Spending Time With The Casio F-91W — A Watch Far More Rugged Than We May Think

I think it’s fair to say that the Casio F-91W is a watch with legendary status. In this feature, I look at why such status is well deserved. The Casio F-91W has served well on the wrists of people around the globe. In my travels as a journalist, I have regularly seen the F-91W on the wrists of all sorts of folks, from rebels and spies to everyday people. In my photo above, it’s on the wrist of a member of the Karen National Liberation Army, an armed pro-democracy ethnic group in Myanmar. Perhaps that is a story for another day.

Casio is a brand that sparks fond memories for many of us here at Fratello. For some of us, a Casio watch represents the moment we started to get involved with this hobby or learned to appreciate the durability of something like a G-Shock. For example, my colleague Gerard knows a thing or two about G-Shocks, and we even did a podcast on the subject, which you can watch here. Fratello Managing Editor Nacho’s first watch was the very one I am writing about today, the Casio F-91W.

Casio: a popular brand here at Fratello 

It should come as no surprise that my colleague Thor also spoke highly of this watch. In this article, he talked about how the Casio F-91W forced him to re-evaluate his entire collection (in the best way). The humble appeal of this sub-€20 watch is addictive. Nacho even tracked down images of himself as a kid wearing his Casio F-91W. I must say, it’s pretty awesome that he rediscovered it years later with his “N” still proudly etched on the case back.

In short, it’s fair to say Casio has a special place in the hearts of many of our writers and, I am sure, many of our readers too. This includes world-record-holding deep diver Nuno Gomes, who swears by G-Shocks. In addition, you can watch our podcast episode about Casio G-Shock watches below.

Specifications belie a certain toughness

In the brand’s marketing lingo, the Casio F-91W is described as a “vintage digital watch.” This is to reflect the fact that not too much has changed since it was introduced in 1989. Unlike the G-shock line, the Casio F-91W is a stripped-down, come-as-you-are digital watch. There are no superlative durability tests here, folks. But despite the humble “water resistance” rating (3 ATM), tests have repeatedly shown that this little watch can handle far more than that.

In one video, as shown above, YouTube reviewer Harrison Elmore even went so far as to do an in-water pressure test to 60 meters. The watch passed with flying colors. It is an interesting video to watch for those of us who have ever been hesitant to take this little Casio into the water.

Personal experience with the Casio F-91W in the ocean

While swimming and free diving off the coasts here in Sydney, I have seen this little Casio strapped to the wrists of many ocean-going adventurers. In the spirit of wanting to conduct a fair and proper test of this watch’s water resistance, I put my money where my mouth is, bought a Casio F-91W, and took it swimming. I’m happy to report it performed flawlessly. I would happily take this watch swimming now.

You see, Casio drastically undersells the durability of this watch. The 34mm resin case is a mere 8.5mm thick and wears beautifully on my 15.25cm (6″) wrist. The rectangular shape lends itself well to larger wrists too. The metal case back is held in place with four screws. Inside is a Casio quartz module 593, which provides an alarm and chronograph function as well as the ability to utilize 24-hour time. The 18mm lug spacing has even led to an entire ecosystem of Casio enthusiasts who put these little watches on NATO straps. You can see some examples here.

A watch with a military aura

Among the many different wearers of this watch, some also include members of the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). In this article on Watches of Espionage, one such member spoke of how the cheap little Casio F-91W was the perfect tool for the job. Being small, durable, and low-key, the Casio accompanied the writer, J.R. Seeger, on his missions in Afghanistan in 2001.

In the article, which I strongly recommend our readers check out, Mr. Seeger notes how after receiving the watch he “wore the F-91W for another two years and then switched to a G-Shock. At the end of the day, a good tool watch is important. What you need depends on where you are. Today, I have far more watches than I need. Most of [them] are inexpensive mechanical tool watches, and I enjoy wearing them. I recently had the 1971 Bulova serviced, and it will remain a cherished possession. But, I still have an F-91W in the inventory — just in case.”

Perfection in imperfection

The Casio F-91W is far from perfect. The backlight is, frankly, almost useless. And while the watch is comfortable to wear thanks to its relative lightness, the plastic strap can get sticky and feel stiff in certain conditions. The buckle, at times, can dig into my wrist, which isn’t great either. Getting the correct fit for me is a little difficult, too, because my wrist size seems to fit somewhere between two different buckle settings.

But the watch’s thin profile makes it marvelous to wear and helps the watch disappear from my mind while it is on my wrist. This might sound strange, but I see this little Casio as a bit of a “zen watch.” It just sort of resets the mental taste buds and gets out of the way while you live your life.

Closing thoughts 

Next on my list of things to do with this Casio F-91W is to take it on an underwater photography session. It should prove the perfect companion to track time spent in the ocean as I go about my merry way with the various marine life in the Pacific Ocean near the place I call home. After testing it out during an ocean swim, I have complete confidence that it should handle this just fine. Indeed, I think it’s fair to say that this little Casio is far more durable than perhaps we have given it credit for.

This little Casio F-91W is a fantastic watch, and I can see why it is so fondly appreciated by watch enthusiasts the world over. But what do you think, Fratelli? Is this a watch you would own or have owned, and what do you think of it compared to, say, something like a G-Shock? Oh, and one more question: what’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done with one of these Casios strapped to your wrist? Let me know in the comments.