Why you should trade in your Rolex for a Casio

Update: Noted the Shakira “you traded in a Rolex for a casio” line in the recent diss track going crazy so thought that this video suddenly became very relevant to that discussion!

Ok bold claim, but hear me out. May just be me, but I’ve felt the tide turning a little against the Rolex brand. There are some aspects of Rolex that you just can’t dispute, like it’s history, horological contributions and roots into popular culture. But what have they done lately? Palm fronds?

On the other hand, the casio brand has more claims to its name than you might have realised if you aren’t a full on casio nerd. But even if we keep it’s on Rolex’s turf with chronometer ratings , chronograph utility , complications , being a “tool watch” - Casio and it’s related brands of pro trek, g-shock and others still take plenty of rounds. I hope you enjoy the video and perhaps it will make you think again on the merits of casio vs the perceived wisdom of Rolex as the more valuable brand. Of course all in good fun and I have much respect for both brands (and own a Rolex Submariner !) . And yep I squeezed a “punch out” red thread in there …

#casio #rolex #digitalwatch

Intro: 0:00
Round 1 - History: 0:57
Round 2 - Oyster / Submariner: 1:29
Round 3 - Oyster Perpetual: 4:49
Round 4 - Chronometer: 6:16
Round 5 - Complications: 8:58
Round 6 - Chronograph: 11.57
Round 7 - Tool watches: 14:22
Round 8 - Space: 17:50
Round 9 - Design Variety: 18:54
Round 10 - Pop Culture Impact: 19:29
Round 11 - Technology: 20:09
Round 12 - Economics: 20:54

Particularly helpful sources for this video (others included throughout) have been:

The Vintage Watch Straps Website - Particularly on water resistance

Rolex magazine website for the many pop culture references

Worn and Wound’s article on chronometer history

On the Dash for chronograph history

on Rolex as a Veblen Good

the inspiration of their recent “done with Rolex” style videosOk bold claim, but hear me out. May just be me, but I’ve felt the tide turning a little against the Rolex brand. There are some aspects of Rolex that you just can’t dispute, like it’s history, horological contributions and roots into popular culture. But what have they done lately? Palm fronds?

On the other hand, the casio brand has more claims to its name than you might have realised if you aren’t a full on casio nerd. But even if we keep it’s on Rolex’s turf with chronometer ratings , chronograph utility , complications , being a “tool watch” - Casio and it’s related brands of pro trek, g-shock and others still take plenty of rounds. I hope you enjoy the video and perhaps it will make you think again on the merits of casio vs the perceived wisdom of Rolex as the more valuable brand. Of course all in good fun and I have much respect for both brands (and own a Rolex Submariner !) . And yep I squeezed a “punch out” red thread in there …

#casio #rolex #digitalwatch

Intro: 0:00
Round 1 - History: 0:57
Round 2 - Oyster / Submariner: 1:29
Round 3 - Oyster Perpetual: 4:49
Round 4 - Chronometer: 6:16
Round 5 - Complications: 8:58
Round 6 - Chronograph: 11.57
Round 7 - Tool watches: 14:22
Round 8 - Space: 17:50
Round 9 - Design Variety: 18:54
Round 10 - Pop Culture Impact: 19:29
Round 11 - Technology: 20:09
Round 12 - Economics: 20:54

Particularly helpful sources for this video (others included throughout) have been:

The Vintage Watch Straps Website - Particularly on water resistance

Rolex magazine website for the many pop culture references

Worn and Wound’s article on chronometer history

On the Dash for chronograph history

@TeddyBaldassarre on Rolex as a Veblen Good

@THEMADWATCHCOLLECTOR and @theurbangentry for the inspiration of their recent “done with Rolex” style videos

[IlluminatingWatches]

I’ve got many more casio videos where this came from - see here in my Casio playlist ->

[BarnOwl]

I totally agree, Casio was my first watch and i am definitely a fan boy. I do acknowledge the marketing skills and qualities of Rolex, but for me the brand is useless. They will never sell me one for example, even if i had the money for it. It is a status symbol before anything else. Let me have my humble Casio's, that will keep me more than happy for the rest of my life!

[marcelovasconcellos]

Completely agree. Rolex is great but it is now more like jewelry than anything else. Casio still has real utility. Will be interesting to see the future for these brands. I think Casio is doing great with things like Oceanus and the all steel G Shocks. At the same time they don't abandon the lower end with great watches like the Royale, value packed Edifices and solar powered Lineage and MTP models, use of titanium, MiP displays. Design that influence others, has heritage yet evolves. Now Rolex, should demand slacken or perception on them change is not really that different from a host of other brands.

[MyRetroWatches]

The level of detail you put into your videos is just sensational. This must have taken you a long time to put together so well done.
I will now share this all over my Facebook groups!

[juanignaciocarrano]

Mechanical watch makers' fair claim to fame is the astounding level of miniaturization and precision of their mechanisms. Truly incredible, but you know what is even more precise and incredible? It's engraving thousands of features on a "stone" of silicon (therefore the term "lithography") at the level of nanometers, with an extremely precisely controlled chemical composition, and, even further, to make such a marvel of engineering so affordable that even the poorest on this planet can buy one.

[watchroll]

Ironic how some casios are hand finished while Rolexes would be all machined finished. Amazing video with huge value!

[gabriellovesAmerica]

Digitals are lots of fun and utilitarian. Rolexes are works of art, both having a place in my collection .❤

[brianfuller]

Great video. My cousin is a police officer and rescue diver here and his duty watch is a DW5600E. It has endured daily wear for 10 years and still makes regular dives.

[johnv]

Love the 1937 watch displaying "13:51" ! How does the 1982 Citizen obtain it's temperature readings ?

[TrapvisionD]

This vid is official. The information and delivery is award winning. There should be a YouTube Grammy award for best watch comparison documentary. I really enjoy this video.

[expomm]

After a reflection on your video, Casio indeed is a watch, Rolex is just jewellery

[rtsbeyond]

I used to believe watches like Rolex costing thousands or more must be the best in every way, from good accuracy to more durable and can actually take a hit. I thought those watches must be even more low maintenance and just keep going without any issues. I also used to think I had to have a platinum watch, in order to be a real watch guy and get with the program. Fast forward to today it's a good thing I became interested enough in watches to learn all I can from videos like yours, and to just get what I like the most. I would never trade my Casios and Armitrons for the platinum watch I apparently wanted for Christmas at age 11! 18 years later, I'm asking myself when did I write that?! Found that written in ink sorting through some old stuff, ha!

[dudNR]

What are the references for those gorgeous squares @19:20 ?

[jpsrandom]

You are absolutely right, Casio is the best value in any level

[johanvandersandt]

Casio really are the people's champion! Great video as always!

[garethsigrist]

Another fantastic video Gordon! There’s so much sentimentality around watches (particularly Swiss mechanical watches) that it’s easy for objectivity to fly out the window! For telling the time in a specific application there’s few times a Casio isn’t a better or more appropriate tool to do a job. But then as a wise man once said “if you spend more than $10 on a watch, you aren’t buying it to just tell the time” 😂

[YamiSukehiro]

I have ordered Casio AE 1200 in Amazon and is eagerly waiting for it.
My next watch will be Casio A168

[TickSweep]

What a fantastic video can’t beat a full on video from yourself. Keep up the great content

[lookatwrist]

I love my Casios. Still want a Rolex one day, both brands have something in common to me.

[TimeToGoTravelAndTimepieces]

Wow! Amazing work with this one. Very much enjoyed the entire video.