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Casio W-218H-1AVEF Digital Black Strap Watch - W17481
Ref. W-218H-1AVEF
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Stepping up in the same dial colour
The W-218H sits in a lineage that runs from the F-91W — that stripped-back classic whose backlight was famously near-useless — and addresses its two most obvious shortcomings: the case is substantially beefier, and the LED here actually illuminates the dial rather than suggesting it. The octagonal shape borrows the blocky, squared-off geometry of early G-Shock models, giving something of that feel at a fraction of the bulk. At 37 grams it is almost imperceptibly light on the wrist, and with a lug-to-lug of 44.4mm it sits short enough to suit smaller wrists without crowding them. The calibre 3224 module is dependable to a degree that is hard to argue with: accuracy within 30 seconds a month, and a single CR2016 cell rated to last seven years. The integrated strap adjusts through standard pre-moulded holes — no tools, no fuss.
- Reference
- W-218H-1AVEF
- Brand
- Casio
- Collection
- CollectionCase Size: 43
- Case size
- 43.2mm
- Case thickness
- 10.8mm
- Lug width
- 18mm
- Case material
- Resin
- Case shape
- Octagonal
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Acrylic
- Movement
- Quartz
- Calibre
- 3224
- Functions
- Date, Stopwatch, Alarm, Backlight
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Rubber strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 44.4mm
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.
Manufacturer’s guarantee
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Showering yes, swimming no. 50m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.
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?
18mm. 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 44.4mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16cm (6¼ inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
F.Hinds is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so 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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