These Casio Watches Can Make You Look Like A Million Bucks

You don’t always need to spend an arm and limb to get classy and versatile timepieces, and a testament to this is Casio's selection of watches that are testament to elevating your wrist game without breaking the bank.

For most of my life, I have been wearing watches from the pioneer watchmaker, from the array of multi-colored and varied Casio G-Shocks from my childhood to the simpler but classic digital pieces I wore casually as a grown-up. Going to Casio is a no-brainer for me, as many horological enthusiasts have often seen the brand as a "God-tier" player in the industry for its affordability and its cultural impact globally.

I recently took on a quest to look for a suitable and cheaper alternative to the classic Cartier Tank watch, which I found to be an ideal piece for my slimmer male wrist. This led me to pick up two great pieces from the legendary Japanese watch maker, which I’ve chosen to wear as my daily drivers over even my more complex and intricate watches. 

First is the Casio LTP V00-7L, a piece that evoked the same timeless and elegant look a Cartier Tank is known for, and I bought it instinctively, despite it being marketed for women.

Then, there's the Casio F-91W, which have been worn by US presidents, pop culture icons, and even terrorists, if you look at both ends of the spectrum.

This proves that there's always a Casio watch for any situation, whether a grocery run or a fancy upscale dinner. Below are picks from Casio that you can throw on to look classier without breaking the bank or shelling out a boatload of money on.

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These are no-nonsense, classy Casio alternatives to dress up or dress down:

1| Casio LTP V00-7L/ Casio LTP B165

The watch endearingly called the Casio Tank brings the luxury of the classic Cartier dress watches for less than a quarter of the price. The dressing up or dressing down of outfits may also depend on what you have on your wrist, and this tiny dress watch offers that vintage feel. Dress watches in casual outfits consisting of a T-shirt and jeans combo is something that is unlikely to go out of style. There is another Tank lookalike from Casio or the LTP B165 model, but it is less readily available, unlike the LTP V00-7L, which can be found in most department stores of Casio boutique shops.

The V00-7L comes with an elegant leather strap, vintage roman numeral hour markers, and a decent crown to get the Tank aesthetic for a fraction of the price at P1,700. The Cartier Tank can go for nearly P200,000 on the used market. These dress watches have been going through a renaissance over the past few years as megastars such as Tyler, The Creator, Timothée Chalamet, Paul Mescal, and Jacob Elordi have sported these pieces at black tie events and even out in the streets.

There is just something about the silhouette of the Casio watch that oozes effortless style and sophistication.

2| Casio AQ230

This is another dressier option from Casio that gives another understated but classier vintage feel if you are also open to customizing it. If you don’t really want to pull the trigger on the LTP V00-7L or the original Casio Tank because of its smaller dial and shape, the AQ-230 with a larger case and gold color option could be what you’re looking for. The piece also features a small digital screen at the six o'clock position.

The larger 40 millimeter lug-to-lug and 8mm thin measurement would suit a more diverse group of people, as a lot of guys may find the original Casio Tank much too small. To bring out its full potential and to get the full dress watch experience with this piece, many enthusiasts recommend swapping out its steel bracelet for a leather strap. This elevates the otherwise typical retro-style hybrid digital and analog watch to a versatile and sophisticated dress watch. The watch goes for about P2,700 on retail with the available unisex options.

3| Casio CA-53-W

Why just look like a million bucks when you can get a watch that can actually count your millions? The CA-53-W or the calculator watch is considered to be the prototypical watch of the 1980s, as seen in classic blockbuster films like Back to the Future, on pop culture icon Marty McFly. The vintage Casio calculator watch goes for about P1,800 on retail. The watch’s whole ethos is functionality and nostalgia that put the Japanese watch player on the map. The retro-futuristic watch could give many smartwatches a run for their money.

4| Casioak/ Casio G-Shock GAE-2100WE-3A

This G-Shock model soared in popularity over the years for its resemblance to Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the Patek Philippe Nautilus, and it still remains a bang for your buck deal for the durability, utility, and attractive form factor. Although seen as a polarizing watch, the octagonal and tool-oriented piece is still an option you should look at if you want something good to throw on without putting much thought into it. The Casioak may also be the watch beater that you can count on to work reliably as a tool and to look good doing it.

5| Casio MDV-106 Duro

The Casio Durio is a legendary dive watch that many billionaires and innovators around the world have favored over gaudy luxury watches. A no-nonsense dive watch that goes for about $50 dollars (P2,700) is a sportier option you can’t go wrong with, but you find it difficult to find in stock in the Philippines. The watch is most known for being worn by Microsoft Founder Bill Gates, as Casio has sold more than 600,000 Duros since their inception in 2011. The modest dive watch is a no-frills and sleek analog watch that is meant to be worn daily as a reliable, and beater that kinda bears a likeness to the Rolex Submariner.