MDV106 Series | Unisex Analog Watch | 200M WR | Stainless Steel Case | Resin Band | 2 Hand Analog (HR, Min, SEC) | Date Display | Screw Down Crown/Screw Down Caseback | 3 Year Battery

>>Update 12/16/23<< I loved this watch for a few years. I loved the value for such an elegantly simple watch with such a rugged design. I really like the expansion of the new design options. Over the long term, however, I no longer have faith in the build quality of this watch. The first two of these lasted just over a year before they started loosing time. The case is bullet proof and the band is probably the toughest I’ve ever seen from a soft, flexible silicone/plastic band. However, my third one started loosing time only a few weeks after I started wearing it daily. I suspected this happened with the first two because the case is so heavy that kinetic type shocks and vibrations happen with extra force due to the extra mass which eventually damages the movement inside, likely the gears. But it happened so quickly with the third one and there was no sharp strike or vibration which should have caused it. To be clear, I’m EXCESSIVELY rough on my work watches (see the original review below). However, I became disappointed with the sturdiness of the movement installed in this watch. This watch does have a great, simple diver look and if you don’t beat the heck out of watches working in them they may hold up just fine. However, due to my waning confidence and the fact that the price has increased from $32 to $49 (but mostly the former) I don’t think I will be purchasing this watch any more. On the other hand, my current favorite work watch is the Casio AQ-S810W, “Tough Solar”. It’s not the same look as this watch but it has held up much better. In fact, it has held up the best as a work watch of any watch I’ve ever had. If you’re looking for tough maybe give that one a look. If you’re just looking for that diver look (but maybe not quite as tough) I still think this one is a good deal. >>Update 12/16/18<< I mentioned the simplistic look in my original review. Paired with the black silicone band that comes with the watch it is a bit of a utilitarian look. That’s fine for a work watch, quality silicone bands have a lot of advantages: they are very durable, very comfortable & very easy to keep clean day in & day out. On the other hand, I bought a few NATO/Zulu watch bands to swap around & use on a few of my watches for about $9-$13 each and what a difference! Almost all of my watches take a 22mm band (including this Casio diver) so I could swap them around & see what pairings I like the best. In addition, NATO/Zulu bands take about 5-10 seconds to swap out (without the use of tools once you have the old strap removed & spring bars in place). I added 2 pics to my review. One is my work watch (that I’ve been working in for about a year now) paired with a nylon band. By the way, it was actually my least favorite band which is why I put it on the work watch but it still looks really sharp! The other is my newest watch paired with a leather band (yep, I love this watch so much I got another one so I’ll have one I haven’t beat to death by working in it). It looks absolutely outstanding to the point it even makes a beautiful dress watch (albeit one that will take a heck of a beating!). Guys, I love watches. I already had an excellent dress watch. I have a Luminox blackout that I love. I have owned, literally, dozens of watches. This watch is the best value of any watch I have ever encountered and is one of my absolute favorites, ever. It’s an excellent work watch, an excellent dress watch and anything in between. >>Original Review<< To summarize: I’ve found this watch to be tough, functional & an unbelievably good value. Now, I’ve worn a watch 24/7/365 since I was in 3rd grade. If I can’t wear a watch to bed, in the shower & when I jump in the pool it’s not for me. While I have different watches for different needs (work, every day, dress, SCUBA diving) I have no need for a delicate, fragile watch. Also, doing HVAC, I work with my hands. Suffice it to say, I beat the everliving crap out of my work watches. I have been through dozens of work watches of various styles & brands through the years. By now Casio is pretty much the only brand I buy for work watches. In my experience, no other brand has even come close to the right balance of features, toughness, value & looks. I got this watch for a work watch. It has a clean, simple look, as most divers do, which makes it pretty easy to tell the time at a glance. It’s a tough, tough watch that takes a heck of a beating. That goes for the band as well. You could pair this watch with a better looking band but the silicone band that comes with it is made for comfort & longevity. Bands like this tend to last at least 2-3 years, even with the roughest of daily wear and they are extremely comfortable, especially after you break it in for a few weeks. The rotating bezel makes for a good, simple timer and the highly visible red second hand makes for simple timing for shorter periods. The low profile & smooth edges means it doesn’t get caught easily, even in tight areas. I’m going to give you some information but I want you to keep it in perspective. The dozens of work watches I’ve gone through before I started using Casios rarely made it even 6 months. I’m HARD on work watches. So my first one of these watches made it about 13 months before it developed a problem. It would loose time about once or twice a week. It would loose, maybe, 15 or 30 minutes suddenly and replacing the battery didn’t help. Now, for a work watch to last more than 12 months is very rare for me. Even the Casios that are still in working order after a year are so beat up I would replace them, always with a different watch that I thought had an interesting & useful set of features. But, for the first time, I replaced this watch with the same watch because I had liked it so much. My current one is 11 months old and still holding up quite well. Who knows, this may be my work watch for now on. This solid stainless steel case is practically bullet proof. That brings me to the negatives. That solid stainless steel case is relatively heavy. I have had heavier watches that beat up my hand & wrist. This one isn’t quite that heavy to me but if you’re used to Casios (which tend to be, overall, lighter than most watch brands) you may notice this watch is a little heavy. Having said that, it’s noticeable when you first put it on but I’ve gotten used to the weight very quickly & easily & it doesn’t bother me at all. Also, I would note the simplistic look. There are advantages & disadvantages to that extreme simplicity but it is perfectly inline with the style of a diver. I like the look of divers but it isn’t exactly the flashiest style for a dress watch. On the other hand, you could put a different band on it and enhance the stylishness quite a bit. So, this watch is, in my opinion, probably the best value I’ve seen. It’s a tough watch for a great price.

I received this watch on 1-20-2018. I received my first Casio watch on Christmas morning somewhere around 1979. That watch, a simple, black plastic digital one, kept working for about 15 years, on the same battery. This wasn't any great feat in my mind at the time. It was just all I really knew, except for the time when I got an Armitron calculator watch at some point. Not only did the Armitron not last, it also felt like it wouldn't last. The buttons were flimsy, the edges rough, and it had an overall plasticky feel, even though it was gold. My old Casio shined by comparison. My dad got himself the same one as me that Christmas, except in stainless, and anytime it came up in later years, he'd laugh and say something like "David, I think I wore that watch for thirty years and I only replaced the battery once." So that is what Casio is in my mind. One time at the office I said to a coworker that Casio was the best watch in the world. Of course he laughed and quickly pointed out that there are FAR better watches. And he was certainly correct, but not for the money. I've had a few other Casios in my life. A Forester model which was really cool because of the forest green color and the fact that it was a fishing watch. What "fishing watch" actually meant was that it would tell you the about the ocean tides. Living in New Mexico, this was totally useless, but I still liked the little fish that would appear when the tide was high or something. Another Casio I got was the one with the world time with the atomic clock sensor. This one was a little off. The light stopped working after a while and setting it was a pain. But it's still ticking in my drawer right now after eight or so years and I still wear it here and there. But probably not anymore. This watch...this watch has me all smiles. I don't really have words to say. I'm not necessarily a "watch guy" in that sense, but I have always had one on my left arm since the age of ten or so. And honestly if it wasn't for Casio, I probably would have skipped wearing one mostly. Casio doesn't always hit it out of the park. After all they live and breathe like the rest of us. Maybe that's what makes this one such a beauty. I bought a very nice Bulova a couple years back for around $400. I like that watch. I get compliments on it and for good reason. It's solid. It's heavy. They paid very close attention to the design and the finish is beautiful. It feels like a $400 dollar watch or more. It is perfect for wearing to the office. Well, not really. Not since 1-20-2018. I don't dive. I have never diven (?) OK I have never dived. But something about a watch that is designed to be SIX HUNDRED FEET UNDER WATER AND STILL WORK gets me interested. There are many watches that can do this and much more, but they are not this watch. If I was a Viking, this would be the watch I wore. So what can I say? Yes, the date is comically small. I need reading glasses for small print and still can't read the date with them on. I guess most people who have not just come out of a coma should know the date. Touche, Casio. Oh and the Lumiglo or whatever is weak and nearly pointless, but at least it's there. I do like to light it up with my phone flashlight and look at it in the closet, however. But if I tap the crystal with my fingernail you know, it feels like I am tapping bulletproof glass. The bezel has a great click and I actually find myself using it! I use it to time my commute, or to time how long the waiter takes to bring the food out after I order. This is the kind of watch that is not going to win you any likes or impress anyone, unless they are a very smart, unselfish engineer type. Maybe. With my Bulova, people have actually wanted to hold it, they have examined it closely and then complimented me on it, gave it back, and then looked at it on my arm as if they may mug me later. This one won't really do that. You are the only one who will ever truly appreciate what this watch is. It's a secret love affair. I like that about it. A few things that I will say that I haven't read about it in those other reviews. The band for one thing. It's pretty good. It looks all plasticky and horrible in the pictures, I thought anyway. But in fact it is pliable, if not supple, and rather well proportioned, if not svelte. The clasp is also sort of excellent. It's not cheap. It's like they actually realized that the clasp is just as important as the other parts. It's like some executive with Casio said "The clasp is the most important part of any watch. It's what keeps it on. Make it beefy." Yep. That's exactly what happened. It is well made, with a soft, rounded finish, and it makes a nice clink sound when you are putting it on. There's really nothing more to say. Except when I look at this watch to see what time it is, I know the time within .003 seconds of my eyes seeing the face. It's just so clear. And functional. And simple. I never really thought about that with any other watch, and I love it. So I'll stop now, but expect an update when this watch becomes less of what it is now, or in the year 2040, whichever comes first. ***UPDATE*** April 27, 2021 The watch has become slightly less of what it was then, but not really. Let me explain. This thing has lived on my arm most days since I bought it. That's about 1,200 days. Before you ask, I do not take the watch into water. No showering with it, no swimming with it. I don't sleep with it, but I do remodel homes here and there and other sweaty messy things too and it gets dirty sometimes. Anyways, my first tiny little bummer happened last June, though it was so tiny I did not do an update. The bummer was that the battery died. Bummer. So I took the watch in to some random fancy jewelry store I found on Google maps, and they replaced the battery. I waited five days for the job to be completed and it cost twenty bucks. I got the watch back and all was well. Then about four months later it died again. This time slightly more furious, I went to a little jewelry store I happened to be driving past and this guy took it apart, checked the battery, which he said was perfect, cleaned it really well and said it was probably just dirty inside. I suspected shoddy workmanship and/or a lack of attention to detail on behalf of the fancy place. So I was on my way with a clean, healthy watch. The guy didn't charge a dime and did this on the spot and it took five minutes. He was a pro. The watch actually seems to keep even more perfect time since that happened. Seriously. And then the other day the band broke while putting it on. (See pictures) I just ordered a genuine replacement band from Casio, and I noticed in the pictures that the replacement says Casio JAPAN on it, while my original one says CHINA. (See pictures) So I have high hopes for the new one. Other than these two things, the watch has been stellar.

I've only had the watch now for a few days, so this review will stand as an initial impressions statement. I will, however, return and expand upon my review as time goes on. You can see this on my Casio W-735H review. I bought this watch so that I'd have a real diver style watch for our vacation to St. Lucia. I wanted something that looked and felt the part and could actually take some abuse in the water, but not make me cry if it breaks or I lose it. Initial impressions: Really beautiful color, I got the blue dial and bezel and it's an extremely deep, gorgeous azure. The size and heft are perfect for me, I have a 7.25" wrist and this fits perfectly. Any larger and it would look a little ridiculous. I'm not normally into polished cases like this one has, but I'm ok with it. The bezel is hard to turn, but that's actually a design feature. Dive watches are meant to be uni-directional and you really don't want them just freely spinning, it's meant to track usable oxygen in a tank, after all. I put mine on a NATO band and it fits the style very well, but I was not prepared for how good the stock bands are, they feel like very decent quality for mass produced plastic. The operation is silent, I'm sure that's from the density of the case and crystal, but it's totally silent, even when I held it up to my ear, I couldn't hear anything. I also have no idea how deep I'm going to take this watch, but the 200 meter depth rating instills confidence. I'll go nowhere near that, but it's still a nice feature. Gripes: Almost everything I have an issue with is subject to personal bias based on a design (artistic) choice and will not be applicable to most other people. First, I don't care for how small the Casio name and the Marlin logo at the bottom is on the dial, not a good use of negative space. Next, I also wish the lumed indices were slightly larger to help eat into the dial center a little more as well as the date window and number, I feel it's a little small. Again, a negative space design choice. I feel if the dial were balanced out just a little better, this would become my favorite daily wear watch. Very personal, small dings that really only matter to me. Some things that aren't design gripes? This thing really does attract fingerprints and it shows them off in all their detail, so I find myself constantly wiping them away. Also, you can get a pretty bad glare off the crystal unless it's pointed straight at your face. Lastly, the lume doesn't last very long, maybe 15 minutes before it's pretty well dead. In perfectly dark environments I'm sure you might still be able to see it, but not in partially lit, but still very dark areas. Overall impression after just a week: I really enjoy wearing and looking at this watch, the deep blue color catches my eye and I tilt and turn in the light so that I can see the ultra deep color through the crystal. And, for what it's worth, it's plenty accurate from what I can tell (quartz watches usually are). The value for money is just off the charts, even Bill Gates wears one and he can afford like...any watch...company, he can afford a whole watch company, he could afford a bunch of watch companies, multiple factories, the people to make them, stores...and yet, he wears one of these....so yeah....The value is there. Anyone who wants to get into diver watches should really look at these, give them a try and see if you like the style. There are also plenty of colors to choose from and lots of NATO straps out there to help complete the look, if that's your thing. Somehow, this piece manages to have it's cake and eat it to, and then go back for seconds. It looks amazing, works very well and yet, is so cheap that you wish you bought another one, just for fun. Other than my design dings, there isn't much to dislike about this watch. Right about now I wish I'd bought a solar model, but that's only so that I'd never have to change a battery. I'm also very surprised by the following that Casio has on Reddit. The Casio subreddit is loaded with people who love their cheap, yet incredibly accurate, amazingly tough and truly capable watches, and now, I'm one of them.

As my eyesight gets worse with age, I was looking for a durable, waterproof, easy-to-read watch with a simple timer that looked great on my wrist. I own both a Fitbit and Apple watch – I was getting tired of being tracked all the time and getting notifications about everything (which yes, I know can be adjusted). I’ve owned Casio watches before and still have a G-Shock digital that’s been running great for almost 20 years, so after reading many reviews here on Amazon and elsewhere, it was an easy decision to make. I went with the black face and bezel model, although you really can’t go wrong with any of the other colors offered. It’s a classic diving watch that, in my opinion, looks sturdy, cleaner and more elegant than some of the more expensive competitors. Given Casio’s proven durability over the decades and the price point of this particular watch, you can't miss with this one. There are a ton of You Tube videos and review articles online about this diver (which is a bit of a cult classic it seems) – the vast majority of which are overwhelmingly positive, so I won’t add much more here that hasn’t already been stated there. One common “complaint” that I noticed though is regarding the stock watchband. Many are critical of it, but I tend to disagree. I did take the advice of some and tried a few different aftermarket bands – the Barton elite silicone, a Ritchie classic leather band, and a Ritchie nylon NATO strap (all available on Amazon). With the exception of the NATO, I personally found the stock Casio diver band the watch comes with to be the most comfortable of the others tried – not taking away from or knocking the others by any means, it’s just a “why spend the extra money” type thing for a $50-ish watch. Simply a personal thing… Re the NATO strap in my pics: I did keep the Ritchie Premium Nylon strap to compliment the watch. It really does dress it up and make the timepiece pop for more “formal” occasions if you will – and very comfortable too. For everyday use though, the stock classic diver-style band turned out to be the most practical for me – one I recommend over aftermarket options and especially for those in the trades or who are knocking around on the beach, out hunting, at the lake, etc. If I had to be critical of any aspect of this watch, it would be the luminescent capacity of the hands and markers – something also frequently mentioned in many of the reviews I read online. It’s marginal at best. When blasted with high intensity light, the markers glow brilliantly initially, but it does seem to fade quick. I mention it because if this is an important feature for you night owls, it is something to consider. For me, it’s acceptable and not enough of a factor for me to change my rating of the piece. Bottom line is that I highly recommend this waterproof diver. It’s superior quality with Casio durability and reliability at a price that can’t be beat. It keeps d***-near perfect time and doesn’t have to be charged on a daily basis or wound ever – just a simple, inexpensive battery keeps it going for a couple of years. You will not be disappointed with this one! Thx, DT Edit 2/2/2024: A word on timekeeping: Having owned this watch for a while now, it does GAIN a few seconds every month. I go to www.time.gov to set adjust time every now and then... It's still more accurate than my other watches though - amazing considering this is a $50-ish dollar piece. Highly recommend this watch!

When I was in junior high, this watch came out brand new, and it was the hottest thing that all the girls wanted. I was one of those girls. My sweet mother saw to it that I got that watch for Christmas! I LOVED that watch. Groups of us would go to the movies; there was always an occasion for the need of a light — somebody dropped something and needed to find it … somebody spilled food or drink and needed/wanted to clean up the mess … one of us always needed something in our purse and needed to be able to see inside it to find the coveted item … or the movie just sucked; but I paid good money to see it; so I’d frequently check my watch for the time, to estimate how much longer I had to suffer through it! That watch’s light was instrumental in achieving all those things, and more! It was fabulous! I don’t know what happened to that watch; but I have really missed it through the years. Recently, I’ve experienced various needs for a digital watch. I haven’t cared much for the big, bulky watches that are digital, as I am petite and have small bones; those bulky things take over my arm, and, quite frankly, they look ridiculous on me. Even though they are “women’s watches,” they all look like I borrowed my dad’s watch and customized the size of the band. Plus, I _really_ wanted a digital watch with a light — one that was feminine and classy, so that I could dress it up or down and wear it anywhere, if I wanted/needed to! I regretted more and more not knowing what happened to that watch from my junior high days, especially since I seem to have an aversion to “smart watches,” which seem to be the only thing close in size that would work on me. Then I found this little watch! I couldn’t believe that Casio still offers it! It looks just like the one I had in junior high school! It even said in the description that it has a LIGHT! I knew it was the right size for me! It has everything I wanted — ease of use … very easy programming … it has the date, a stopwatch, and an alarm, along with, of course, the time! Plus it’s lovely to look at, it could go dressy or casual, it doesn’t swallow my entire arm, its band is adjustable [though it wasn’t easy to adjust — I had to get a guy to close it in place for me, as I just wasn’t strong enough to close the clamp, myself], it’s very feminine, and it keeps PERFECT time! I was THRILLED that I had found my long-lost watch from so many years gone by; and, since both of my parents are deceased now, even though I was buying it for myself, it felt like my parents were buying it FOR me, once again, with all of that parental love attached to it! I couldn’t wait to get my perfect little watch in the mail! I LOVE this watch. HOWEVER, the description LIED — it does NOT have a LIGHT! That really bummed me out. The other thing that bothers me is that the alarm is SO soft that I cannot HEAR it! It must be a sound/frequency that only dogs can hear! It will NOT wake me up from a nap, nor will it remind me to take my next pill or anything of the sort! I can put it right up to my ear, and I absolutely cannot hear it [and I have EXCELLENT hearing]! It DOES _have_ an alarm FEATURE, though … unlike the LIGHT that the description said it had, but in fact it does NOT. I still love the watch. It makes me feel close to my deceased family. It brings back cherished memories. It looks lovely on my boney arm. [lol!] It’s elegantly tailored, beautifully feminine and quite versatile … so yes, I decided to keep it. More than anything, though, I wish it had that LIGHT! Casio has always had a superb reputation as a watch of quality. This watch holds up to Casio’s reputation. It really DOES keep PERFECT time! I would absolutely recommend this little watch to any female, who is petite like me, who doesn’t wish to feel like she's wearing a man’s watch, but rather wants to continue feeling like a female wearing a watch. If she wants something versatile and lovely to wear as a timepiece, that keeps perfect time, is digital, and has helpful functions, this little watch is as close to perfect as she can get … barring the fact that the alarm is worthless and THERE IS NO LIGHT! 😁. The biggest plus, though, is that it’s “all that” and its price is quite reasonable! It will never go out of style, either; it’s just an absolute classic! Nevertheless, if they ever make one of these [this exact style and size, that is] WITH a light again, you betcha I’ll go ahead and buy _that_ one, especially if they don’t raise the price of the watch! Oh — one little word of caution — the band CAN catch the “peach-fuzz” on your arm and pull those hairs, which can be very uncomfortable, not to mention annoying and downright painful. However, if you just adjust the band, you will find the right band size, and it will cease the torture! If you are considering this little watch, I say, “Buy it!” I love it. It looks beautiful, feminine, and elegant! You really cannot go wrong with this one. I just wish the description that is posted with this item would not publish the untruth that it lights up, when it, in fact, does NOT. Otherwise, it’s a great find. 😉

I'm a watch snob. I hate quartz. I prefer mechanical watches. Even so, I really like this watch and I wear it now as my daily driver. I'm quite surprised that I could learn to love a cheap $40 watch like this one. I have a collection of elegant mechanical wristwatches, that include everything from the basic stainless steel Swiss dive watch to more expensive French and German horological timepieces with power meters and moon phase complications (but no tourbillions). I bought this watch to replace my daily driver, which was a fully mechanical oyster day-date watch by a famous watch company. My previous daily driver had a band that kept failing due to a heavier than steel case and a band that allowed too much force to be transferred to the spring bars when I would bump the watch into something. As a result the band would bend the spring bars and detach from the oyster case whenever I bumped the case once too often and too hard. (I do this a lot, I'm very hard on watches and I end up eventually destroying every watch that I wear as a daily driver.) My last daily driver invariably ended up have a let-go by the strap while loading some gear, causing it to go bouncing to the ground. My nice day-date mechanical watch ended up taking regular beatings. I typically had to replace the spring bars once every month or two. The third time that I had to replace the crystal I decided that the body was so beaten that I wasn't going to repair it any more. I needed a more durable cheap / disposable watch that I could afford to sacrifice to the rigors of daily activity. The Duro fit the bill. I had reservations about the Duro for several reasons, one being that it's quartz, and I hate quartz watches. I got into mechanical watches because I don't like dealing with the hassle of replacing quartz batteries. Another reservation is that no real dive watch can have a quartz battery, for obvious safety reasons. Another reservation is that I don't particularly like leather or rubber/silicone bands, and prefer a heavy metal oyster-type bracelet. Perhaps the biggest reservation was the ridiculously large size of the Duro, which is so large that it's comical -- the lug-to-lug distance is 48mm and the case diameter is 44mm. With a 44mm case diameter the Duro definitely qualifies as a Bozo / Stallone / Schwarzenegger watch (think Panerai). Much to my surprise, the Duro "wears smaller" on the wrist than its 44/48mm measurements would predict. The lugs are arched downward toward the wrist instead of outwards, so that the band is more likely to wrap downward than to stick out sideways and elevate the watch on your wrist. The rubber strap is well-shaped, flexible and wears quite well. The result is that the watch wears comfortably and much smaller on my 7+ inch wrist than I would have expected. Being someone who believes that an optimal man's watch size is in the range of 38-40mm, I never would have predicted that the 44mm Duro would wear so well. I had reservations about the Bozo size and I had been putting off purchasing it for years because of it. When my other watch finally suffered it's coup de grace, I decided to order the Duro. Those reservations that I had turned out to be unfounded. I recommend this watch. It's good looking, it seems pretty durable, it's got quartz accuracy, the curved lugs don't overhang the wrist, it wears well and the fit and finish are of surprisingly outstanding quality. The mineral crystal is adequately durable, and the one-direction rotating bezel has 30-second clicks. The lume is OK but doesn't have great persistence. At this price point nothing more should be expected. All things considered, it's hard to find a better dive-look watch with such good fit and finish. At this price point my plan is to sacrifice it as a daily beater, throw it away and replace it with another one when it comes time to change the battery. By that time I expect that I will have beaten it to death and I'll need to replace it based on looks alone. When that time comes I'll probably buy another Duro. Highly Recommended, much to my own surprise.

I bought the Casio MDV-106AV (the box is labeled MDV-106-1AVCF) dive watch so that I'd have a watch to wear when I was doing something I didn't want to subject my "nice" dive watch to. Never mind the fractured logic of spending a small fortune to buy a rough, tough, but very elegant do-it-all watch, and then buying another one to wear when I don’t want to put a scratch on my fancy rough tough watch. Sigh. It's like those SUV drivers that crawl through puddles so they don’t splash and get their cars dirty. My interest in dive watches isn't because I dive, it's because I've gotten older. I've worn digital watches for roughly the last 35 years, but my eyes aren't up to them anymore. Even as digital watches got huge (G-Shock anyone?) the area of the watch face devoted to telling the time remained tiny. It's been over 10 years since I could read mine without my reading glasses. Dive watches are, with few exceptions, the most easily readable watches out there. Yes, there are "Easy Reader" watches, but if you don't want to look like you stole a nurse's watch, get a dive watch instead. I wanted something easy to read with or without my glasses, and waterproof. Analog dive watches fit the bill, and the Casio MDV-106 is one of the very best for readability and overall appearance. It is easily THE best if you factor in value for dollar. The bezel measures 43.5mm across the knurled edge, which is about average for men’s dive watches these days. To my eye it looks just right on my wrist, and being a little large doesn’t hurt the readability one bit. It passes the “can I read it without my reading glasses?” test with flying colors! The thickness is 12.3mm (just under half an inch), which is thinner than most other dive watches, even the Swiss watches, and almost 5mm thinner than the rubber-armored Casio G-Shock digital I’ve been wearing for the last 10 years. It is refreshing to have long-sleeve shirt cuffs glide right over it. The crystal is absolutely flat and sits very slightly (0.5mm perhaps?) proud of the bezel, which slopes downward slightly from the crystal to the knurled edge. The whole bezel/glass interface is exceptionally handsome, and with the flat glass and low bezel, you don't get that 'looking down into a well' feeling that some other dive watches give. The face of the watch is a marvel of clarity, with only "Casio", their marlin dive watch logo, and "WR200m" written on it, unlike some brands that print the watch's entire resume on the face. Clean, clear and uncluttered, enhancing readability. There are nice touches all over this watch: all the dots of lume on the face have polished stainless surrounds (note: “lume” is used interchangeably to mean the glow-in-the-dark material or the glow itself, i.e., “Seiko uses a proprietary strontium-aluminate lume”, or, “Man, you could read by that lume!”), the one-way bezel ratchets very positively, if a bit stiffly, with 120 clicks per rev, the crown guards are nearly as tall as the crown, the pointer end of the second hand is very thin and painted red so it will never be confused with the hour and minute hands, and the face is mostly just black, clean, and uncluttered. The sides of the case are highly polished, but the tops of the lugs (i.e., the part you see when reading the time) have a less reflective brushed finish, making it easier to read in bright sunlight. Rolex should look this good. The band is 22mm wide, exactly the right width for a watch this size. Is there anything I would change? Sure, to my eye the hands look just a tiny bit skinny; I'd make them 20% wider. I'd also make the date window twice as big; it's hard to read even with my glasses. And finally the lume; this watch really needs better lume, good luck finding it in the dark let alone reading it. Note to Casio: buy the stuff Seiko uses! Overall I think this watch is an absolute steal at $40. It has none of the bling factor or cachet of Rolex or Omega, or even Seiko's high-end divers, but it does the same job ('cept for the lume) at a tiny fraction of their price, and looks amazing doing it. If it's function you care about, not flash, this is the watch for you. Admit it, we've all had meals that cost more than this, and were far less satisfying. My fancy, expensive watch may spend a lot of time in the drawer. The three pictures show the bezel/glass interface, a simulated view without my reading glasses (I can actually see a little better than the picture), and how it looks on my wrist.

So of course, like millions of other watch lovers, I eventually succumbed to the hype and purchased the venerable casio Duro. I held out for so long fearful of the 44mm size, mineral crystal and quartz sensibility. In the end what got me over the hump was losing yet another orient mako in the dust; my first one was lost at sea when a particularly robust wave in Hawaii hit it knocking it off it's bracelet and a second used model recently, when I foolishly tried to regulate it myself (risks of ebay purchases) and just couldn't keep away from the hairspring (this one also had a stuck day pusher so wasn't completely missed). I still had the OEM bracelet from the original mako, since I never really liked it on the watch, feeling it was too bulky for the 41mm case, and this was probably why I lost the watch (the aftermarket bracelet I swapped didn't fit as well). However I still kept the bracelet as it remained the only reminder of the watch which was gifted to me from friends and colleagues when I left a particularly loved place of work, for a move out of town. However, this time I waffled on getting yet another orient mako, as I wasn't as enamored of it as I was previously. I hated the bezel that looked great but could barely be turned. And I was never a fan of the day date window (too cluttered and date is sufficient) and non winding inaccurate automatic movement. I wore it rarely... So I decided this time to look into possible alternatives to fill the cheap name brand Japanese dive watch slot achingly waiting to be filled, and hopefully one with 22mm lugs so I could repurpose that bracelet and still be reminded of that gift. However all the options, aside from the mako, were well above 200$ (unless I risked going used and perhaps reenacting how I lost my last Japanese dive watch). I wondered if it was worth risking only $50 to see if the Duro would fit. And it did! And like so many others, after finally seeing the Duro in the flesh, I succumbed to it's charms. it's not that big...an omega planet ocean 43.5 is as big if not bigger so well wearable on my 7" wrist; also on casio quartz watches, the seconds hand hits all the markers! the lume while not superb still reads at 4am if charged before bed, which is better than my Invicta 1953. The sunburst dial and marlin logo is charming. And the 120 click unidirectional bezel is much better to use than the mako one and still aligned correctly, unlike the one on my 1953. Also the mako bracelet size and minimal taper fits this case size much better than it ever did on the mako. And the bracelet seems to elevate the duro as well, making it seem so much more premium. A match that works in so many ways! And now with many more watches in my collection, I see the value in having a quartz daily as it is always ready to return to when I've rotated something else in temporarily. Now I have a new daily beater that I like wearing a lot more. It allows me to see that gifted orient bracelet on a regular basis and keeps yet another important sentimental item in the rotation. So glad I went for it! Addendum: as this is the mdv 106 (vs the 107), this is the model that has the Marlin which is now discontinued per the license apparently not being renewed. I'm glad I got this version as it won't be available when the current stock runs out. Something to consider if you are on the fence and want a new Duro watch with the marlin logo on it.

Nice looking 'marlin' divers watch. Quite big which appeals to me with a 7" plus wrist, but bear in mind for slimmer wrists. Usual Casio quality and every watch collector should have a Casio even if you're into luxury watches. You can't beat them for everyday drivers (I own quite a few G-Shocks). The strap is a bit basic as expected,but I swapped it out for a nicer one I had, but would look good with a NATO. Took a while to arrive as an import but worth waiting for.

Good and reliable quality. Satisfied.

Muy bonito y lo mejor, la calidad de la marca.

Superbe montre, belle, fiable, étanche ( à 200m!) et solide: Qualité Casio! Le tout pour un prix serré Elle a mis un peu de temps à arriver des USA, pour cause de délais de dédouanement, mais j'étais informé régulièrement de son statut. Je possède également le modèle identique sans le marlin et donc encore moins chère, que j'avais malheureusement rayé dans une chute de vélo à laquelle mon poigné, lui, n'a pas résisté. D'où ce nouvel achat. Merci Amazon!

Lovely little watch for my daughter, right up until she took it off and lost it.