Business Casio's budget watches return to fashion in Europe and Japan

[thomas]

I haven't worn a wristwatch in over twenty years, but my last one was a G-Shock!

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Casio Computer Co.'s tough G-Shock watches remain hugely popular, but another Casio line is also gaining attention, mainly outside Japan. They may be more practical than G-Shocks and less stylish. Above all, they are cheap, which is why they have picked up the nickname "cheap Casio" watches. The retro-futuristic watches began to attract wider attention after celebrities and other well-known figures were seen wearing them. Sales have more than tripled over the past five years.

The company officially calls them "Casio Watches". They are often sold hanging on racks at discount stores and are priced between 1,500 yen (about $9.40) and 3,000 yen, excluding tax. The range now includes more than 1,200 varieties. Some are analogue or digital models with only a basic clock function, while others come with stopwatch or calculator functions.

The first Casio Watch model was the Casiotron launched in 1974. It was the first digital wristwatch in the world that included an automatic calendar function. It was touted as the symbol of high technology at the time. The luxury timepiece was sold for 58,000 yen when college graduates were employed with a starting salary of between 70,000 yen and 80,000 yen a month. But digital wristwatches became popularized in the 1980s, with the luxury wristwatch market swinging back to analog pieces. Casio launched the G-Shock, whose selling point was ruggedness, in 1983, capturing the hearts of young men with the digital watch. Meanwhile, lower-priced wristwatches were consolidated into the Casio Watch lineup. While Casio Watches were cheap but high quality, the company made no promotional efforts. They continued to be sold with little fanfare. A turning point came in 2010 during the FIFA World Cup held in South Africa. The wrist of a Spanish TV reporter with a microphone in her hand captured the attention of the audience. She was wearing a Casio Watch.

‘Cheap Casio’ watches rebound in popularity in Europe, Japan | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

They are so fugly they're actually cool.

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[Ukigumo]

Love them!