The Casio W-800H is rugged yet refined. Read on to find out why we think this should be your next EDC watch!
Casio is a name synonymous with ruggedness and reliability. Their G-Shock line of watches is worn by members of militaries and security forces worldwide. Gone are the days of mechanical watches on the wrists of special forces units.
While the G-Shock is certainly functional, the Casio W-800H is a better choice if you want a rugged and reliable watch that’s more refined. While it’s not a watch that would grace the wrist of a Navy Seal, it can certainly take the beating.
Brief History of Casio
Before diving into the specifics of the W-800H, let’s explore why Casio is so revered by watch enthusiasts.
Casio was founded after the end of World War II in 1946. Tadao Kashio started by producing mechanical parts by himself until his brothers joined him. The small family operation started off by making calculators for the domestic market.
After Casio began to thrive in the electronics market, in 1974, they released their first digital quartz watch, calling it the Casiotron. Shocking the world with its price and accuracy, the Casiotron would be the first of Casio’s many innovations.
Taking from their proven reliability and accuracy, Casio released the rugged G-Shock line of watches in 1984 and the Baby G-Shock in the 1990s. And, as they say, the rest is history.
W-800H Case
Although known for their large G-Shocks, Casio also makes some refined digital watches.
The W-800H’s case starts with a restrained 36.8mm case diameter, with lugs extending to 44.2mm. The watch offers no overhang, even on my 6-inch wrist.
That said, it does look slightly bigger than the 36mm would entail, probably due to the larger surface area from being a square watch.
The case is made out of black resin, giving it the feather-light feel common with Casio watches. Two buttons on each side of the case mark out the different functions of the 3240 movement inside.
Flipping over the case, we get the stainless steel caseback with text detailing the water resistance and movement, as well as a “Made In China” mark.
The caseback is secured with four screws on each corner, contributing to the watch’s 100m water resistance.
W-800H “Dial”
Since this is a digital watch, I think it is fitting to call this a screen than a dial.
Looking closer at the W-800H, we get a glimpse of what makes a Casio a Casio. Strewn along the screen’s periphery are printed set texts showcasing the various functions of the watch: Adjust, Mode, Light, and 12/24H.
At the bottom of the screen is the text denoting the 100m water resistance of the rugged watch. At the top is the branding Casio in all capped text and the advertisement of the 10-year battery life in red text.
Looking at the rest of the screen, we have the usual minutes and hour displays with the signature tick-up of the digital seconds. Above this, we have the day, denoted by the first three letters of each day of the week.
To the right, we have three acronyms — SNZ, ALM, and SIG. SNZ signals the snooze function when setting the alarm of the watch, with ALM being the sign of the alarm toggle. SIG is the (in)famous hourly beep the watch can emit at the top of the hour.
At the bottom, we have the year in all four digits with the date and month in a number format.
W-800H Movement
The Casio 3240 quartz movement powers the W-800H.
This movement is jam-packed with features.
Pressing the “Mode” button once, we advance to the alarm function of the movement. Setting the alarm is easy. Holding down the “Adjust” button starts the “setting mode” for all functions, including the alarm function.
From there, you can set the alarm to a specific time and date.
The second function is a stopwatch that’s accurate to the 1/100th of a second. Pressing the “Mode” button moves us to the stopwatch. Starting and stopping the stopwatch is easy with just the press of a button.
The last function is a dual time indicator, making it possible to track another time zone just like a GMT watch.
Casio has synced the seconds of both the home time and the other timezone, making changing the dual time quick and easy. You can even change the minutes of the dual time to differ from your home time if you want to (though I honestly don’t know why you would).
The 3240 movements are powered by a simple CR2025 battery. With the case being held down by four screws, changing the battery would be fairly simple. Of course, you probably won’t have to worry about that for the first ten years or so.
W-800H Strap
The W-800H comes with a black resin strap with the same soft-touch feeling as the case. I think the case is just a harder version of whatever material the strap’s made out of.
The strap is not hard at all and is very flexible. It is easy to put on and tighten, and it provides a secure fit.
The buckle is in all black with Casio engraved on it.
The strap has 12 holes for adjustment and one single excess strap lock. However, on my 6-inch wrist, I noticed that the lock does not go that close to the case, so watch out for excess strap jutting out from your wrist.
My Recommendation
So, is the W-800H for you?
The W-800H is jam-packed with the features one expects from Casio. Not only that, but it is also the rugged everyday watch that would look at home on almost anyone’s wrist.
With 100 meters of water resistance, the black resin case and strap, there is a hardcore vibe around this watch. Yet, with its diminutive dimensions and tight screen, the watch also exudes feelings of refinement.
If Bond was able to both bash the face of a supervillain and attend a night gala with a $6,000 watch, this Casio W-800H could do the same for you for way less.
Questions? Comments? Leave them below!
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