I bought this watch and upgraded it with the SKX-Mod kit with the steel/sapphire crystal case and scratch-proof bracelet. Yes, I like the watch that much.
As a guy who has a couple Rolexes, an omega, a couple of Raymond weils, Seiko, and tissot. This watch is such an underrated wear with my suits. I have the metal and I love it. Please anyone who wants one, just get it over with. Get it
Long live the cheap watch! I used to wear a Casio W800H whenever I'd go camping or backpacking with our Boy Scout troop. It kept perfect time, the battery ran forever, and when things sometimes happened to it (smashed against a rock, lost in a river, etc.) it wasn't the end of the world. Heck, I even brought a spare one to summer camps and if the Scout in charge of our Troop (for the duration of camp) didn't have a watch, I'd give them one since in that role keeping good time is important.
This was my first Casio watch. Ever since, I have not bought a watch that was not Casio. The only reason why I bought the F-91W was because I was afraid to lose the AE-1200WH, and the A168 because it was a good dress watch. I hope to receive / buy a metallic AE1200WH for Christmas...
That watch is one of the best watches ever made from a user perspective, with everything one might need and more. I tried a lot of the models available before, I even gifted many of my friends and family several watches as I think it is a great gift. I got the bronze case modded AE 1200 world timer watch recently, and I am selling my other beater watches :D
I have had the AE1000W and it’s been my daily driver for work for about 12 years now. Wonderful watch, tough as nails, and the battery still hasn’t needed to be changed (knock on wood) even though it’s only rated as a 10 year battery. Truly a marvel of resilience, and I believe I paid $18 for it in 2011. The 1200 in steel is definitely going to be next Casio purchase
I bought this watch initially as a budget watch for travels. You know wear it instead of the expensive bling to prevent attracting the wrong people. But it is so damn handsome, functional and practical, it is on my wrist just about the whole work week. But it is actually on my wrist even in most of the weekends. My wife loves to wear her luxury watches and find my fascination with this particular watch amusing. I just love the fact that I don't give a hoop. Also the light makes time visible when I wake up in the middle of the night or early mornings. Edit: just erased the lettering using a pencil eraser suggested by one of the commenters below. Wow it does make a difference, cleaner looking. And I replaced the resin band to a Vario leather strap. Feels nicer for sure.
Glad to see Teddy cover this watch. It's in my regular weekly rotation and love the punch it gives in usefulness. I removed the "World Time" and "Illuminator" lettering and it looks so much cleaner. I might get another one and try one those popular metal/saphire mods!
Perfect timing! I've been wanting to get one of these. I don't have any digital watches yet and the old school Casios have a nice charm to them, excited to watch the vid!
Get one. YOU'LL LOVE IT! I have one, and it's one of my faves. In fact, I'm wearing it right now. Come to think of it, I've been wearing it a lot lately... :)
Having bought this watch, and then subsequently bought a 42 dollar tough solar Casio watch, some things stick out as better for the Royale. One, the legibility and viewing angle is top notch, at least as good as any g-shock, while other watches in this price range can bad viewing angles and LCD elements that stick out. Second, this watch has 2, count' em, 2 amber LED's, that perfectly light up the time area and then bleed upwards. Lots of cheap Casio watches only have one amber LED on the left, making me roll my eyes as to why they couldn't afford just one more led. But they did it here, so it's nice having a cheap watch that doesn't have any obvious cut corners other than the ones on the face.
The Casio AE1200WH is also widely known as the Casio Royale. The modding community has embraced this inexpensive copy of a Seiko G757, which was worn by Roger Moore in the 1983 James Bond movie Octopussy and turned it into a bit of a subculture of it's own. I have a AE1200WH-1A that I've easily taken apart, scrubbed almost ALL that janky-looking lettering off except for the Casio name with 91% Isopropyl alcohol and a Q-Tip, then filled the case with silicone oil before reassembly and I replaced the band with a really nice blue leather with tan twine stitching, Ritche watchband I paid $20 for on Amazon. It's so cool! I get a LOT of compliments on it and it's actually a much more interesting conversation piece because of what it is, than the same common Rolex you see all the time that needs no introduction.
10 year battery life ! I’ve had this watch over a year now in olive green, I absolutely love it. I wear it to work everyday. I’m looking at changing the strap and found a company that sells them. Great work Casio ! 👍🏻
My favorite feature of this watch is that amber backlight. Don't really see that kind of light any more, and I love the idea of carrying that bit of nostalgia on the wrist.
So nice you review this watch, I bought it 9 months ago and it gives me nice childhood memories because I had a g-shock back then. After 9 months it's still super accurate, has many functions, is very light and very affordable, has a 10 years battery, 100m waterproof... also the mentioned back light works totally sufficiently in darker environments. It's a very good watch!
These are solid watches and the best VFM ever. I do have the round shaped AE1000W, its only flaw would be the hyper-sensitive buttons. every time i put my hand in and out of my pocket, the screen changes to something else and I have to re-adjust it. This little watch was my work horse during my years as a Pepsi rep and took quite a beating, until I gave it to my brother, who smashed against a traffic signal on the sidewalk . he was distracted checking on his phone while swung his arm too hard against the pole. I love these Casio videos you put out , Teddy.
Love this watch. Have one in silver with the vario leather strap made for the watch and removed the "world time" and "illuminator" text with a pencil eraser to make it have a more smooth look to it. I have multiple expensive watches and the world timer probably is still one of my most worn watches.
4:32 In my opinion, calling them pushers makes more sense. This as they are constructed like pushers, with the pin and clip. The leaf springs used by the modules also more similar to the mechanisms in mechanical watches than traditional buttons. Including mechanical keyboard switches, which use leaf springs differently.
I own a day-date, a seamaster 300 master co-axial on black-grey omega nato, and a mk40 speedmaster. Now i own this casio too, and it is extremely likeable, and practical for everyday use. Actually more fun than the ceramic daytona was that i sent back after 3 days.
Wow, great video, but I have a very interesting fact to share. I can put it as THE CASIO PRICE INDEX. IF I put equivalent value of 25 dollar in my country, India, I can get 312 eggs in local shop, and 200 in nearest supermarket. 25 dollars is equivalent to approximately 2000 rupees. And the price of that very casio model is around the same price. But comparing with CASIO-EGG PRICE INDEX, it is 13 times pricier!!!. People level me as a 'Casio Nard', not choosing other Indian brand those offer greater value for money. Nonetheless, I love the simplistic design and reliability of my Casio(s) since my childhood. What a great way to know the dynamics of world economy!
Lots of people don't want, and frankly don't need, a watch that costs more than $50. To those people, I always point them to Casio, especially this one (though shoutout to the Timex Expedition, another fantastic budget watch).
I collect Casio digital watches but the watch I wear 99.5% of the time is my F-91W. Why? Because is so comfortable. I like the AE1200WH but it's just too big and clumsy for my liking. That A168 looked far more suitable on your wrist. The AE1200WH looks like you're a kid wearing your dad's watch. I know the backlight on the F-91W is abysmal but I can live with that given all the positive traits the watch brings. I admit I'm an F-91W fanboy but I'm only a fanboy because it's so perfect for me.
While some might consider digital watches as part of a "collecShion", they're not something I'd personally wear. I was a kid in the era when digital watches debuted; however, they never resonated with me. To my eyes, their LED or LCD displays resembled calculator screens, and I found their appearance rather geeky, akin to a prize you could find at the bottom of a cereal box. This isn't a critique of the video or anyone's preferences, but rather my individual viewpoint. Nevertheless, I deeply appreciate the video's historical significance. Teddy, your content continues to captivate-I'm a big fan. Sending thanks from Dayton, Ohio!
I'm the polar opposite. I was a kid in the 1970s (born in 1965) so I was very impressionable when digital watches came onto the market. They were very expensive at the time and beyond the reach of most of us but a few lucky kids had them. I remember gazing at them in awe. I still retain that fascination. I know it's old technology now but that actually adds to their appeal. There's still something space age and James Bond about them and it's why I now collect Casio digitals. By the way, I can tell you're a similar vintage to me due to your excellent grammar, spelling, punctuation and the fact that you know where an apostrophe goes.
Indeed Teddy. Better than COSC n GMT n more functions... At only 30 bucks?? This is a no brainer... Thanks for sharing this back to basics watch video Teddy. With the advancement of better watch tech, designs n brands, I think that microbrands are starting to chip away at the big brands while they themselves are seen to be either resting in their laurels or simply digging into the past for inspiration. It's not just the watch makers themselves, as watch fans, we seem to have lost the fundamental approach n direction towards watches in general... Some still held on to the idea of a Grail/Perfect watch... Which doesn't exist. That Great watches Needn't Come with even Greater price tags... That more Expensive watches don't tell better time... That cheaper watches may sometimes satisfy us more than expensive ones... That we only have 2 wrists... N that we don't need A COSC certified watch witha million dollar price tag... To tell the time. This will suffice.
I wear the metal version of this watch with a suit when I fly overseas. I always do a watch check on the stewardesses. This time I checked one who was embarassed that hers was only a Casio. She said it was only $20. That's when I told her Casio is a good watch. Mine was 20 bucks too then showed her my world timer. She was shocked it was a casio lol Also I don't know if the black rubber one is different, but the metal one I have has a magnificent light. You can really appreciate the orange color they used for the backlight when you wake up to check the time on a 15hr flight in the dark. Another upside when traveling is that it does not set off metal detectors so no need to take it off when that's the issue at hand.
People who don't know watches think Casio are just cheap tat. I always make a point of enlightening them. I love the look on their faces when I tell them that among most watch collectors, Casio are rated God tier.
Casio is king of value but with regard to watch RRPs rising I'm seeing big discounts on mainstream and micro brands everywhere I look. Before you pay anywhere near the full price have a good look around. Maybe some deals are Black Friday offerings but I believe it's more about the World economic situation
These watches are much cheaper than what they were when they came out new in the 1980s. I remember getting a Casio F-100 resin digital watch in 1978. It cost about Singapore $90 back in 1978. That would make it about US$50-60 (my guess).
My watch journey did bring me full circle. I collected 'cheap' watches, until last year I pulled the trigger and bought my first "luxury" watch: Omega Seamaster 2531.80; then a Tag Heuer F1 Chronograph and my daily became a new Bulova Oceanographer GMT. My other hobby is cars, and if I'm not working in the office, on weekend I work on my cars and the Bulova being quite tall, I looked for a watch with 'history' and pulled the trigger on an A168. I often forget I'm wearing a watch. The last 2 days I was working a lot on one of my cars after work, pulling the whole front end off, getting into tight places. I even forgot I am wearing a watch, this is how slim the A168 is. As a young teen in the early 90s I used to own this watch and never liked it, now, in my 40s I kinda love it - but, it now also own some other watches and don't really have 'grail' watch I want to own, as I have nice pieces I like and this Casio is one of them.
You are right. I have four of them. Recently I bought a VARIO leather strap for ae1200, very beautiful but it wasn't worth because the price and taxes I paid. In Brazil the taxes are insane. Hugs
After buying the first Casio ever, the AE1200WH, for just two months, I went out and bought the A500WGA-1D World Time in gold color. It uses the same Casio quartz movement and is smaller and thinner than the AE1200. If you want a smaller form factor that sports the same functionalities, try the A500.
I love it, but I much prefer the AE2000. If you want something in that price range, with the same feature but with a more GShocker style, I highly recommend!
I have the metal bracelet version of this watch for few years before but the place where you put the bracelet pin broken. Because i love this watch so much, i bought SKXMOD case with sapphire crystal & solid metal bracelet with scratchproof coating to replace the original case & bracelet. Even though the price for the mod is about 6 times more than the price of the watch, i think it's worth it & i'm loving it more now & probably gonna wear it forever.
I remember when this watch was released DECADES ago. I thought in style and functionality, it was really cool. I would totally wear the watch for especially adventure traveling. The batteries on those things last FOREVER. Sure it doesn't have the functionality of today's digital watches. But who needs them if you're in the middle of the Amazon. Or really, Manhattan.... Like others have mentioned, it's great to see you review watches at this price point. On top of photography, I am also a fashionista and review inexpensive shoes. And while the shoes are throwaways, they are worth every penny. Like this Casio.
@@S-Ltd1000Good research. But I’ll do you one better…. “This watch is considered a “Bond Watch” due to its similarity to the Seiko G757 model used by Roger Moore in the James Bond film Octopussy in 1983.”. So they stopped production of that watch and re-named it. I knew I’d seen that watch long ago and thought it was very cool. Which is why I remembered. I might pick one up. 😊
I've got this model, but there is one small annoyance with it. There is a gap between the plastic insert and the screen, which tends to cause shadows on portions of the screen, depending on the viewing angle.
I bought this watch two months ago and I was just blown away by its unique design, functions and its wearability. Definitely could recommend it to anyone! Thanks to Teddy for highlighting such a cool watch. Keep up the good work
OK, I'm sold. Just bought it on Amazon for under $20 and can't wait for it to arrive. I have watches that cost many thousands of dollars, but I still get excited over a great Casio. Fun times.
Bought my AE1200WHD-1A (the variant with the metal bracelet and silver-painted case) in June 2017. I still have it and being a Casio it's as reliable as anything out there. I don't wear it much these days but I use it mainly as a timer. Having a metal bracelet means much better longevity without replacing the strap. Only thing is, the acrylic crystal scratches pretty easily and the silver paint on the lugs gets scraped by the bracelet. But yeah, it's a tool watch. It is what it is.
I wonder if the technology to make this digital watch was around say in 1978, this watch would probably be maybe thirty times of what the cost of this watch is of today. What a remarkable watch.
I travel a lot and GMT/world time mechanical watches are what I’m drawn to as a collector. But this watch has a place in the collection for sure. Travel in high crime areas for example. Or rugged adventures where I don’t want my longines Zulu time scratched.
Great video Teddy ! Couldn’t agree more : worth every penny ! I liked it so much, that I ended up buying both versions ! They’ve been my travel watch since. They got a lot of useful features, not flashy, light, have a fair water proof, and are good looking ! What else can you ask for the price range ?
I love my world time. I have three of them, but I can’t never remember how to set the time, when day light savings time comes around 😂and I can’t read the tiny manual. I also work in a warehouse and frequently accidentally cycle to a different time zone.
You can set the 3 other quick- timezones on the home screen to the same as your home time if you want so that when you accidentally switch its just the same time zone/location. Removes some functionality of the world-time aspect, slightly, but if you're just at work at annoyed by the switching its an option
If I had to have one watch it would be this one. Like a baby gshock, but with interesting complications and easy to replace if something really rough happened to it
Great video on a great watch. I first saw it from Just the Watch when I was researching what Casio to go with for my beater. Ended up with a DW5600, but will doubtlessly pick up a world timer still.
I just got mine with the metal bracelet. LOVE IT. My god it's just so beautiful to have on. The only thing I don't like, is for a WORLD TIME watch, it doesn't let you change the date format. It's stuck in the ridiculous American format mm-dd, which is pretty annoying.
Bought one a couple of weeks ago. Got a couple of budget Casio's with metal bracelets and they're not great. Went for the version with a nylon strap, with a green band around the case. Back light's not dreadful. It doesn't stay on long enough is my only complaint. Good watch for a bit of fun.