention to the design and the finish is beautiful. It feels like a $400 dollar watch or more. It is perfect for wearing to the office. Well, not really. Not since 1-20-2018.I don't dive. I have never diven (?) OK I have never dived. But something about a watch that is designed to be SIX HUNDRED FEET UNDER WATER AND STILL WORK gets me interested. There are many watches that can do this and much more, but they are not this watch.If I was a Viking, this would be the watch I wore.So what can I say? Yes, the date is comically small. I need reading glasses for small print and still can't read the date with them on. I guess most people who have not just come out of a coma should know the date. Touche, Casio.Oh and the Lumiglo or whatever is weak and nearly pointless, but at least it's there. I do like to light it up with my phone flashlight and look at it in the closet, however.But if I tap the crystal with my fingernail you know, it feels like I am tapping bulletproof glass.The bezel has a great click and I actually find myself using it! I use it to time my commute, or to time how long the waiter takes to bring the food out after I order.This is the kind of watch that is not going to win you any likes or impress anyone, unless they are a very smart, unselfish engineer type. Maybe. With my Bulova, people have actually wanted to hold it, they have examined it closely and then complimented me on it, gave it back, and then looked at it on my arm as if they may mug me later. This one won't really do that. You are the only one who will ever truly appreciate what this watch is. It's a secret love affair. I like that about it.A few things that I will say that I haven't read about it in those other reviews. The band for one thing. It's pretty good. It looks all plasticky and horrible in the pictures, I thought anyway. But in fact it is pliable, if not supple, and rather well proportioned, if not svelte. The clasp is also sort of excellent. It's not cheap. It's like they actually realized that the clasp is just as important as the other parts. It's like some executive with Casio said "The clasp is the most important part of any watch. It's what keeps it on. Make it beefy." Yep. That's exactly what happened. It is well made, with a soft, rounded finish, and it makes a nice clink sound when you are putting it on.There's really nothing more to say.Except when I look at this watch to see what time it is, I know the time within .003 seconds of my eyes seeing the face. It's just so clear. And functional. And simple. I never really thought about that with any other watch, and I love it.So I'll stop now, but expect an update when this watch becomes less of what it is now, or in the year 2040, whichever comes first.***UPDATE*** April 27, 2021The watch has become slightly less of what it was then, but not really. Let me explain. This thing has lived on my arm most days since I bought it. That's about 1,200 days. Before you ask, I do not take the watch into water. No showering with it, no swimming with it. I don't sleep with it, but I do remodel homes here and there and other sweaty messy things too and it gets dirty sometimes.Anyways, my first tiny little bummer happened last June, though it was so tiny I did not do an update. The bummer was that the battery died. Bummer. So I took the watch in to some random fancy jewelry store I found on Google maps, and they replaced the battery. I waited five days for the job to be completed and it cost twenty bucks. I got the watch back and all was well. Then about four months later it died again. This time slightly more furious, I went to a little jewelry store I happened to be driving past and this guy took it apart, checked the battery, which he said was perfect, cleaned it really well and said it was probably just dirty inside. I suspected shoddy workmanship and/or a lack of attention to detail on behalf of the fancy place. So I was on my way with a clean, healthy watch. The guy didn't charge a dime and did this on the spot and it took five minutes. He was a pro.The watch actually seems to keep even more perfect time since that happened. Seriously.And then the other day the band broke while putting it on. (See pictures)I just ordered a genuine replacement band from Casio, and I noticed in the pictures that the replacement says Casio JAPAN on it, while my original one says CHINA. (See pictures) So I have high hopes for the new one.Other than these two things, the watch has been stellar.

>>Update 12/16/23<<I loved this watch for a few years. I loved the value for such an elegantly simple watch with such a rugged design. I really like the expansion of the new design options. Over the long term, however, I no longer have faith in the build quality of this watch.The first two of these lasted just over a year before they started loosing time. The case is bullet proof and the band is probably the toughest I’ve ever seen from a soft, flexible silicone/plastic band. However, my third one started loosing time only a few weeks after I started wearing it daily. I suspected this happened with the first two because the case is so heavy that kinetic type shocks and vibrations happen with extra force due to the extra mass which eventually damages the movement inside, likely the gears. But it happened so quickly with the third one and there was no sharp strike or vibration which should have caused it.To be clear, I’m EXCESSIVELY rough on my work watches (see the original review below). However, I became disappointed with the sturdiness of the movement installed in this watch. This watch does have a great, simple diver look and if you don’t beat the heck out of watches working in them they may hold up just fine. However, due to my waning confidence and the fact that the price has increased from $32 to $49 (but mostly the former) I don’t think I will be purchasing this watch any more.On the other hand, my current favorite work watch is the Casio AQ-S810W, “Tough Solar”. It’s not the same look as this watch but it has held up much better. In fact, it has held up the best as a work watch of any watch I’ve ever had. If you’re looking for tough maybe give that one a look. If you’re just looking for that diver look (but maybe not quite as tough) I still think this one is a good deal.>>Update 12/16/18<<I mentioned the simplistic look in my original review. Paired with the black silicone band that comes with the watch it is a bit of a utilitarian look. That’s fine for a work watch, quality silicone bands have a lot of advantages: they are very durable, very comfortable & very easy to keep clean day in & day out. On the other hand, I bought a few NATO/Zulu watch bands to swap around & use on a few of my watches for about $9-$13 each and what a difference!Almost all of my watches take a 22mm band (including this Casio diver) so I could swap them around & see what pairings I like the best. In addition, NATO/Zulu bands take about 5-10 seconds to swap out (without the use of tools once you have the old strap removed & spring bars in place).I added 2 pics to my review. One is my work watch (that I’ve been working in for about a year now) paired with a nylon band. By the way, it was actually my least favorite band which is why I put it on the work watch but it still looks really sharp! The other is my newest watch paired with a leather band (yep, I love this watch so much I got another one so I’ll have one I haven’t beat to death by working in it). It looks absolutely outstanding to the point it even makes a beautiful dress watch (albeit one that will take a heck of a beating!).Guys, I love watches. I already had an excellent dress watch. I have a Luminox blackout that I love. I have owned, literally, dozens of watches. This watch is the best value of any watch I have ever encountered and is one of my absolute favorites, ever. It’s an excellent work watch, an excellent dress watch and anything in between.>>Original Review<<To summarize: I’ve found this watch to be tough, functional & an unbelievably good value.Now, I’ve worn a watch 24/7/365 since I was in 3rd grade. If I can’t wear a watch to bed, in the shower & when I jump in the pool it’s not for me. While I have different watches for different needs (work, every day, dress, SCUBA diving) I have no need for a delicate, fragile watch. Also, doing HVAC, I work with my hands. Suffice it to say, I beat the everliving crap out of my work watches. I have been through dozens of work watches of various styles & brands through the years. By now Casio is pretty much the only brand I buy for work watches. In my experience, no other brand has even come close to the right balance of features, toughness, value & looks.I got this watch for a work watch. It has a clean, simple look, as most divers do, which makes it pretty easy to tell the time at a glance. It’s a tough, tough watch that takes a heck of a beating. That goes for the band as well. You could pair this watch with a better looking band but the silicone band that comes with it is made for comfort & longevity. Bands like this tend to last at least 2-3 years, even with the roughest of daily wear and they are extremely comfortable, especially after you break it in for a few weeks. The rotating bezel makes for a good, simple timer and the highly visible red second hand makes for simple timing for shorter periods. The low profile & smooth edges means it doesn’t get caught easily, even in tight areas.I’m going to give you some information but I want you to keep it in perspective. The dozens of work watches I’ve gone through before I started using Casios rarely made it even 6 months. I’m HARD on work watches. So my first one of these watches made it about 13 months before it developed a problem. It would loose time about once or twice a week. It would loose, maybe, 15 or 30 minutes suddenly and replacing the battery didn’t help. Now, for a work watch to last more than 12 months is very rare for me. Even the Casios that are still in working order after a year are so beat up I would replace them, always with a different watch that I thought had an interesting & useful set of features. But, for the first time, I replaced this watch with the same watch because I had liked it so much. My current one is 11 months old and still holding up quite well. Who knows, this may be my work watch for now on. This solid stainless steel case is practically bullet proof.That brings me to the negatives. That solid stainless steel case is relatively heavy. I have had heavier watches that beat up my hand & wrist. This one isn’t quite that heavy to me but if you’re used to Casios (which tend to be, overall, lighter than most watch brands) you may notice this watch is a little heavy. Having said that, it’s noticeable when you first put it on but I’ve gotten used to the weight very quickly & easily & it doesn’t bother me at all. Also, I would note the simplistic look. There are advantages & disadvantages to that extreme simplicity but it is perfectly inline with the style of a diver. I like the look of divers but it isn’t exactly the flashiest style for a dress watch. On the other hand, you could put a different band on it and enhance the stylishness quite a bit.So, this watch is, in my opinion, probably the best value I’ve seen. It’s a tough watch for a great price.

I bought this for my teen son who needed a no smart watch for school. He wanted a water proof watch that looks grown up. This watch fits the bill. It doesn't look or feel expensive. I am confident nobody will try to mug him for it. It is still a good watch for the money. Surprisingly this cheap diving watch has a screw down crown just like my more expensive Luminox (my cheaper Luminox doesn't even have it). I think this is why some people could not adjust the time because they did not expect it on such a cheap watch. He swam with it, dove 13 ft a couple times, no problem at all. It seems to keep the time just fine unlike my digital casio that is 3 seconds too fast every month.

Let's start with the obvious. This is a Casio watch, and it is a $55 piece. It feels light in comparison to a more reputable brand (I have an Omega SeaMaster, and it feels way more sturdy) and the design lacks any complications to make it more impressive.Having said that: for a $55 watch, it is an excellent choice. You know that if it is a Casio, it is basically indestructible and it will last forever. The finish is in a simple blue (the color I bought) but it is even and looks solid. The rotating bezel clicks forcefully in place, which is needed if you are going to dive with it (it is rated down to 200Mts), and the rubber strap feels good on the skin. It has only one complication, which is the date number, which is easily set, and the locking mechanism screws on tight. The accuracy is a given; Casio is not going to sell you a quartz piece that will be all over the place.In short. If you need an everyday watch that if, unfortunately, you will scratch or hit against something, this is the choice. Most likely, it will stand a lot of abuse. And keep on ticking.