12 Casio watches every guy should own, ranked by cultural clout

Casio watches are that rare breed where somehow a calculator looks cool. For more than 50 years, it has been turning nerdy tech into pop culture icons, from Marty McFly’s calculator watch to the G-Shock on Keanu Reeves’ wrist in Speed.

It all started with the futuristic Casiotron, Casio’s first wristwatch, launched in 1974. The early 1980s brought calculator watches like the black Casio CA53W, worn by Marty in Back to the Future. Then came the mighty G-Shock, invented by Kikuo Ibe in 1983 and immortalised on Reeves’ wrist in the 1994 action classic Speed.

And today, Casio is still finding ways to make toughness a flex: from the full-metal sophisticated tool watch to a £67,000 G-Shock with a case built from interlocking blue sapphire.

Turns out being tough and a little nerdy never goes out of style. Not sure where to start? We asked some serious heads which Casio watches you should own

Casio has taken the original DW-5000C — yes, the 1983 OG that started it all — and reimagined it in analogue form, with a minimalist design, textured hands, raised indexes and a dial with real depth. A little fan-shaped window at 3 o’clock shows the date and stopwatch minutes, while a magnetic shock-release minute hand absorbs impacts. It’s one of nine models in the 2500 Series. For a flash of sunshine, the yellow GAC-2500 is a no brainer. £110. At casio.com

The muddy favourite got a glow-up, and fans are already sold. “Tough, chunky G style but light at only 66g,” says G-Shock collector Andy McIntyre, adding he’s keen on the MIP LCD, red LED night light, Bluetooth and step tracking. “Decent price point for a Muddy Beater.” The stealthy black GDG-B100 is shock, dust and mud resistant, with 20-bar water resistance, and got its first outing at drum and bass legend Roni Size’s rave 1,375 feet underground. Comes in three colourways. McIntyre is in for the blue-green. £200. At casio.com

Casio’s full-metal GMW-B5000SB got blinged out, with four lab-grown blue sapphires set into the bezel of the iconic square case. Second only to diamonds in hardness, the round-cut stones catch the light from every angle, with a blue trim around the face to match the gems. Everything else is all-black, from the IP-coated bezel and inverted LCD to the soft resin strap. Each stone is mounted on rubber, so it’s still every bit as tough as the original one. £680. At casio.com

This baby can be yours for less that £30. “Simple and stylish for a great affordable price point and available all over the world likely,” says Ross from TheCovertCrow. “The Casio Royale World time has so much function for the price and great for travel with time zones.” It comes in different variations, but at that price, you can get them all. £29.99. At argos.co.uk

Diver on a budget. Officially the internet’s most affordable diver, the analogue Casio Duro will take you as deep as 200m below. “I just vacationed with it recently, it’s tough and durable, not to mention attractive,” at around around £50, says Ross. We’re sold. £51.17. At amazon.co.uk

If you want to send a G-Shock fan into a panic, ask them to pick a favourite. “For G-Shock, I’m going to say any one you want, the entire design is top shelf,” says Ross. One of his favourites is the Mudman GW9500, which comes a bit slimmer and lighter than its Mudman cousin. The super reliable model is designed to withstand any harsh conditions and can be recharged by any kind of light source. At g-shock.co.uk

“Sometimes G-Shock designs are just too big for some wrists,” says Ross. “Casio created the Casioak, thinner case design and smaller profile for the wrist. Resembles the case design of the AP Royal Oak and comes in many different colours, a great option for women and men. I had to include this design.” At casio.com

“A certified ISO diver,” says Ross. A Frogman is a must, and bonus points if you can get your hands on a Japan-only model. Also a favourite of McIntyre. “Iconic shape,” he says. “Love the digital ones but the GWFA1000 analogue model is epic in size and iconic off set design. I’ll never need to dive with one but the Royal Navy collaboration is my pick of the bunch!” At gshock.casio.com

“A classic big digital G,” says McIntyre. “Great size and shape. My polar bear ICERC one is my highlight but the OG standard still rocks it.” The watch, equipped with three sensors, is capable of keeping altitude, barometric pressure, temperature, and direction readings. Honestly, you don’t need to be heading out on a mission to wear it — it’s super wearable and dare we say, stylish. At gshock.casio.com

A fitness tracker but make it a G. “I’m taking this on holiday as my main G,” says McIntyre. “Fitness tracking G-Shock perfect for me. Tracks all I need, syncs to Apple health and Strava and Google etc, but it’s a G-Shock. Super light and a great size and sporty feel.” At gshock.casio.com

THE goat. “Having grown up with Casio watches over the years, I appreciated the first ‘standard’ model of the re-issue but felt like it was missing a certain ‘wow’ factor to mark its 50th anniversary,” says collector Neil George. “The second model release had that ‘wow’ factor I was looking for. With a gorgeous combination of blue bezel, gold accents on a stainless steel case and bracelet that made this particular release truly eye catching, as well as, having the magical ability to empty funds from my bank account as a fitting 50th birthday present for myself!” At casio.com

“A revival and nod to the classic Casio F-100 launched in 1978,” says George. “Combined by the 80’s gaming classic that is Pac-Man (far too many nights spent in my childhood trying to improve my high score on my ‘Grandstand Pocket Pac-Man’ handheld game), this 2021 release is the perfect nostalgia piece for someone like myself. An aesthetically striking piece which makes me smile and takes me back to a more carefree time.” At casio.com

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