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Casio Vintage CA-53W-1ER Calculator Watch - W17496
Ref. CA-53W-1ER
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Stepping up in the same dial colour
First introduced in 1988, the CA-53W sits somewhere between utility object and cultural relic. Its appearances on the wrists of Marty McFly, Walter White and the Joker have made it one of the most recognisable pieces of wearable technology ever produced — not because of what it looks like, but because of what it does: a fully functional 8-digit calculator operated through a physical 16-button membrane keypad, worn on the wrist decades before that idea stopped seeming strange. At 8.2mm thick and 25 grams, it disappears under a cuff and barely registers on the wrist. The rectangular resin case keeps proportions that feel deliberate rather than dated, and the strap's closely spaced adjustment holes mean it scales comfortably across a wide range of wrists. The module 3208 holds to within 15 seconds per month and runs for roughly five years on a single coin cell — the kind of reliability that makes it easy to forget it is there until you need it.
- Reference
- CA-53W-1ER
- Brand
- Casio
- Collection
- Vintage
- Case size
- 34.4mm
- Case thickness
- 8.2mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Resin
- Case shape
- Rectangular
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Acrylic
- Movement
- Quartz
- Calibre
- 3208
- Functions
- GMT, Stopwatch, Alarm, Perpetual calendar
- Water resistance
- Not water resistant
- Bracelet / strap
- Rubber strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 43.2mm
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 5 collections
This watch appears in Watches Under 37mm (1,619), Watches Under £100 (630), Rectangular & Square Watches (384), All Black Watches (327) and GMT Watches (193).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 34.4mm suits most wrists
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Second time zone for travelling
- 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 | CA-53W-1ER | 1936 | RYS55-2183 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £40 | £42 | £50 |
| Case size | 34.4mm | 33mm | 34mm |
| Water resistance | Not water resistant | 50m | — |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Rubber strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Silicone strap |
| This watch | Closely matched |
|
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.
What size strap does it take?
20mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 43.2mm, 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 £40. 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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