Casio watches are reliable and affordable, lasting many years when properly cared for. The timepieces generally have various functions and designs, making people wonder why Casio watches are so inexpensive.
Casio watches are so inexpensive because they aren’t made with luxury materials and have an affordable watch movement. However, the materials are still highly durable, so the timepieces can last a long time without getting damaged.
Even though Casio watches are usually cheap, it doesn’t mean they’re bad quality. Keep reading this article to learn why they aren’t as cheap as many people think and why Casio offers such affordable watches.
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Reasons Casio Watches Aren’t as Expensive as Many Think
When looking at the price of a watch, you must consider its functions and materials. These can indicate the overall quality of the timepiece.
Below are the main reasons Casio watches aren’t as expensive as many think.
They Have Useful Functions That Are Affordable To Implement
When you realize that many Casio watches cost between $50 and $150, you’ll likely assume they don’t have many features or good qualities.
However, this is certainly not the case!
Even the cheapest of Casio watches come with impressive features, including:
- Alarms: You can set up alarms and turn them on and off as you please. When it goes off, it should make a beeping noise.
- Stopwatches: Many Casio watches have stopwatch capabilities if connected to a phone.
- Timers: You will also notice that timers are features included on many models, handy if you need a reminder to turn on the oven or take medication.
- Lights: Many Casio watch models (including the Baby G) come with dial lights that can help you see when it’s dark, a beneficial function to utilize.
- Calendars: Some Casio timepieces have perpetual calendars built in. G Shock models often have calendars.
- Bluetooth connections: Bluetooth is another useful feature on many Casio watches, allowing you to connect to your smartphone and other devices to make the most of certain features.
Even though these watches don’t contain the most luxurious materials, the above features are helpful and relatively cheap to include. That’s why the watches are usually inexpensive.
They’re Made of Affordable Yet Durable Materials
I already mentioned that Casio watches are not made of the most expensive and luxurious materials, but that doesn’t mean they’re bad watches.
While you won’t get a sapphire crystal or complex movements in the more affordable models, you will get durable and long-lasting materials.
For example, many of the straps are resin bands. Resin is a strong plastic that can handle high-impact force and withstand a lot of movement. So, the bands are unlikely to become damaged in the short term.
The watch’s face is typically covered with mineral glass. This is the second-best option available for watch glass materials.
The best one is sapphire crystal. And the worst is acrylic glass.
Mineral glass is fairly scratch-resistant and commonly found in more affordable watches.
It should survive most situations unless you’re highly aggressive/wreckless with your timepiece.
They’re Mass Produced
Another large contributor to the affordable price is the manufacturing process.
Casio watches are generally mass-produced, which allows the company to keep costs lower.
This is then reflected back in the consumer price, leading to a more affordable timepiece.
On top of that, most Casio watches are nowadays produced in China or Thailand.
Wages are much lower here, once again keeping the manufacturing costs down.
Keeping production costs low is the number one way of keeping your price low.
Why Does Casio Offer Affordable Watches?
Let’s explore why Casio offers such affordable watches below:
To Appeal to the Masses
It works in Casio’s favor to keep many of the watches affordable because it helps them appeal to the masses.
If all the timepieces were costly, Casio’s target customers would be a much smaller group, and they would be more likely to buy from better-known luxury watch brands.
So, the watches are more likely to generate mass appeal when they remain affordable and accessible.
But since Casio also has a range of more expensive watches ($1000 and above), they also appeal to customers willing to spend more on quality timepieces.
Casio has customers willing to spend different amounts because of their wide range of options and costs–this gives the company a huge market to sell to, which is beneficial for the overall business.
The lower-end models also help to establish rapport with the consumers.
When someone has already bought an affordable Casio watch, they’re familiar with the quality.
They know a Casio is well worth it. So when this person wants a more expensive watch, they’re already familiar with the brand, making a follow-up purchase easier.
The Watches Are Affordable to Make
Another reason Casio can offer such affordable watches is that they’re relatively inexpensive to make.
Since they use affordable materials and quartz movements, they can sell watches at lower prices and still make profits.
However, you’ll notice that the more high-end Casio watches (like ones that contain sapphire crystal rather than mineral crystal) will be less affordable because those ones cost more to manufacture and assemble.
Watches with more complex movements and luxurious materials will also cost more.
Is a Casio Watch Worth it?
Casio watches are worth it because they’re functional and last a long time when properly cared for.
Even the most affordable Casio watches come with valuable features, and each timepiece is highly accurate due to the quartz movements.
To ensure a Casio watch is right for you, compare different models and their features.
The one you choose will depend on what you’re looking for in a watch.
For example, you may want to consider one of the G Shock models if you want lots of functionality and an affordable price.
Whichever model you go for, there are a couple of things you can always be sure of with Casio.
The Watches Are Water Resistant
Water resistance is an essential feature of a watch.
Whether you’re an avid swimmer, play watersports, or just have to deal with rain, it’s important that your watch can weather it.
Most Casio models are water resistant, typically varying between 5 BAR and 20 BAR.
20 BAR means your watch is water resistant up to 200 meters. And 5 BAR means its water resistance up to 50 meters.
Depending on how waterproof your watch is, you may still want to be careful.
Generally, a watch rated with 20 BAR or 200 meters is pretty much waterproof.
But a watch with only 5 BAR most likely isn’t.
I always avoid contact with water when I’m wearing a watch rated 10 BAR or less.
The Watches Are Highly Accurate
Casio watches have high accuracy, so you can depend on them to tell you the correct time and use other functions.
Their high levels of accuracy are primarily thanks to the quartz movements, which use quartz crystals to keep the time accurate to the second.
Even though quartz movements are usually cheaper than mechanical movements, they work better and require much less maintenance and repairs.
You also don’t need to wind anything (like you would with a mechanical movement), making a quartz movement more convenient for time-keeping.
Conclusion
The fact that Casio watches are inexpensive doesn’t mean they’re poor quality. They remain affordable because they’re made of cheap yet durable materials.
On top of that, most Casio watches have quartz movements, which is the most inexpensive movement to use.
It works in the company’s favor to keep watches affordable, as it helps to maintain mass appeal.
Plus, they can still profit from selling cheap watches due to the low cost involved with making them.
