Anthony Franklin
There are simply too many reviews of this watch. So instead of a review I’d like to share with you a conversation I had the other day with one of my co-workers.Co-work: What’s that on your wrist? Did you borrow that watch from you 10 year old son? It’s so small and cheap looking. I didn’t think you ever knew how to read a LCD display.Casio F-91W Owner: It’s a Casio F-91W, and no I didn’t borrow it from my son, but sometimes I let him borrow it from me. I know that I typically, prefer analogue watches with a mechanical or automatic movements. I did need to read the instruction manual I figure out how to read the digital display. Once I figured out that the colon on the display is separating the hours (on the left) from the minute (on the right) and the smaller numbers on the far right represent the seconds; it’s actual easier to read that the 3 hand analogues.Co-work: So, why did you buy this watch? It doesn’t seem to fit in with your Seiko 5, Orient, HMT, Citizen Eco-drive or that Chinese knock-off of an expensive German watch you can’t afford, that you typically wear to the office.Casio F-91W Owner: It’s nothing like my other watches, but this watch is one of the great classics. This model was first made in 1991, and was the smart watch of its time. The features and price-point is also unbeatable. I got it specifically because I am going on vacation to the beach and I wanted an affordable watch to wear of the beach and in the pool. This is proven technology; this model has been manufacture for over two decades and it’s almost bombproof.Co-work: Doesn’t WR mean Water Resistant; like splash and rain resistant only. I thought you need at least a 50m or 100m rating to take it swimming.Casio F-91W Owner: You are completely correct, and completely wrong. A watch worth worrying about needs at least a 50m or preferable a 100m rating just for swimming on the surface more or less. Personally, I wouldn’t take any of my other watches swimming on purpose, even though some of them have a 100m rating. However, this Casio is very modest in cost and I consider the manufactures water resistance rating is very under stated. Sure, if I ruin this watch swimming, the manufacture going to tell me to fly a kite, if I made a warranty claim, but this is a ten dollar watch. If you have ten dollars to wager, like I do, throw caution to the wind or perhaps dive in head first with it. It’s a lot like jaywalking, it’s not recommended, but you not trueing living your life to the fullest if you follow every rule. I sure a G-Shock with 200m water rating is manufacture with more seals and offers better water protection, but I also think that the water resistance rating is partially just marketing to separate Casio’s $10 watches from their $100 watches. I’ve taken this watch in the ocean and dove in swimming pools with no problems. I’d recommend not pressing the buttons when it’s wet, as well as not being a cry baby if you ruin it, but this watch is suitable for swimming in my book.Co-work: Wow, what a risk taker, they must be paying you too much, if you have ten bucks to risk like that. So you say it’s was the smart watch of its time back in the day. What’s so smart about this watch?Casio F-91W Owner: Well for starters, a day-date complication with annual calendar, that only needs to be corrected for leap years. It switches between AM/PM and 24 hour format with a single push of a button. It has a hourly repeater that can be turned on and off. A stopwatch function, and am alarm. Did I mention it has a very dim light, and I believe it was y2k compliant nearly a decade in advance.Co-work: Wow, I think my iwatch can do all that, but I don’t know how to. I also paid a lot more than you, and I can’t take it swimming. How about battery life? Where’s the charger plug? Is it self-winding, like you Seiko 5, and going to die after a few days off your wrist? I know for sure that in 1991 there was no such thing as wireless charging.Casio F-91W Owner: It’s much for low tech then wireless charging, or self-winding. It’s powered by a replaceable battery. Casio claims 7-years on a single battery with no daily recharging required. It’s more likely that the strap will break, before the battery will need to be replaced. It doesn’t need any sunlight either, some people claim to get 10 years on a single battery, it really depends on how frequent the light and alarm functions are utilized. In theory you could hide out in a cave for years without worrying about charging or replacing the battery.Co-work: Hey, one more question. I know you are married, but ascetically speaking, do you think I watch like this would be helpful in attraction women? It’s kind of ugly looking.Casio F-91W Owner: Well my friend, with you ugly face and abrasive personality, if a woman takes the time to look at your watch, she’ll be excited to see a practical watch on your wrist. Well unless she’s a gold digger type, but you don’t need that. Any women that can’t appreciate a classic watch like this doesn’t even desire to go dutch at McDonalds with you. However, for you, I’d strongly recommend the Casio CA53W, if you want a line of highly desirable ladies wanting to go out with you. If you wear a Casio CA53W and a lady starts a conversation about your watch, you’ll need to take her somewhere nice, like a sit-down type restaurant, and pay the whole bill, and she’ll surely want a second date when she see you generously calculate 18% gratuity with your calculator watch.
