Our Heritage

What is the essence of timekeeping? At the heart of it, “watches simply add up seconds.” This was the insight that inspired the Casiotron. With this groundbreaking timepiece, Casio brought the original LSI technologies of its calculator business to the watch market. Building on the concept of a fully automatic wristwatch, the Casiotron not only displayed hours, minutes, and seconds, but also the correct month, date, and day of the week — automatically adjusting for longer and shorter months. This automatic calendar function was a world-first for a digital watch, setting the precedent and principle for every Casio watch since: the pursuit of ultimate practicality.

The Casiotron (QW02-10 line) was priced at 58,000 yen, nearly a whole month’s starting salary for a university graduate in Japan back in 1974. The digital watch as a luxury item — another Casio innovation. A broad selection of models was available — round, square, slim, as well as one with 18K-gold-filled surface — to suit the individual tastes of each owner. Improvements to subsequent Casiotron models included a battery life of some seven years.

To meet growing demand, the Hachioji Factory switches from producing calculators to making Casiotron watches. Maintaining a clean environment, the assembly line — featuring the latest in auto-assemblers and testing equipment — begins operating in 1976. The production framework is later strengthened by having plants outside Japan make cases and certain other components, further fortifying the foundation of the watch business.

The first Casiotron had timekeeping functions (displaying the hour, minutes, seconds, AM/PM, month, date, and day of the week) and an auto-calendar. Then, the Casiotron X-1 added a stopwatch, counter, world time, and dual time display, becoming the first wristwatch in the world to deliver five functions. This giant leap forward was made possible by Casio’s proprietary high-density mounting technology, which allowed parts to be smaller and slimmer while saving space inside the case. The watch met the needs of a globalizing world by delivering not just handy integrated functions for daily use, but also functions for business and recreational settings. Delivering technological innovations ahead of their time, Casio offered all-new forms of usability and set the course for the future of the digital watch.

The Casiotron X-1 is unveiled at Hannover Messe, one of the world’s largest international industrial trade fairs. Amid the innovation driving the shift from mechanical to quartz movements and the swift spread of digital watches, this is no mere digital watch. It is a computer watch, offering all new possibilities with its five functions. Original Casio electronics present a new answer to the question of what a wristwatch could be, writing a new page in the industry’s history.

The Casiotron line expanded to offer slimmer, more compact watches. Choices between round or square cases and metal or leather bands allowed women to coordinate their watch with their wardrobe. An 18K-gold-filled watch added even more luxury. Delivering the practicality of a digital watch but with a fashionable design made many women into Casio fans, expanding the use base.

The F-100 multifunction watch featured a rigid resin case and a distinctive front-button design, appealing not only to youth but also to the older generations. This watch popularized resin cases at a time when metal was the norm. A true innovation, it was a springboard to the design and construction of future Casio timepieces — including the G-SHOCK, whose lightweight, shock-resistant construction was made possible by resin.

The Hamura R&D Center, the linchpin of Casio technology development, opened in Hamura City, Tokyo. The center launches into fundamental and wide-ranging research supporting original product development. Another focus is enhancing the training of engineers, 25% of Casio employees at the time. A second building is added in 1983, and a third in 1990. The center becomes the development home of the watches that would follow the Casiotron, as well as the first G-SHOCK, the DW-5000C, which came out in 1983.

Yamagata Casio Co., Ltd. opens in Higashine City, Yamagata as a base for manufacturing, commencing full operations in April the following year. Here, the very latest in facility equipment supports smaller form factors and high-density mounting, complete with automated production lines and power-saving features. The company boasts world-class precision mold manufacturing and resin mold machining. Later, as innovation moved into the realm of nano-processing, it delivers high-precision manufacturing, making everything from delicate, tiny gears to top-quality cases and dial components.

What is the essence of timekeeping? At the heart of it, “watches simply add up seconds.” This was the insight that inspired the Casiotron. With this groundbreaking timepiece, Casio brought the original LSI technologies of its calculator business to the watch market. Building on the concept of a fully automatic wristwatch, the Casiotron not only displayed hours, minutes, and seconds, but also the correct month, date, and day of the week — automatically adjusting for longer and shorter months. This automatic calendar function was a world-first for a digital watch, setting the precedent and principle for every Casio watch since: the pursuit of ultimate practicality.

The Casiotron (QW02-10 line) was priced at 58,000 yen, nearly a whole month’s starting salary for a university graduate in Japan back in 1974. The digital watch as a luxury item — another Casio innovation. A broad selection of models was available — round, square, slim, as well as one with 18K-gold-filled surface — to suit the individual tastes of each owner. Improvements to subsequent Casiotron models included a battery life of some seven years.

To meet growing demand, the Hachioji Factory switches from producing calculators to making Casiotron watches. Maintaining a clean environment, the assembly line — featuring the latest in auto-assemblers and testing equipment — begins operating in 1976. The production framework is later strengthened by having plants outside Japan make cases and certain other components, further fortifying the foundation of the watch business.

The first Casiotron had timekeeping functions (displaying the hour, minutes, seconds, AM/PM, month, date, and day of the week) and an auto-calendar. Then, the Casiotron X-1 added a stopwatch, counter, world time, and dual time display, becoming the first wristwatch in the world to deliver five functions. This giant leap forward was made possible by Casio’s proprietary high-density mounting technology, which allowed parts to be smaller and slimmer while saving space inside the case. The watch met the needs of a globalizing world by delivering not just handy integrated functions for daily use, but also functions for business and recreational settings. Delivering technological innovations ahead of their time, Casio offered all-new forms of usability and set the course for the future of the digital watch.

The Casiotron X-1 is unveiled at Hannover Messe, one of the world’s largest international industrial trade fairs. Amid the innovation driving the shift from mechanical to quartz movements and the swift spread of digital watches, this is no mere digital watch. It is a computer watch, offering all new possibilities with its five functions. Original Casio electronics present a new answer to the question of what a wristwatch could be, writing a new page in the industry’s history.

The Casiotron line expanded to offer slimmer, more compact watches. Choices between round or square cases and metal or leather bands allowed women to coordinate their watch with their wardrobe. An 18K-gold-filled watch added even more luxury. Delivering the practicality of a digital watch but with a fashionable design made many women into Casio fans, expanding the use base.

The F-100 multifunction watch featured a rigid resin case and a distinctive front-button design, appealing not only to youth but also to the older generations. This watch popularized resin cases at a time when metal was the norm. A true innovation, it was a springboard to the design and construction of future Casio timepieces — including the G-SHOCK, whose lightweight, shock-resistant construction was made possible by resin.

The Hamura R&D Center, the linchpin of Casio technology development, opened in Hamura City, Tokyo. The center launches into fundamental and wide-ranging research supporting original product development. Another focus is enhancing the training of engineers, 25% of Casio employees at the time. A second building is added in 1983, and a third in 1990. The center becomes the development home of the watches that would follow the Casiotron, as well as the first G-SHOCK, the DW-5000C, which came out in 1983.

Yamagata Casio Co., Ltd. opens in Higashine City, Yamagata as a base for manufacturing, commencing full operations in April the following year. Here, the very latest in facility equipment supports smaller form factors and high-density mounting, complete with automated production lines and power-saving features. The company boasts world-class precision mold manufacturing and resin mold machining. Later, as innovation moved into the realm of nano-processing, it delivers high-precision manufacturing, making everything from delicate, tiny gears to top-quality cases and dial components.

This watch had the rigid resin case, but with 100-meter water resistance. Its comfortable fit and lightweight design made it great for swimming and other water sports, and it also had a stopwatch, timer, and other functions useful for athletes. Even powering all this functionality, the battery life was still great, at about five years.

This wristwatch incorporated a keypad the user could operate with a fingertip, leveraging original Casio miniaturization technology. In addition to doing all you would want in a watch, it offered all four arithmetic operations to eight digits. Even further, the Finger Touch System (FTS) circuitry could electronically determine the likely intended key when the user pressed two or more at once. Reinterpreting accidental input to grasp what the user meant to do — this was a truly conscientious design touch of the sort only Casio, a calculator maker, would think of. This timepiece was a milestone in both multifunctional watch development and wearable calculator design.

This sports-oriented timepiece was created just in time for the worldwide jogging boom. Helping joggers keep their desired cadence with an electronic signal, the watch could also measure required time, distance, number of steps/strides, and average speed if the user specified stride length. It also displayed lap times down to 1/100 of a second. Rigid resin was used to allow for a lightweight, colorful design. From athletic-minded younger fans to health-conscious older users, joggers of all ages loved this watch.

Casio leveraged original LSI technology to develop a CPU capable of running English-Japanese and Japanese-English dictionaries on these digital watches. The T-1500 included English terms and phrases at about the level of a junior high school graduate, while the T-2000 went further with terms and expressions for travelers and businesspeople. Needless to say, all the desired basic watch functions were included, as well. Another new step for Casio — a “walking dictionary” that changed the time-telling wristwatch into a wearable information device.

Designed to perform as a diver’s watch, this was the first Casio digital watch to deliver 200-meter water resistance. The stainless-steel, screw-lock case back ensured a water-tight seal. Paired with a top bezel made of resin, this made for an all-around heavy-duty design. Even when using the stopwatch or timer functions, the watch also separately displayed the current time, a highly practical feature. More than ready for intensive use, it also had long-term stamina, with a battery life of around seven years.

The TS-1000 could tell the temperature, another first for a wristwatch. It employed a fine ceramic semiconductor called a thermistor to sense changes in temperature. The alarm function even notified users of temperatures above or below specified ranges. Despite the greater number of components, the watch was still an easy size to wear, thanks to the new single-chip microprocessor and high-density mounting technology. This also ensured low power consumption, providing for a roughly three-year battery life.

Offering both a digital display and an analog display complete with hour, minute, and seconds hands, this watch gave the advantages of both: an intuitive grasp of the time at a glance and confirmation of the time with precision. The name was inspired by Janus, the two-headed god of time from ancient Roman mythology. It boasted a refined design to complement dressy, formal attire, along with functionality like a stopwatch and dual time display. Variations including a gold version and one with a leather band were offered to meet users’ increasingly diverse needs.

This watch not only boasted a streamlined design combining analog hour, minute, and seconds hands with digital LCD, but was also equipped with a calculator function allowing manual input. Users could draw numbers and math symbols with a fingertip on the glass, and the LCD would then display the formulas and calculation results. This epoch-making watch is still known as one of the first watches with the kind of gesture recognition people use today on smartphones and smartwatches. Not bad for the early ’80s.

The technical achievement was significant. The touch sensor incorporated a transparent terminal switch as the cover-glass of the watch face. The originally developed Finger Trace Recognition System (FTRS) provided character recognition architecture that delivered accurate results regardless of factors such as the size of the letters or where characters were traced on the screen. This was a true pioneer in wristwatch multi-functionality requiring no physical buttons.

The CFX-200 added full-fledged scientific calculator functionality to the C-80 calculator watch which, three years earlier, already had a keypad allowing direct fingertip input and 8-digit calculation functions. Offering support for 25 scientific calculation functions, 12 types of unit conversions, and memory for three fixed numbers, this amazing tech breakthrough met a broad range of needs, from research to practical work. It was a truly high-spec timepiece, boasting an abundant selection of practical features for daily life and business settings as well, with stopwatch and alarm functions, 12/24-hour format switching, and more.

The very first G-SHOCK hit the scene at a time when people thought of wristwatches as sensitive instruments in need of careful handling. Turning this conventional thinking on its head, the G-SHOCK created all-new value by redefining the timepiece as a tough tool that could withstand drops and impacts. The development story began with a single-sentence proposal to construct a tough watch that would not break even if dropped. After about two years of trial-and-error and over 200 prototypes, Casio finally achieved a revolutionary shock-resistant structure. The unique hollow case structure protected the movement from external shocks, and the urethane bezel provided an omni-directional buffer, keeping all the watch components safe.

The new G-SHOCK was not only praised by professionals working in extreme conditions; it also sparked a craze in youth culture, with skateboarders and others flocking to the brand. With the strength and functionality to handle hard use, all in a super-cool design, G-SHOCK watches have become a global favorite, an instantly recognizable must-have for street fashion, known for combining inspiration from sports, art, music, fashion, and other cultural forms. By 2017, more than 100 million G-SHOCK watches had been shipped worldwide.

Owners of this watch could perform calculator functions on the touchscreen. Just switch the LCD from timekeeping to calculator key display, then simply press the virtual keys shown on the screen with a fingertip on the glass to input math equations. With its large LCD set in a square case, the design previewed the smartwatches of today. The distinct look and feel of this model summed up the spirit of innovation behind every Casio watch.

The very first Casio solar watch, able to generate power from sunlight or even fluorescent lamps, combined a high-efficiency, amorphous silicon solar panel and an energy-efficient LSI developed by Casio. Power generated by the solar panel beneath the LCD ensured stable operation of various functions, while also recharging an internal battery to ensure smooth operation later in dark locations. Also offering 50-meter water resistance and a slim profile of just 6.5 mm, this design met all the demands of daily use.

These Data Bank watches allowed users to store telephone numbers in internal memory. Ten combinations of numbers and letters (up to 12 numbers and 4 letters) could be stored for easy, on-the-spot recall. Also equipped with calculator functionality, this watch was handy for a wide range of settings, including business. As Data Bank functions continued to evolve, the name came to be synonymous with the multifunction digital watch.

Casio surpasses 100 million watches shipped, nine years and nine months after the November 1974 debut of the Casiotron. In less than a decade, Casio goes from the world’s first auto-calendar function to a wide array of other features, from calculator, dictionary, and phonebook functions to onboard thermometers and other sensors. The Casio focus on developing an information device to wear on the wrist is paying off, giving it a real presence in the watch market.

This watch took a whole new approach to structure, creating a new fashion item befitting the digital age. The comprehensive design process started with the basic construction of the watch. Miniaturization technologies delivered dramatic size reductions, and hybrid molding techniques allowed for different materials to be molded together. The case and band were integrated — a revolutionary idea in wristwatch design. Featuring a slim profile at 3.9 mm and a light weight of just 12 g, this streamlined timepiece became an instant hit. Eventually, over one million were sold.

These two watches came equipped with two special features for business users: a Telememo function that stored up to 50 telephone numbers, and a schedule function that provided reminders for up to 50 schedule items. The higher-capacity internal memory could store entries combining 5 letters and 12 numbers. These watches offered greater practical utility and expanded personalization options, as well, with auto-sort and secret functions for Telememo and an advance-notice feature for the schedule function that allowed users to check a two-week calendar for engagements and openings.

On these watches, the LCD was divided into digital and analog-style sections, incorporating practical watch features into a functional design. The clock in the analog-style window at the upper left displayed the time in hours and minutes, and the window at the upper right indicated seconds and also displayed graphics when in alarm, timer, and stopwatch modes. A pair of small and large digital displays showed the current time and could be used to check the month, date, and day of the week. Two models were offered: the AE-20 with a resin case, and the AE-200 with a stainless-steel case.

The SDB-300W offered enhanced stopwatch functions to meet growing athletic demand, at a time when jogging, marathons, and triathlons were all the rage. The watch could do the lap/split time measurements essential for track races and had a memory function which stored up to 30 datapoints, each with a date. Other features useful for maintaining a steady pace during races, managing training, and more included average lap time calculation, target time alert, and timer functions.

This watch came equipped with a pulse-check function useful for training and health management. It used photoelectric pulse detection, employing LED light to measure changes in blood flow. Users simply placed a fingertip on the sensor to get a pulse readout. Comparing post-run readings with ordinary pulse rate could help users determine their optimal exercise intensity. Jogging-oriented features were incorporated as well, including a 1/100-second stopwatch, split time memory, and an electronic signal that helped runners keep their cadence and maintain their desired pace.

The TM-100 was a highly unique wristwatch with the ability to transmit speech via radio. Outfitted with an FM transmitter and microphone, the watch allowed users to wirelessly broadcast their voice to a radio tuned to the right frequency simply by speaking toward the watch. This meant users could play their voice over a radio’s speakers. From using the watch outdoors as a wireless loudspeaker to recording conversations on a radio-cassette, this functionality opened the door to countless possibilities. Welcome the digital watch with a supremely playful, gadgety appeal.

This watch made good use of the solar technology used for calculators and other devices in the 1980s. Goodbye, battery replacement! The power was stored in a capacitor to ensure stable operation of functions including the alarm and stopwatch. There was no doubt the watch was user-friendly, with features including quick start and charge indicator. The look of the watch made quite a splash by boldly incorporating functional elements into the design, for instance the large solar panel occupying a considerable portion of the watch face.

Introducing Phone Dialer functionality. This new feature worked in tandem with the Telememo function, which stored up to 50 telephone numbers. Simply holding the watch’s built-in speaker up to the receiver of a push-button telephone allowed users to place calls to stored numbers, which were output in the form of touch-tone signals. At a time before mobile phones really hit the scene, this was an extremely revolutionary feature. Eliminating the need to manually dial numbers digit by digit while checking a telephone directory, people used it in a broad range of settings, including business.

This slim timepiece features a simple round dial that puts all the focus on the hour, minute, and seconds hands, for a watch that is easy to read and easy to use. The minimalist design conveys the essential function of a watch — telling the time — and embodies the pure aesthetic of pragmatic beauty. Great for men and women, young and old, casual and formal settings, the watch comes in a truly diverse range of design variations to meet individual needs.

Choose between bar index marks and numerals, and between conventional urethane, translucent, mesh, and other options for the band. Select classic black and white, or any number of colored dial variations—including metallic colors, matte hues, and earth tones. All kinds of people use the MQ-24 to express themselves — from those who choose a favorite watch and wear it for years, to those who like to switch up the color and look of their watch just like a change of clothes. A long-seller whose popularity has endured since 1987, the MQ-24 has won a loyal fan base including many celebrities and is still reaching new user segments today.

Combining practical functionality with fashion sensibility, this watch was specially designed with women in mind. Its compact size, meant to ensure a comfortable fit on slender wrists, and its minimalist form, suited to business and fun alike, have kept it popular for over 30 years. In 2011, it won the Long Life Design Award at the Good Design Awards in Japan. The design has stood the test of time. Today, it is attracting new admiration from younger users with little personal connection to the era when it first came out.

This watch comes in many design options, including metallic colors like silver and gold for the case, complemented by metal and leather band choices and a diverse variety of face colors. Fashion-conscious women just keep on choosing this watch.

Designed for outdoor sports enthusiasts, this timepiece could predict changes in weather. A pressure sensor automatically measured atmospheric pressure and displayed changes over an 18-hour span on a bar graph. Like a barometer on the wrist, the graph helped users know if the weather was likely to worsen or clear up. Measurements taken by the pressure sensor could also be used to calculate altitude and water depth — broadly useful functions for a range of activities, from mountain climbing to water sports.

This watch came with features geared for exercise walking, helping people incorporate aerobic exercise into their health routines. In addition to a stopwatch for measuring time, the watch had an accelerometer to detect body movement and count steps. It also calculated calories burned after exercising based on the user’s data, including stride length, body weight, and age. It stored up to 30 datapoints in memory, for another handy feature for daily exercise management.

The CGW-50 displayed the positions of the nine planets in our solar system (even the now-ousted Pluto!), along with Halley’s comet, for any given day in a 300-year period from 1901 to 2200, storing in memory their orbital paths around the sun. Simple button operation allowed users to enjoy scanning through the planets’ orbits at increased speed, as well as to view dates of the Halley’s comet’s closest approaches to Earth, total solar eclipses, and more. This very special digital watch had an outer space mystique that astronomy enthusiasts and watch fans of all ages loved.

In the history of Casio watches, the F-91W takes its place as both the most memorable and a record-breaking bestseller. Ever since its launch in 1989, this watch has blazed a trail around the world, appearing on the wrists of the famous both in real life and on screen. Featuring a strong, slim, lightweight resin case, the watch is equipped with time and date display, stopwatch, alarm, and light functions. Easy to read, easy to use, easy to wear — this is a timepiece meticulously designed for quality down to the finest detail.

The F-91W has been joined by an extensive lineup with resin cases and bands and square designs. From the F-94W featuring a round indicator, to the W-59 with 50-meter water resistance, to the F-105W with EL backlight, each presented an evolution in form while maintaining the trademark multifunctionality of the F-91W. This line of timepieces demonstrates the Casio commitment to quality down to the tiniest details.

Equipped with the same movement as its peer, the F-91W, the A159W employs a metal band. The case features metallic color as well, to match the band. Crafted in Japan by the highly skilled engineers at Yamagata Casio, the watch is still sold around the world today, a long-selling favorite alongside the A158, which shares the same specs, but a different production location.

The MAP-100 boasted a Map Meter function capable of calculating travel distances on paper maps. The watch was developed for the increasing number of people going for drives or camping on days off, capturing demand from the recreation boom of those days. Tracing a map route with the measurement roller on the watch’s bezel would display the actual distance based on the specified map scale. Travel time could be calculated as well, by inputting the speed of travel. This functionality was widely useful in a range of settings, from planning trips in advance at a time when digital maps were not yet widely available, to seeking the best route while out on the road.

The first in the Data Bank line with a touchscreen, this watch allowed users to operate its various functions with just a fingertip. In fact, to emphasize that everything could be done on the screen, the designers provided no buttons or crown. The large, full-screen dot-matrix LCD displayed graphics including a world map, as well as letters, numbers, and Japanese katakana characters. Boasting the Casio Telememo function to help users keep track of calendar entries, addresses, and more, this watch was full of user-friendly perks, including world time.

This Data Bank watch was the very first wristwatch to include a dictionary of kanji (Chinese characters used to write Japanese). Users could easily check some 55,000 Japanese words, including derived terms, just by entering the phonetic reading. The watch also allowed kanji input, adding handy functionality to the Telememo feature, which stored telephone numbers, names, and addresses. Users now had access to 3,349 kanji characters, and records could contain 256 characters each. With this level of personal data management, the DKW-100 broadened the scope of practical functionality a wristwatch could offer in business settings and beyond.

The BP-100 calculated blood pressure by analyzing changes in blood flow measured by an optical sensor and ECG signals. No wristwatch had ever incorporated a blood pressure monitor before. Simply touching a fingertip to the sensor produced a reading — and unlike conventional monitors, it was accurate without requiring constriction of the arm. It also stored up to 30 datapoints in memory, including pulse, which could be measured at the same time. Decades ahead of its time, this groundbreaker delivered the kind of health-oriented functionality that smartwatches are known for today.

The IA-1000 featured a very unique case construction with an engaging design quirk: the user could flip open the face of the watch, great for telling time on the analog dial with hour, minute, and seconds hands, to reveal a digital display complete with a numeric keypad, optimized for information input and display using the Telememo function. This highly original double-faced watch not only kept time but also stored and displayed telephone numbers.

This watch delivered a further evolution to the pulse-check function that the JP-100W had in 1987. Users could check whether they were maintaining the most beneficial exercise intensity. Based on pulse measurement and the user’s data, a flashing symbol let them know they were in the optimal aerobic zone. The measurement data could also be stored in memory, helping users assess their workouts over time, design training routines, and more.

The ALT-7000, a total outdoor watch, hit the scene when hiking and mountain-climbing were all the buzz. Twin sensors measured altitude, barometric pressure, and temperature. The upper LCD also displayed graphs indicating trends in altitude and barometric pressure. The durable metal case delivered 100-meter water resistance. Slide rule markings around the bezel and the sensor cover jutting out at 9 o’clock really gave it the look of a piece of rugged outdoor gear.

The CPW-100 incorporated a sensor for measuring compass bearings using geomagnetic readings. The LCD displayed 16 directions, with a graphic display in the center indicating north. Along with a bearing correction function to ensure measurements with greater precision, the rotating bezel provided a simple method of bearing memory. Heading straight in the indicated direction enabled users to stay on course even in poor visibility. With a circular face layout to complement the digital compass and other features, this unique timepiece showed ambitious design sensibilities, as well.

This watch came with fitness functions designed for health- and beauty-conscious women. Users entered personal data (body weight, age, and sex), selected from 10 exercise intensity levels, and pressed the Start button to display current levels of fat and calories burned. The watch updated these figures every 30 seconds during periods of exercise, allowing users to enjoy jogging, walking, or other aerobic exercises effective for burning fat.

The unique CMD-10 delivered remote control functionality for TVs and VCRs. Its function-minded layout of large remote control buttons ensured intuitive operability. Users could turn their TV or VCR on or off, change channels, adjust the volume, and more using the watch on their wrist. It was compatible with TVs and VCRs from the major manufacturers. At last, no more searching for the remote! This convenient lifehack made the CMD-10 quite popular in its day.

To start the FROGMAN line off with a proper splash, the DW-6300 was designed for serious diving, with ISO 200-meter water resistance. The screw-back metal case, distinctive asymmetric design with offset band and case positions, and diving frog character established the unique FROGMAN identity. Winning fans of all sorts — from experts on diving missions, to recreational divers, to people who just love diver’s watches — the FROGMAN line continues to evolve today.

In yet another Casio world-first, this watch had built-in magnetic, pressure, and temperature sensors, proving the uniqueness of Casio technologies for miniaturization and high-density mounting. Pioneering a new genre of timepieces geared for serious outdoor activities, the ATC-1100 integrated an altimeter, barometric pressure and direction readings, and thermometer. It met mountain-climbing’s demands for split-second judgment and precisely executed action, enabling users to stay on top of changing weather conditions, check their current location, and more. The memory function provided useful support for trek logs, as well. Building on the success of this watch, Casio introduced the PRO TREK brand the following year.

This unique watch was equipped with a special sensor for measuring the surface temperatures of objects. It did this by scanning their infrared radiation levels with a non-contact temperature measurement function. It could measure from −20°C up to 200°C. So, what did people use it to measure? Everything from the surface temperature of a fishing hole to an auto racetrack to the surface of the snow — an essential data point for waxing skis properly. Or for health concerns — measuring body temperature, for instance — or to get just the right temperature for frying oil in the kitchen. Two versions were offered: the TSR-100 with a standard resin band, and the TSR-110 with a cloth band.