In a word, yeah. The Casio A159WAD-1D should be included in your collection, in my opinion. Why? Well, there’s more to that than just the low price of $70; it’s also settling even lower, at about $35 at Walmart, Amazon, and other retailers. The Casio A159WAD-1D, a version of the A159 line from the company’s “Casio Retro” range of vintage-inspired watches, was unveiled in 2018. Hey, why not let this A159 receive the same love if you care about the organization of collections and the history of luxury watches? Now let’s see how this “little watch that could” performs and why I recently found myself wearing it nonstop.
As our watch collecting habits and ambitions develop, many watch lovers, though not all, tend to choose mysterious brands and timepieces. At some point, a fast glance at a watch will tell you more than it formerly did; you’ll be able to rapidly and accurately evaluate the level of sophistication of its case and bracelet, dial, and hands and know its movement by heart. This is the stage where we could want to learn more about the motivations and methods behind a specific reference, collection, or brand.
The watch itself comes next, and this is where the fun starts. Let’s be sure we are looking at the right thing first. The Casio A159WAD-1D has 36.8 mm x 33.2 mm dimensions, is only 9.7 mm thick, and weighs only 45 g (1.58 oz). Pick it up, and the ostensibly five-piece link bracelet rattles loudly—not just at its loose ends, which are positioned around the open clasp, but also between the lugs. Because of the generous tolerance levels used in the end link construction, the entire bracelet wobbles as it slides down the spring bar. You still don’t have the sensation that the device will come apart or fall off your wrist any time soon, despite the cheap rattling and the fact that a single link from a Rolex Oyster bracelet seems more durable and valuable than this complete device. It simply has the worn-in appearance of a vintage Rolex that has been used for 20–30 years. The benefit? This loose bracelet, like many others, is incredibly comfortable to wear because it conforms to the wrist’s curve more freely. Although your results may vary, I didn’t pull my hair while wearing it, which surprised me because I anticipated a lot of it. It might happen briefly when wearing the watch, but never once.
Both clear and readable, the square LCD panel is classic in style. It’s pretty obvious (even if, in some photographs, it might appear to have less contrast between the active and inactive parts of the display). This is the best readable watch I currently own by a wide margin, taking first place in this very significant race. The comically poor “LED” light hidden on the left side of the display at night is a sharp reminder of the $35 price tag: its weak green light barely reaches the hour display, with some light-bleed getting it over to the minute’s collection. However, at twilight or on a stairway with low lighting, you’ll likely miss some good old Super-Lum Inova or, more specifically, some Timex Indigo deliciousness. Time can be seen entirely when conditions are so gloomy that the display cannot be read without the light’s assistance.
Nevertheless, there are many redeeming qualities in the Casio A159WAD-1D. Again, it cannot be overstated how brilliantly legible it is during the day, which is a crucial characteristic of a quality watch at any price point. A headache-inducing amount of effort is needed to distinguish the hands and their reflections from the sophisticated dial textures of expensive luxury watches that frequently have reflective dials, crystals, and hands. In addition, it is far more comfortable than 300m or 600m (desk) diver’s watches, which weigh five times as much and painfully bounce around the wrist with every movement. This is due to the lightweight and flexible strap of the watch. This small Casio is comfortable and readable, bringing it one step closer to being an authentic timepiece suitable for everyday wear.
It’s time to start talking about the diamonds, then, because the most intriguing feature of this watch has nothing to do with its shockingly excellent readability or comfortable wrist feel. It’s exclusive to this specific Casio A159WAD-1D reference (and three other models, including its gold-colored alternative, the A159WGED-1, and two smaller versions, known as the LA670WEAD-1EF and LA-670WGAD-1D): the two diamonds prominently displayed above and below the display, underneath a front glass element faceted in a way that mimics a diamond.
If diamonds are on a watch, the price is typically at least in the low thousands, but more often than not, the price is in the five- and six-figure range. They may symbolize status, value, artistry, or other things. Has the group been mentioned? It’s exciting and enigmatic to discover valuable stones in a Casio watch, much alone a very inexpensive one. If you know of factory-set diamond-set, Casio watches from before 2018, I’d love to see them. However, this raises the question of whether this is just a fashion move by Casio intended to draw in the bijoux-fiend customer. Alternatively, and I may be overanalyzing this given my decade-long involvement with the luxury watch industry, I wonder if Casio is teasing high-end watchmakers and their frequently excessive price increases on diamond-set watches.
There’s no getting past the fact that, even if you don’t already, it might not make you like diamonds: A factory-set diamond watch is the Casio A159WAD-1D. As a result, there is a reasonable probability that it will have two more diamonds than any luxury watch your peers are wearing at any particular time. When watches are frequently reduced to bragging rights, it is interesting to see a standard bragging war tool reduced to a $35 level—at this price, talking about the fact that these two little stones are more “industrial grade” than “investment quality” is missing the joke altogether. Yes, inexpensive natural diamonds are employed on various cutting and drilling instruments.
Casio clarifies on its official home page: “Natural diamonds: The diamonds used for specific models are natural materials obtained following United Nations resolutions, from reputable sources that are not involved in sponsoring conflict. No artificial gems are utilised. As a result, unlike many Swiss watchmakers, Casio is transparent about at least some aspects of where its diamonds come from and how they were formed naturally. Even according to the instructions with his watch, a watch seeks forum user claims to have downloaded a diamond certificate. Take it for what it’s worth, especially on a watch at this price point, as I could not replicate this, and there may be some market-specific variations.
The Casio A159WAD-1D’s scratchy “resin glass” front glass is almost as fun to look at while you’re wearing it around as it is to attempt to catch the light in one of the diamonds’ facets. Forget sapphire crystal. Even if they are seated further back, and behind the front glass, there is still a possibility to see their reflection in both the top facet, also known as the table and the angled row of elements, also known as the crown. The relatively small casing contrasts nicely with my wrist’s size of 6.8″ (17 cm). There is a good balance between the black display surround and text and the reflections on the glass and bezel. The Casio A159WAD-1D’s scratchy “resin glass” front glass is almost as much fun to look at while you’re wearing it around as it is to attempt to catch the light in one of the diamonds’ facets. Forget sapphire crystal. Even if they are seated further back, and behind the front glass, there is still a possibility to see their reflection in both the top facet, also known as the table and the angled row of elements, also known as the crown. The relatively small casing contrasts nicely with my wrist’s size of 6.8″ (17 cm). There is a good balance between the black display surround and text and the reflections on the glass and bezel. The Casio A159WAD-1D’s scratchy “resin glass” front glass is almost as much fun to look at while you’re wearing it around as it is to attempt to catch the light in one of the diamonds’ facets. Forget sapphire crystal. Even if they are seated further back, and behind the front glass, there is still a possibility to see their reflection in both the top facet, also known as the table and the angled row of elements, also known as the crown. The relatively small casing contrasts nicely with my wrist’s size of 6.8″ (17 cm). There is a good balance between the black display surround and text and the reflections on the glass and bezel. The Casio A159WAD-1D’s scratchy “resin glass” front glass is almost as much fun to look at while you’re wearing it around as it is to attempt to catch the light in one of the diamonds’ facets. Forget sapphire crystal. Even if they are seated further back, and behind the front glass, there is still a possibility to see their reflection in both the top facet, also known as the table and the angled row of characteristics, also known as the crown. The relatively small casing contrasts nicely with my wrist’s size of 6.8″ (17 cm), and there is a good balance between the black display surround and text and the reflections on the glass and bezel.
