Casio AE1200WHD-1A

The Casio AE1200WHD-1A comes in both metal and plastic for individual styles.

Editor rating: 8.7 / 10

User's rating: based on 0 user ratings

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By NicoleK

Casio AE1200WHD-1A Review Facts

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There are numerous watches available on the market today. It is hard to determine which is the best for you. The first thing to consider is the features associated with the watch you are buying. Does the consumer need smartwatch features or are they looking for more of a classic watch with basic features available? Is the watch meant for fashion or is it meant for tracking? It is also important to consider budget, what is the budget wanting to be spent? The price is usually indicative of the quality and features of the watch. The quality is usually quickly identified by the weight of the watch. The weight of the watch is usually heavier when made of higher quality materials which are kind of the opposite when considering other products like running shoes whose weight is usually lighter when in the higher price point range. The band should also be considered. Some watches offer metal, plastic or silicone bands. Metal bands are usually used in more fashion-forward watches while plastic and silicone are usually used with more athletic styled watches. Other aspects to consider when buying a new watch is additional features (the features that are more about convenience to the wearer than the actual functionality of the watch), the durability of the watch (usually based on what the watch is being used for) and the comfort of the watch.

This article focuses on the Casio AE1200WHD-1A. Casio is a very popular watch brand known for producing quality watches at reasonable prices. The AE1200WHD-1A (often referred to the 'Casino Royale' watch due to the watch design being loosely based on the watch the main character Bond wears in the action movie Casio Royale) is both attractive and interesting in design. We looked through consumer reviews to see what people thought of the watch from a durability and cost perspective. We also looked at the basic and advanced features of this watch. Finally, we looked at the quality of the watch in order to determine if the cost and value line up. This is our comprehensive review of the Casio AE1200WHD-1A. We hope that this article serves you in your next watch purchase.

Editor's Pros & Cons

Pros

This watch offers an attractive, retro design that numerous reviewers found appealing
It offers numerous times including a world clock which reviewers were happy with
It also offers up to 100 meters of water resistance for protection and use in water
It offers a 10 year battery which offers ease of use and less requirement for maintenance over time

Cons

The links of this watch are hollow which some found make the watch feel cheap and made the watch rattle a bit
This watch is quite light which also is indicative of lower quality

See How

What are buyers saying?

We have spent 4 hours analyzing a total of 600 reviews.

These reviews are then categoried into "Positive" and "Negative" feedback.

Below you will read a summary of them:

Positive

This definitely has a long battery life like they say. It is a very useful watch and has a lot of great functions on it. It is fairly easy to adjust and it has a cool analog read out on the top. I give it a thumbs up alone for its great 80’s throwback look.
I am digging the retro look it has. It as a map on it and an analog design on the upper top left. I like that I can keep up with numerous time zones with it. It is very affordable and you get a lot from it.
You can't find another watch with the features this one has for the price. It could be made with better materials but I guess that is why it is so cheap. It scratches pretty easy due to the plastic casing.
The stainless steel band if pretty easy to adjust. Just pop the links out and lock the pins back in. You can program it in 4 different time zones. I like the look of the tiny world map. This isn't a Rolex but it is great.
This has all your standard Casio functions: world map, stopwatch, different time zones, etc. It ha s a very user friendly interface and a nice amber back light. It is very easy to read and is very light. I just think it is super cool looking. I ended up switching the the band to a nylon one, it feel better.
I did end up returning it due to the plastic face casing. I wasn't a fan of that. However, the watch is pretty cool. It is cheap so I am not sure what I was expecting. The size is nie and the little map is cool. Everything worked on the watch as said and it has quite a lot of functions. I will wait for them to come out with a stainless steel version.
I was actually surprised how much better built that this watch is than I thought it was going to be. It has good size to t and reads very easily. You can adjust the functions to your liking and I like that. It looks really cool too.
If you don't care about price than this watch is super col. I love, love, love the old skool look it has. This thing lasts forever with a battery life for 10 years.
I am really happy with this watch. It really offers a lot for the price tag. I have very small wrists and was a little worried but it adjust super easy and you can take out as many links as necessary.
This watch is great and way better than the old plastic one I used to have The screen looks good and is easy to read. The band feels nice and the whole screen lights up well. Super functional and affordable.
I am super impressed with this thing. The amber light works really welland it has a great atomic clock on it. It really looks and feels like it should cost more than $100. It is light compared to a lot of other watches. I am super happy with my purchase.
This thing is cheap but offers a lot. It is cheap because of the materials it is made from. However, it has a lot of useful functions and is super light and comfortable. IT tracks many different time zones, which is why I got it. Great for a person on a budget who wants some functionality in a watch.
This watch works wonderfully and I didn't have to go broke buying it. It is very light and material wise, it makes me question durability.It looks good on and I can wear it with anything.
I use this for scuba and it works fine. DO NOT PUSH THE BUTTONS UNDER WATER THOUGH. The world times is great and the band can be adjusted with a bit of finesse. I like the old skool feel and the back-light is a cool amber color.
The face is super easy to read and really good for a young kid like my 12 year old. We adjusted the band and it fits great. Easy to use and a great price.
This thing does not have a 21mm band. The watch is great it just doesn't fit like I thought due to the wrong description on it.
This thing is timeless. It is so fun and affordable. I love all the classic features and the amber back-light works great. I love that I can wear it with pretty much anything. It is more thorough than my Rolex.
I love the way this thing looks. It is durable and light and has a lot going on for the price. I bought a leather strap for it and it makes it look more expensive.
Size is good and it looks great. It keeps up with numerous times great and is always on time. The face is easy to read and the functions are very user friendly and you can change them to your liking. It does scratch easy. I put clear fingernail polish on the face to help with that. It is definitely great for the price.
Great freaking watch for $20 bucks. It scratches pretty easy though but it is cheap. The plastic face make it really light and the band is easy to adjust. The world clock makes it great for my traveling. I like to keep up with the time in Dubai.

Negative

I use it as an alarm now. This thing is so cheap it is horrible to wear. Looks clunky and cheap on.
I use it as an alarm now. This thing is so cheap it is horrible to wear. Looks clunky and cheap on.
The screen went all only after a week. It kept showing all these weird symbols. I tried to reset and to power off and on with the pin but no good.
This thing lied! It has no submersion to it. I went to the beach nd after I left it was ll humid on the inside.I am super disappointed. It said it could do 100 meters. Garbage.
This thing got close to water and started acting funny. It is not made for any sort of seat or sports. Don't believe the package. I tried to go swimming and now nothing works on the watch at all and it has water bubbles in the face.
3 months and the watch doesn't work and the plastic cracked. I also was not able to adjust the band.
The menu is a pain in the butt to use. Some of the functions are just not accessible. I am not happy with it, good thing it was cheap.
These things are garbage and break way too easy with no warranty protection. When mine broke I called and they said it doesn't cover the band or face. I am like, then what is it supposed to cover. Do not waste the money on this.
The face plate isn't that great. It looks cool but is super delicate. This is a very disposable watch.
This is always 30 seconds or more behind the actual time. It shows three times and this makes it really confusing to read. Sometimes it shows a totally different time zone then changes. It isn't worth the purchase.

8.9

BASIC FEATURES

This is a basic watch. It is noted as being quite stylish based on the price. This watch is regularly reviewed as being a great 'daily watch'. It offers a retro design which is widely regarded as being really appealing. The face of this watch offers an LED light with afterglow for ease of use after dark. It also offers a long battery and a world time clock option.

ADVANCED FEATURES

This watch offers a couple advanced features including a 10-year battery which makes it appealing to most as this means less maintenance in the long run. It is quite inexpensive in price as well which makes the long battery life even more appealing. This watch also offers water resistance up to 100 meters under water which is also quite handy.

APPS

This watch does not offer any apps.

COMFORT

This watch is adjustable which means that the wearer can take out links in order to fit the wrist better. This typically needs to be done by a jeweler, however, isn't typically terribly expensive to do so. The watch itself is noted as connecting like a magnet to the wrist which offered an attractive and comfortable fit to the watch. The face plate doesn't rub against the wrist which is positive as well. This is a common complaint with cheaper watches, this and the watch staining the skin which, again, is not a complaint with this watch. The band itself is also replaceable for those who want to add an even more comfortable band. This watch is also quite light due to the hollow links and the plastic faceplate. Though this is usually indicative of a cheaper, lower quality watch, it makes the watch very easy to wear. Many reviewers noted that this watch was light as air. They noted that you couldn't even tell when this watch was on their wrist because it was so light. This is negative in regards to the feeling of quality of this watch but is positive in regards to the comfort of this watch. Overall, it is a great daily watch which is positive.

STYLE

This watch is a sophisticated looking watch. Reviewers regularly note how interesting it looks. Instantly when you look at this watch it looks like something from Casio. Many reviewers own numerous Casio watches because they are so attractive in design and offer a unique style to alternatives on the market. One reviewer noted that he collects watches of all prices including some that are in the thousands of dollars. He said that this watch especially appealed to him because of its 'undeniably cool' design. The watch offers more of an old-school design with its fine details and octagon face. A benefit of buying this watch online is usually associated with the ability to find deals better and luckily this watch looks exactly like the photos. Those who bought this product were not disappointed by the appearance of the watch when it arrived in the mail which should give the buyer peace of mind. It also fits the wrist well, offering a close fit to the wrist without discomfort. One reviewer said it felt 'magnified on the wrist' which is positive. This watch is designed loosely based on the watch featured in a Bond film which often reviewers found fun and intriguing as well. The character bond is known for being fashionable which adds another level to this watch.

DURABILITY

This watch seems to lack a little in durability, unfortunately. There weren't many complaints about the face of the watch, however, the band seems to be cheap and hollow. Bangs and scraps can easily dent the surface of the band of this watch. Many reviewers recommend completely replacing the bands with a better, higher-quality band. Though this is the case, this watch is waterproof up to 100 meters which is handy. Those who bought this were impressed with the watches waterproofing abilities, stating that it still worked even after falling in water or after swims which is positive. Several reviewers referred to this watch as their daily go-to watch because it can actually resist a fair amount of wear and tear. Many were people that work outdoors and bought this watch because of its price. They were surprised by the watches durability. They said that even in tough conditions the face didn't show too much wear. Many reviewers thought that Casio, in general, offers highly durable, quality watches which is positive.

FACE

The face is the winning feature of this watch. It reflects a more retro style to others on the market today. It offers a more sophisticated style which is especially appealing considering the price of the watch. Featuring an octagon shape, the face of this watch offers numerous intricate features that reviewers were drawn to. Some reviewers found that this watch offered such intricate details that it was almost hard to read with older eyes. Though it was not the time that was the issue but more so the small details like the time zone. This is especially an issue for those who accidentally hit the time zone adjustment without knowing it. The face of this watch offers numerous details and because the face of this watch is so small it can be a bit of a squeeze for all the information. On the metal version of this watch there is a black plastic casing, this some found made the watch look a little cheaper in design. This also took away some of the weight offered by the watch which can indicate lower quality. Overall though, the face plate of this watch is widely regarded as being 'cool' looking and attractive in design which is positive.

BAND

The band of this watch, depending on the watch, is either plastic or metal. Those who bought this watch warned other consumers that the lug width on the website is incorrect (saying that it's actually 18 mm) and if the buyer wanted to replace the bands with their own that it will not work including bands that are from Casio directly (unless made specifically for this watch). The links of this watch, including in the metal version of this watch, are hollow (as mentioned later in this article) which some had some issues with because it makes the watch feel light and cheap. The issue that some had with this as well is that the links also rattle which was a little annoying to some reviewers. Some reviewers were very happy with the face but less so with the band and therefore recommended switching out the straps. This is easily done, however, as mentioned above, the straps seem to be slightly off based on the stated width.

EASE OF USE

This watch offers four buttons for different features including mode, adjust, light and search. Those who used this watch do find it easy to use, however, had some issues with visibility. Because the face offers so many different intricate details, they found that it was hard to see certain information on the faceplate which altered the ease of use. Outside of those with poor eyesight having issues with the face details, the LED light with afterglow makes this watch easier to use in areas of lower lighting which is positive. Overall, the ease of use of this watch is good.

BATTERY

The battery of this watch is a 10-year battery meaning that it can nearly go 10 years without requiring replacement. This is an appealing feature to many reviewers as this means the watch requires mess maintenance over the long term.

PRICE

Though the price of the watch isn't in the four-figure range it is often referred to as 'a little overpriced' due to the materials used to construct this watch. The watch is encased in a plastic coating which can give the watch a slightly cheaper appearance. It also offers hallow links which makes the watch itself a little lighter in weight. Lighter in weight can be appealing to some wearers, however, with watches weight usually indicates cheapness. Though some had an issue with the cost of this watch others were happy with it, saying that it was pretty decent for the price. They also confirmed that 'you get what you pay for' basically indicating that the quality isn't quite there but that the price is reflective of the quality of the watch.

KEY FEATURES

Water resistance up to 100 meters
Stylish, retro design
Replaceable straps
World time option
Compass included in face detailing
World map also included in face detailing
LED light with afterglow for easier viewing in darker environments
Inexpensive in price

BOTTOM LINE

Overall, if you are looking for an inexpensive, attractive watch is watch is for you. Though it is not as heavy or high quality as alternative products on the market, for the price this watch is a pretty decent one. Many reviewers wear this watch as an everyday watch rather than a night out one. It is so light that many reviewers found that they couldn't even tell they were wearing it. It is also comfortable, fitting well to the wrist. Overall, this watch is priced right, attractive in design and offers a decent level of durability which is positive. It is definitely worth consideration.