Half a century ago, Casio unveiled the Casiotron QW02, the brand’s very first digital watch. Showing the time, month, date, and day of the week – with the calendar being “perpetual” – the Casiotron was a landmark and the ancestor of the G-Shock, one of the bestselling watches of all time. Now it has been revived Casiotron “50th Anniversary”, a limited edition that preserves the looks of the dinky original but enhanced with modern build quality and technology, including a solar-powered movement with smartphone connectivity. It is essentially a cutting-edge electronic watch in vintage dress.

Initial thoughts

As a Casio fan, I recognise the importance of the Casiotron, even though it is an inexpensive watch. It established the benchmark for digital electronic watches with its clean display and multi-functionality. Casio got it right by resurrecting this iconic retro design with contemporary upgrades, particularly since the 1970s styling harmonises with current preferences for integrated bracelets.

The remake wisely retains the original design, right down to the fluted inner flange and applied logo. But the electronics are entirely 21st century, with the movement featuring the same solar-power module found in many modern-day Casio and G-Shock models.

The Casiotron remake costs US$500, affordable in itself but pricier than Casio’s own digital offerings and also a fifth more expensive than the Tissot PRX Digital. However, the premium is justified simply because the Casiotron is an iconic design that remains appealing even after 50 years. Moreover, Casio’s technological superiority in electronic movements is undeniable.

A faithful remake

The reissue is modelled on the Casiotron ref. QW02 of 1974, the brand’s first foray into quartz watches. Its standout feature was a digital display showing the time, month, date, and day, with the movement having an “automatic” calendar that accounted for the varying lengths of the months, except in leap years.

The modern Casiotron has LED display beneath mineral glass. Around the display is a gradient blue dial ringed by a fluted flange, a quirky detail also found on the original. Even the brand emblem and model name at six and 12 o’clock are identical to the 1970s original, in terms typography and being appliqués rather than printed.

Symmetrical in form, the case has milled and polished surfaces, as does the bracelet. Now fitted with a water-resistant screw-down back, the case features a fixed, polished bezel, and polished pushers located at two, four, eight, and ten o’clock. Its dimensions are 42.7 mm by 39.1 mm, with a height of 12.3 mm, almost the same as the original.

The new Casiotron is equipped with the solar-powered 3542 electronic module that has a backlit display along with various functions, including world time, chronograph, countdown timer, calendar, and four alarms. Additionally, it has automatic radio-wave time synchronisation (available only in a few countries including the United States and Japan) and Bluetooth connectivity for smartphones. On a full charge it will run for 11 months with normal usage, and 22 months on power-save mode.

Key facts and price

Casio Casiotron “50th Anniversary” 
Ref. TRN-50-2ADR

Diameter: 42.7 mm by 39.1 mm
Height: 12.3 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Mineral glass
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: Module 3542
Functions: Digital, multifunction, Bluetooth connectivity
Winding: Solar
Frequency: Battery
Power reserve: 22 months with power-saving function

Strap: Matching bracelet 

Limited edition: 4,000 pieces
Availability: At Casio stores and retailers starting on February 28, 2024
Price: US$500, or 699 Singapore dollars

For more information, visit Casio.com.

Breitling has just launched the Chronomat 36 Victoria Beckham, a limited-edition variant of its 36 mm sports watch that was conceived together with footballer David Beckham’s wife.

The Victoria Beckham edition is essentially the standard model with new dials that feature the “VB” logo as the second hand counterweight, and also engraved on the case back and clasp. Notably, the model range includes a (very) pricey yellow gold model, a first for the current Chronomat.

Initial Thoughts

Breitling relaunched the Chronomat with the retro Rouleaux bracelet, giving it something of an integrated bracelet design. Though the fad for such sports has faded, but the Chronomat remains an attractive option among its competitors, particularly the chronograph version with the in-house B01 movement.

The Victoria Beckham edition doesn’t change much of the standard model, other than dial colours and the use of yellow gold. Rather than a watch catered to enthusiasts, it is clearly is more of an effort to enlarge Breitling’s audience, which is clearly mostly male and oriented towards larger watches. This new launch instead tries to target fashion-forward women and Victoria Beckham fans.

That said, it does look quite stunning in yellow gold, especially with the peppermint dial. Granted, all iterations would look better without the Victoria Beckham logo, which are fortunately subtle for the most part, but the emblems are a necessary evil in a collaboration.

The steels versions start at US$5,600, which is about 5% more than the regular production versions. They are a decent value proposition overall considering the quality of the case and bracelet, despite the ETA movement.

The yellow gold renditions, however, cost US$29,500. Even though that is the ballpark for a solid-gold watch on a bracelet, there is a lot that can be had from top-tier brands at that price, making it hard to justify.

A familiar sight

Design-wise, the Chronomat 36 Victoria Beckham is almost identical to the standard Chronomat 36, other than the incorporation of the “VB” logo on the front and back. It’s available in either stainless steel or yellow gold, with three dial options for each. The yellow gold variants are limited to 100 pieces each, while each stainless steel model is limited to 400 pieces.

Featuring a retro-ish design modelled on the bestselling Breitling model of the 1990s, it retains the signature Rouleaux bracelet – rouleaux is French for “roller” – along with the onion crown and bezel rider tabs.

The case is 36 mm in diameter, 10.01 mm thick, and water-resistant to 100 m. It’s entirely brushed, with mirror-polished chamfers along the edges that continue throughout the bracelet. The alternating brushed and polished surfaces continue on the bracelet and bezel.

The dial has a symmetrical layout with lies a date window at six, with applied indices, hour and minute hands that match the colour of the case. Though simple in style, the dial has a significant quantity of text for a relatively small dial, including the three lines of branding and the edition size, “One of 100” for the yellow gold model for example.

Underneath the screw-in solid case back lies the COSC-certified Breitling Caliber 10, which is actually an ETA 2892. It runs at 28,800 beats per hour and has around 42 hours of power reserve. All variants are delivered in a co-branded box, while the gold variants include an VB travel pouch.

The travel pouch for the gold version

Key facts and price

Breitling Chronomat Automatic 36 Victoria Beckham
Ref. A103801A1C1A1
Ref. A103801A1L1A1
Ref. A103801A1G1A1
Ref. K103801A1L1K1
Ref. K103801A1A1K1
Ref. K103801A1C1K1

Diameter: 36 mm
Height: 10.01 mm
Material: Stainless Steel and 18K Yellow Gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Cal. 10
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and date
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 42 hours

Strap: Matching bracelet

Limited edition: Each stainless steel limited to 400 pieces each; Each yellow gold limited to 100 pieces each
Availability: At Breitling boutiques and select retailers starting February 2024
Price: US$5,600 for stainless steel; US$5,950 for stainless steel with diamond markers; US$29,500 for yellow gold

For more, visit breitling.com.