A watch for all: the Casio F91–W
I wrote a love letter to one of my watches. My Casio F-91W. This is its story. You’ve probably seen one like it around. Or hundreds. Pssst! You need one… I’ve had this watch for a while you see, and so I’ve come to know it well. Don’t be deceived by its humble looks (which are adorable, it looks like a mini TV on your wrist) or its low price of about $12, if I could quantify in currency the value this watch has added to my life we would be talking about quite a figure.
The first F-91w I ever wore extensively, the MKI, was not even mine. I moved to a foreign country in 2019, a year in which I saw and did many things. Among those was meeting one of my best friends, Jade. She donned one of these bad boys on her right wrist (which always jumped to my attention) and after hearing me rave about it when I saw it she told me to take it home and give it back whenever. It was then that I discovered its prowess in the field.
You slap on this watch and fuggedaboutit. It is supremely comfortable. It is so discreet in its wearability and actual fit on wrist that you genuinely don’t feel it. This watch wears more like a bracelet than anything else. It rests low on the wrist and fuses seamlessly to the arm. This watch will slide under any shirt cuff (cheeky), jacket, or sweater, making it the perfect ‘do anything’ watch. It’s a digital, so at the push of three little buttons it will tell the time, nudge you with an alarm, time your cooking with its stopwatch, and light up in low light settings. Some say that size doesn’t matter, it’s what you do with it that counts. This tough little cookie, measuring at a meek 34mm, is capable of joining you in grand adventures or the everyday grind.
In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the world. As I realized we would be spending much time at home, my chunkier watches stayed in the drawer. Not the F-91w. This watch was strapped on my wrist during all those cagey months. I was wearing the Mk1 when I first hopped on a bike for the first time in years. Biking became my main form of transport and personal solace. Never for once did this watch dig into my wrist while I rode. What’s more, is that I used the stopwatch to time my escapades and get back to work on time.
This watch is so sleek, so slim, that somehow it goes to bed with me. In the morning, my alarm goes off and I hit snooze. After 5 more minutes in bed, I’ll have a drink of water and begin my day. I start off with a series of breathing exercises and asanas. I use the stopwatch to time my breath retention. Every once in a while I see a slight improvement. This brings me great joy. On slower days, I see the time and don’t really mind it much because these breathing exercises are a sort of celebration of life itself. They really get you off to a good start. This watch is part of that.
It’s a watch that is found on people’s wrists, all ages, all professions and walks of life. All the cool cats wear one. I was travelling through Argentina’s wine country, Mendoza. Walking back home with my friend Jay after an ‘engaging’ wine tour, we ran into an acquaintance of his. I was introduced. Mattia, who would then become my fratello by the evening’s run, was also wearing his Casio F-91w. Warmed up by the wine I pointed out that we had the same wristwatch. Phone numbers were exchanged and plans to do the town were arranged. I like to think that this gesture led to one of the wildest nights of my life. I also made a good friend out of it. Not bad for a $12 watch.
The Casio F-91w should be issued to everyone. Whether you already have quite the collection or you’re just starting out, this watch goes beyond that. The other night, my significant other came over for dinner. I cooked my brother’s famous pasta and then we got comfy in the living room and put on a doc. After that, off to sleep. The room was veiled by a pleasant darkness. I laid on my side as my lady warmed up to me. Her head was resting on my shoulder. She woke up and asked “What time is it?” I raised my arm to see. Nothing. Just darkness. I remembered. I reached with my other arm, now fully embracing her, and pressed the light. “See,” I said. The watch was very near to her face and eyes, and this watch had the delicacy to show her what time it was with a respectful green light. Moments like these seldom happen these days. I could have answered her question by picking up either of our phones, and yes, I would’ve known the time, but I also would have seen any number of notifications, thus losing a moment that deserved to be very ours.
