Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Affordable Luxury Watch: Casio A159WAD-1

Proposing using a diamond; in this case two diamonds....





Diamonds are forever....... a symbol of everlasting love; A vow of for better, for worse... until death do us apart is incomplete without a sparkling diamond ring. This is not about any engagement ring; it is about probably the cheapest diamonds watch around. 
Yes, two natural genuine non-conflict diamonds on a digital quartz watch. Is a Casio alright..... But not the infamous G-Shock or the MT-G, but the cult status Casio A159. 




Casio A159 is the stainless steel edition of the Casio F-91W. The F-91W is the highly popular Casio standard digital watch. The original F-91W was introduced in 1991 and is still in production and of high demand. It is popular for its simplicity, reliability, functionality, and unpretentious, clean design. Below is how a stock or common A159 look like.....



For a limited time and a single batch production, Casio is coming out with these diamonds enhanced A159. There are four variants; two steels and two golds; one for the men and one for the youth or female. 



After learning about these Casio from social media, I pressed my order through a local Casio Authorised dealer. Within a week or so, the stock finally arrived.  I bagged mine for less than USD 40 and the watch is only retailing at RM 190++ in Malaysia. This is really affordable pricing for a diamond watch. 

The watch comes in an unassuming white paper box.....




With some Japanese words and Casio printed. What it stated is that the paper cupboard is from recycled material and the plastic watch case is also from recycled PE material. 


Casio A159WAD-1 differed from normal A159 in two ways: -

1) Its dial. A159WAD-1 has a much simple black dial with less writing than normal dial. It has one genuine diamond on top and one at the bottom of the dial. Casio has stressed that the diamonds have been purchased in compliance with the United Nations resolutions, from legitimate sources that are not involved in the funding of conflict or war. No synthetic diamonds are used. The diamonds are the star of these watches. The shinning diamonds on its black dial give it a luxurious appeal.



2) Rather than flat resin glass, A159WAD-1 features a cut, multi-faceted resin glass. This gives an addition of class and elegance for a somewhat modest digital watch. 


Casio also cannot emphasize enough that A159WAD-1 is Made in Japan. 


This watch is measuring at 36.8×33.2×9.7mm and has a total weight of 45gm. 



The only dissatisfaction I have with this watch is its case. A159W case is chrome plated. It would be nice if Casio uses mash polished stainless steel case for this watch. That would blend more well with the stainless steel bracelet. 


The stainless steel band for this watch is of insignificant weight and provides quite a comfy wear.  It is equipped with an adjustable clasp that ensures a secure and tight fit. 





The clasp is signed with CASIO and has a hologram sticker to declare its authenticity. 


The A159WAD-1 has a ​1⁄100 second stopwatch with a count up to 59:59.99 (nearly one hour). Marking net and split time (lap) is also featured. There are the options of an hourly time beep and a single daily alarm lasting 20 seconds. It has an automatic calendar, although auto-adjustment for leap years is not supported. So you can only see 28 on February.


The watch is controlled by three push-buttons. The upper left button turns on the LED light, cancels the alarm, resets the stopwatch or marks the split (lap) time, and is used for selecting settings. The lower left button cycles the modes of the watch: time display, alarm, stopwatch, and time/date adjustment. The button on the right is the function button: when used it starts and stops the stopwatch, changes the settings currently being adjusted, or switches between the 12- and 24-hour modes.


This watch offers excellent time keeping as Casio stated an accuracy of ±30 seconds per month. 


The watch is powered by a single CR2016 3-volt lithium button cell, which lasts at least seven years. However it is not uncommon for the batter to last 10 years or more.....


The stainless steel case back of this watch is secured using 4 screws. This watch is water resistant and means for everyday use. The watch is worn all over the world. Its good design, high durability, low price and user friendly simplicity all contribute to this phenomenon. By any rights, this watch is a classic masterpiece.



For those who is going to propose to your loved one; maybe instead of a diamond ring, you can opt for a diamond watch..... and it won't break your bank or wallet. If she really loves and cares for you, she will accept it wholeheartedly. 



Disclaimer: If your girlfriend rejects your proposal or goes bizarre and throws the Casio at you....... Please do not sue me..........