The Best Casio Watches

If the DW5600 above isn't quite rugged enough for you, Casio also has a version of the classic G-Shock in full metal. This watch is solar powered, comes with radio-based atomic time, and can pair to your phone via Bluetooth to adjust settings.

The silver review unit Casio sent my way turns heads, but to be honest, if I had purchased it myself, I'd have gone for the insanely flashy gold model. Everybody loves a big, gaudy Casio, and for me, the more flash the better. The case is heavy and robust, and the band actually tapers nicely to a milled metal clasp, making it as secure as you'll find for adventuring.

As someone with family across the world, it's genuinely useful to have a watch with a world time function because it lets me easily tell what time it is in Bangkok for my toddler's FaceTime calls with the grandparents. This is perhaps the coolest global timer I've ever seen and used, with a tiny world map in the upper right, a clock face for home time in the upper left, and a digital lower face to show you the current or away time. This means you can have two time zones on the same face at once, which makes it super easy to check.

These look so cool, they've earned the nickname Casio Royale, in homage to the Seiko watch worn by Roger Moore in 1983's Octopussy. I could easily see a classy lad like Moore wearing the Casio version. Variants of this watch are incredible value; you can get one for about the same price as the entry-level F91W above, but this is a much better watch per dollar.

The Casio calculator watch is another classic you'll want to wear because it brings you joy, not necessarily because you enjoy doing math on a tiny calculator that's much harder to use than your cell phone. You buy it for the nerd appeal that spans decades of famous wearers, both on- and off-screen. Marty McFly rocked this watch in the second and third Back to the Future films before it also graced the wrist of Walter White in Breaking Bad.

Features include the eight-digit calculator, a stopwatch, dual time zones, and an alarm. There is also a full calendar that's accurate through 2099. You'll always know what date it is, unless you meet a real-life Doc Brown. With a slim profile, it feels surprising for a watch with this many buttons.

The shape and metal band on this Casio might make folks think you're wearing an Apple Watch, but below the mineral crystal glass lies a cool moon-phase quartz movement that is wonderfully stunning for the price.

Two subdials show the day and date, while a third dial is set to the phase of the moon where you're currently living. This has been my favorite watch to wear when tracking the Artemis space missions, because I can see how the moon will look in the sky at night while reading the news. It comes in several dial colors (silver, blue, and black), and can also be had with a leather band.

The massive 53.2-mm wide, 20.3-mm thick G-Shock Rangeman is what I'd expect real adventurers, soldiers, and roughnecks might use in lieu of an Apple Watch Ultra. This outdoor hybrid smartwatch is equipped with a heart rate sensor, GPS, solar charging, a thermometer, an altimeter, and an accelerometer and gyroscope for swim tracking. There are modes for different types of exercises, Bluetooth for connecting to your phone for notifications and time setting, and all the other functions you've come to expect from a modern digital Casio.

Why do I use a massive G-Shock that seems designed for the apocalypse? I desperately wanted a Casio that connects with Strava to track runs without having to bring my phone, and this does! I also think the big hunk of wrist tech just looks cool, and with 200 meters of water resistance and shock protection, plus how easy the large side buttons are to use with gloves, I find myself wearing it for my harshest gardening, brewing, or workout tasks and not worrying about damaging it. After months of abuse, it still works like new.

As a kid, I grew up wearing chunky plastic G-Shocks, and the GA2100—colloquially called the “CasiOak” for its resemblance to the much, much more expensive Audemars Piguet Royal Oak—takes me back to those days with its nostalgic design. I like the classic styling, but there are also features I appreciate as an adult, like a weekday dial in case I forget whether it’s Wednesday or Thursday. It’s perfect for travel, with digital time zone controls for the analog hands to quickly switch times, and 200-meter water resistance for any adventure.

Best of all, for people who like to match outfits, you can pick one up in basically any combination of colors and materials, including frequent collaborations with celebrities, designers, and other brands, and they typically sell for less than $150. That’s an absolute steal for the style and functionality on offer here, and I have a small, growing collection that I wear regularly. —Brad Bourque

This adorable Baby-G comes with colorful loops that you can add to customize the watch band. A small, pixelated animation appears in the upper-right when you press the light button; you may see a surfer, dancer, dolphin, blowfish, dog, or cat scamper by.

I like that this is smaller (43 x 39 mm) than most G-Shocks but still offers the same 100-meter water and 10-meter drop-shock resistance, making it rugged enough that you (or your kids, if you buy them watches this nice) don't have to worry about breaking it. If you're an adult who needs a bit more whimsy in your life but who doesn't want the distraction of a smart watch, seeing a dolphin swim across the screen when you're checking the time is as joyful as it seems.

I didn’t realize how much I would enjoy the look and feel of this vintage Casio design until I got it on my wrist. The dial is gorgeous in teal, and the case and integrated bracelet are sleek and thin enough to fit under even the tightest cuffs.

I like that the digital time can be set to another time zone, in addition to showing the day and date, and I also like that there is no second hand to make things look cluttered; the seconds are shown on the digital readout. It's all very 1980s in the best possible way.