Watch Spotlight: Casio MTP1183E Analog Watch with Date

It's not often that you see a Casio watch with the style of a timeless classic, but I found one.  It's the Casio MTP1183E Water Resistant Watch with Date. I know. I know. A catchy beautiful name would help them sell more watches. Then, they could charge more, too.  Let's take the cool watch and a great price.  It's a basic Casio analog watch with 50-meter water resistance, a simple date window, and a mineral glass crystal. Voila!

Casio MTP1183E Analog Watch with Date

To me, there is something special about the shape and the patina of the case and the simplicity of the dial, that gives this watch a classic look. To see it for yourself, use my affiliate link to it on Amazon. You might see what I see. I've added it to my wishlist.
 

Watches A to Z: Casio

Casio was founded in 1946 by Kashio Seisakujo in Mitaka, Tokyo. It's first product was a finger ring (called the Yubiwa pipe) for holding a cigarette while a smoker's hands were busy.  Profits from that ring (which seemed to be a viral product), helped the company get into electronics and they released their first calculator, the Casio 14-A, in 1954. 

Casio 14-A Calculator - Photo by Daderot, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

In 1974, they released the CASIOTRON, their first digital LCD watch.  The case shape looked much like this modern watch on Amazon called the Casio Model Vintage Watch A171WE-1AEF.

Over the years, Casio has evolved into one of the best sources for reliable, practical, and reasonably priced watches.  While they got their start with calculators and digital watches, they offer plenty of good analog watch choices.   The company even makes diver-style watches now.  The Casio MDV-106 series (more popularly called Casio Marlin) provides a uni-directional bezel and a respectable 200 meters of water resistance. It's available here on Amazon. It's one of the best values in diver-style watches around.

Casio MDV-106 Marlin

As a watch collector, my personal journey with Casio started with the Casio Forester.  It's a great beater watch that stands up well to rough conditions and is light weight and comfortable in hot summer conditions.

Casio Forester

I've since branched out to own Casio Tough Solar models like the one shown below.  Even tougher that these outdoorsy watches of mine are the well-regarded, but slightly more expensive Casio G-Shock series of watches (available at the link on Amazon).

A Casio Tough Solar Watch

No matter whether you are collecting watches as a hobby or wearing watches to tell the time, Casio watches offer an outstanding value for the money.

Recommended: The Casio Forester - A Great Bang Around Watch

The Casio Forester is one of my favorite watches.  It's the perfect watch for banging around in.  It's inexpensive, tough, and lightweight.  It also has a long battery life.  I first reviewed mine back in August 2011 and it is still running strong two years later.   If you aren't hung up on prestige and appearances, you might like this watch.

My Casio Forester

The Forester would be a great companion on a hike.  Perhaps you could hit the Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest trail?  You could do something glamorous like an archaeological expedition.  But, you could also leave that sort of thing to the super macho commando watches that cost 100 times more.  The Forester is a great watch for mowing the lawn, helping a friend move, or walking the dog.  With 100 meters of water resistance, the Forester is built for adventure.  But, if you are an armchair commando, you'll find the velcro band super comfortable for long stints of typing at a desk.

Here is my complete review on this blog:

Wristwatch Review:  Casio Forester Men's Analog Watch


[As of August 2025, you can still find the Casio Forester here on Amazon.]