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Casio Vintage A168WG-9EF Gold Tone Bracelet Watch - W1527
Ref. A168WG-9EF
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Stepping up in Casio's range
The A168WG is the gold expression of the A168 line that Casio has kept in continuous production since the 1980s, a rectangular LCD that has outlasted every trend that once surrounded it. The geometry is unashamedly of that decade — flat planes, hard corners, no concession to the round-case consensus — and the all-gold finish pushes it further still, into something that reads less as a utility piece and more as a considered throwback. At 49 grams it disappears on the wrist, and the shallow profile means it slips under a cuff without a ridge. The bracelet adjusts by sliding the clasp housing rather than removing links, which means sizing it properly takes two minutes rather than a trip to a watchmaker. The backlight floods the whole dial in teal rather than spotlighting individual hands, because there are none — at night the entire window illuminates evenly, which is more useful than it sounds. The 3298 module runs for around seven years on a single coin cell, and Casio's tolerance on this calibre is tight enough that it will not drift noticeably across that span. Nothing about this watch requires attention.
- Reference
- A168WG-9EF
- Brand
- Casio
- Collection
- Vintage
- Case size
- 36.3mm
- Case thickness
- 9.6mm
- Lug width
- 18mm
- Case material
- Gold PVD
- Case shape
- Rectangular
- Dial
- Gold
- Crystal
- Acrylic
- Movement
- Quartz
- Functions
- Date, Stopwatch, Alarm, Backlight, Perpetual calendar, Digital display
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Gold
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
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 6 collections
This watch appears in the Casio Vintage range (55), Back in Stock (4,847), Watches Under 37mm (1,704), Gold Watches (688), Watches Under £100 (638) and Rectangular & Square Watches (460).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
Best of 2 retailers
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
- 30m means keeping it away from water
- Acrylic crystal marks easily, though it polishes out
Casio Vintage A168WG-9EF Gold Tone alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | A168WG-9EF | RY21806A-SET | 24000145 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £60 | £55 | £55 |
| Case size | 36.3mm | 35mm | 35mm |
| Water resistance | 30m | 30m | 30m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap | Leather strap |
| This watch | Closely matched | Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
No. At 30m it will survive rain and handwashing, but not submersion of any kind.
Water resistance explainedWill 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.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
Yes. It is quartz, so expect a battery change every two to three years at a jeweller.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedWhat 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 38.6mm, which suits wrists from roughly 15cm (6 inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
How to size a watch to your wristIs 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
Both F.Hinds and Goldsmiths list it at £60, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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