I do have a couple of old Casio models I bought many years ago, both at the lower price range bought with a few years between each other, they are actually versions of the same model AW80 Telememo 30.  Both times these I confess bought as “holiday” watches and when I was working in Africa.  The second one with the nylon strap was an emergency purchase as my current watch at the time was “drowned” in a river crossing and was declared deceased.  Both Casio models are still working perfectly and I have to admit both are also nice to wear and as fairly dependable timekeepers not at all bad.

Casio Telememo 30 – two versions

Specification wise these are typical Casio – 50m Water Resistance (100m now I believe), World Time for 29 Time Zones, Stopwatch, 3 Alarms including 24 hour countdown, LED light, Hourly time signal etc etc.  But one of the best things I do like about both of them is that they are a sensible size!  Just 40mm diameter and a height of only 13.5mm including the domed crystal.  And that’s one of the problems I have at the moment looking at current Casio models – many of them such as the ProTrek or G-Shock are very large indeed and simply look silly on my smallish wrist and uncomfortable because of it.  A pity really as these ones are those that seem to get my interest.  So can I find a really well Casio specified up to date model that I can actually wear without looking like a geek!  I could of course get another one just like those two above – but I mean – two the same is careless, but three!  I mostly want something that’s really moved on since then – something new!

Now it is also fact that I did own two more up market Casio models.  One was a Radio Controlled low price model that a friend who passed away left me, which was OK but not my style and I gave it to a young son of another friend.  The other was entirely different and at the time bought directly from Japan, before it was available in Europe, but I sold it on – and why?

Oceanus Manta and cheaper friend – also RC.

It was a Casio Oceanus Manta Radio Controlled model, World Timer, Solar etc etc. and very expensive too I recall, but for all that, I found it annoyingly difficult to read.  Such a simple thing really in that there was too much chrome edging to numerals and hands and the crystal was not the best anti-reflect I’ve come across.  So whilst a superbly made and specified watch, it annoyed me intensely, and it had to go.  I mean there was my old £12.50 in a shop sale Casio Telememo 30 sitting there and I could see it and read it easily! And it even had World Time too!

So OK I’m looking to find a Casio that is really well specified, but easy to see, read and use – and it must NOT be too large.  Seems simple doesn’t it?

However after looking around when writing the last post on Casio it was then and now apparent that there are just so many models available from Casio that this might not be an easy task.  Especially as I am a Watch Collector – and we as a species are pretty fickle indeed!  Some would ask why I’m wasting my time with these digital quartz affairs when much of my collection is composed of classical mechanical timepieces?

My answer is simple really as I collect any type of watch, be it mechanical or digital and often whilst looking for a particular “look”, come across one though preferred mechanical is actually quartz – then so be it.  In fact I have a collection split of 50/50 mechanical to digital, so it is not a problem for me and in fact is fun.  It is a different kind of “like” I suppose, the mechanical movements models delight me in their complications, skill and quality of manufacture – also there is an elegance from some of the very old established Swiss makers that simply cannot be surpassed – the fact that perhaps made in 1885 a timepiece is still performing almost as good as when it was first hand made – is a total joy for me.  Just to wear it and watch it perform.

Quartz watches have their own charm I suppose – the ingenuity of micro-electronics and lots of functionality allied to a visually pleasing case and face, within a small dimension is a skill too.  The continual historical reference of many watchmakers today even with digital application is gratifying – those that can merge the two usually make watches that I would want today.  But as for the Casio style – I already have a few of their great rival Citizen both modern and also 1970’s vintages and still have to acquire a good example or examples of Seiko, another excellent name from the 1970’s to the present.

But it’s Casio I’m looking at this year and my quest begins now and over the next few posts I’ll check out what’s on offer.

I have to say I’m quite looking forward to it!