Casio F-91W: The Ultimate Classic

The Casio F-91W, introduced in 1989, is one of the most widely sold digital watches in history, valued for its extreme affordability, simplicity, and reliability. For me, it also evokes a strong sense of 1980s childhood nostalgia.

Review

The first thing I notice today is the size. It’s much smaller than I remember, although that’s likely because the last time I wore one I was a child. Even so, the dimensions are striking by modern standards.

While the size is immediately noticeable, the most prominent aspect of the F-91W is its design—now famous in the watch world as an icon of classic technological aesthetics. It feels like an attempt at a futuristic interface as imagined in the late 1980s. You get industrial-style grooves in the strap, a brutally straight-edged case outline, and splashes of bright blues, reds, and yellows used as highlights. The circular silver columns protruding from the case, which act as buttons, look slightly odd at first but work surprisingly well in practice.

[!NOTE] It’s both stunningly beautiful and hideous at the same time.

From a hardware perspective, the watch’s standout feature is its comfort. The strap is incredibly supple, and the paper-thin case combined with its small footprint makes it a joy to wear. It’s so light you almost forget it’s on your wrist. That said, you very much get what you pay for: at just under £13, the watch (understandably) feels flimsy, with lightweight plastics and minimal finishing.

From a software perspective, you’re not getting much—again, entirely reasonable given the price—but it’s still more than many watches costing two or three times as much. Features include:

• Date
• Time (12-hour and 24-hour formats)
• Alarm
• Stopwatch
• Backlight (notoriously poor, but functional)

Despite its simplicity, the F-91W is an incredibly practical watch. You’ll often hear about military personnel wearing them, largely because they’re cheap, lightweight, easy to replace, and offer excellent time accuracy thanks to their digital quartz movement. That said, you’re far more likely to see soldiers wearing a Casio G-Shock, which offers superior shock resistance, water resistance, and—on some models—atomic timekeeping. Official battery life is quoted at around seven years, though many owners report well over double that in real-world use.

For me personally, the biggest issue is the size. It’s simply too small, and I have very slim wrists (around 6.5 inches). Casio eventually released a larger spiritual successor, the W-217H-1AV, but it falls a bit flat for me. There’s a lack of… something I can’t quite articulate. It doesn’t capture the same charm.

For comparison, I’ve included a photo of my seven-year-old son wearing the F-91W—you’ll see it fits him perfectly, and he absolutely loves it. I’ve also included a comparison shot with a watch I personally adore: the Casio G-Shock Mudman GW-9300-1.

[!WARNING] The Mudman isn’t a fair comparison—G-Shocks are famously big and chunky, and the Mudman fully embraces that philosophy.

If size is an issue for you, I’d strongly recommend looking at the Casio G-Shock “square” GW-M5610U-1ER. Yes, it’s significantly more expensive (around £135), but for what you get—solar charging, atomic time accuracy, and 200 m water resistance—it’s an absolute bargain, and arguably the closest thing to a true “one and done” watch.

[!NOTE] This particular watch has been sitting in a sock drawer at the back of my wardrobe for the last 10+ years, so please excuse the dust and dirt you’ll notice in the pictures. On the plus side, this is a testament to the battery life 😅

Gallery

Verdict

The F-91W is a fun watch—there’s no doubt about it. People love it, and it holds a special place in many hearts. For its price, history, and unmistakable design, it’s a watch everyone should own at least once in their life… or maybe more.