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Casio Vintage A168WEM-1EF Bracelet Watch - W59127
Ref. A168WEM-1EF
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Stepping up in the same dial colour
The A168 line has been running long enough that the design itself has become the point of reference — this version updates the illumination over the older A158 it succeeded, swapping the original backlight for a blue-green electroluminescent panel that makes the black mirrored dial genuinely readable in the dark rather than merely less unreadable. At 49 grams on the wrist it registers as almost nothing, and the rectangular case sits flat enough under a cuff that most people forget it is there between glances. The bracelet adjusts without tools, the tension-lock sliding along the band until it clicks into place — a detail that sounds minor and turns out to matter whenever the watch moves between wrists or seasons.
- Reference
- A168WEM-1EF
- Brand
- Casio
- Collection
- Vintage
- Case size
- 36.3mm
- Case thickness
- 9.6mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Rectangular
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Acrylic
- Movement
- Quartz
- Calibre
- 3298
- Functions
- Day-date, Stopwatch, Alarm, Backlight
- Water resistance
- Not water resistant
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Three-fold clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 38.6mm
Learn more about Casio
Tadao Kashio founded Kashio Seisakujo in Tokyo in 1946 as a machine shop. The company's first success was a finger ring that held a cigarette, and its second was the 14-A of 1957 — the world's first all-electric compact calculator, which used solenoids rather than gears.
Casio entered watchmaking in 1974 with the Casiotron, a digital watch with an automatic calendar that knew the varying lengths of months. The company approached watches as an electronics manufacturer rather than a horological one, and that difference produced the G-Shock.
The G-Shock came from a single engineer, Kikuo Ibe, who broke a watch his father had given him and set out to build one that could not break. The specification was three tens: survive a ten-metre drop, ten bars of water pressure, and ten years of battery life. It took over two hundred prototypes, and the solution was suspending the module inside the case on a cushioned internal structure rather than mounting it rigidly. The DW-5000C shipped in 1983.
It became one of the most durable product designs in any category, adopted by militaries, emergency services, and skateboarders alike, and Casio has since added solar charging, radio and GPS timekeeping, Bluetooth, and full-metal and carbon variants.
Casio also produces the Edifice, Pro Trek, and Oceanus lines, and remains an independent Japanese public company.
- 1946
- Tadao Kashio founds the company in Tokyo.
- 1974
- The Casiotron is Casio's first digital watch.
- 1983
- The G-Shock DW-5000C survives Kikuo Ibe's three-tens brief.
- 1994
- The Frogman extends G-Shock to ISO dive certification.
Also in 4 collections
This watch appears in Stainless Steel Watches (3,032), Watches Under 37mm (1,656), Watches Under £100 (652) and Rectangular & Square Watches (401).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 36.3mm suits most wrists
- 38.6mm lug-to-lug keeps the 36.3mm case wearable
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Sits in the lower half of Casio's range as we list it
Worth knowing
- Acrylic crystal marks easily, though it polishes out
Compare alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | A168WEM-1EF | RA40-2220 | RYS32-2161 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £44 | £50 | £40 |
| Case size | 36.3mm | 36mm | 38mm |
| Water resistance | Not water resistant | — | — |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Silicone strap | Silicone strap |
| This watch |
|
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
No. This watch carries no water resistance rating — keep it dry, and take it off before washing your hands.
Will the glass scratch?
Yes, but it polishes out. Acrylic marks easily and a scratch can be buffed away at home, which is why vintage-style watches still use it.
Does it need a battery?
Yes. It is quartz, so expect a battery change every two to three years at a jeweller.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 38.6mm, which suits wrists from roughly 15cm (6 inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as unisex, and at this size it suits any wrist that takes the dimensions.
Cheapest place to buy
F.Hinds is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference new, at £44. There is nothing to compare it against today.
Who are F.Hinds?
F.Hinds has been run by the same family since 1856 and is now in its fifth generation, with more than 115 shops across England and Wales. They are a member of the Responsible Jewellery Council and an Authorised Diamond Dealer.
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