Dear Casio AE-1200, we have to talk…
(Disclaimer: This will be an unpleasent critic on the Casio AE-1200 and also about Casio, after a two years intense relationship. So please don't be offended if you are a fan of it, my Casio isn't either. )
Hello fellow,
you might hear often the storry, that many couples do break up after their (first?) holiday.
It was similar to that for me.
Me and my Casio AE-1200 were one heart and one soul. Chronograph function, stopwatch, world timer, multiple time zones, dual time, perpetual calendar etc.
For a long time she used 90% of my wrist time, even though I had much nicer and more pretty watches.
But at some point it was replaced by the Casio MRW-200H-1E (the so called CaSKX). It made more sense for my sport and everyday life and also looked better. As a result, my AE-1200 was in the box for about half a year.
Now there were two events.
I accidentally met a new beauty. She's called Montblanc Star UTC Chronograph 107113.
I just couldn't say no. Especially since it was offered to me with a discount of over 60%. So I had my first UTC (“gmt”…I know it’s not gmt, but many people don’t know UTC) and that was a week before the second event: my trip to Portugal.
How nice…an hour time difference. That's enough of an argument for me to test my UTC and spend my honeymoon with it. To be on the safe side, I took my AE-1200 with me. In case I should be more active in sports. Yes...I know...which idiot takes his ex-girlfriend on their honeymoon...but let's be honest...the idea itself is hot! :-)
I was in a hurry. I started on the plane on the way to set my watches.
The Montblanc, my elegant, shapely beauty with the voluptuous curves on my left wrist.
My angular, wrinkled plastic Casio on my right wrist.
The Montblanc: crown pulled out. Turned it twice. Both time zones sits.
The Casio: Mhhh...what was that again. Which button...top left...and right...no...one of the two left buttons...ok...I'll change the zone now...wait, no, that was wrong. So….now I have it…. I decide on the fourth storage location of a new time zone. I still have to set the winter time because the Casio was in the box for half a year and adjust the time to Portugal... ok... save... button at the top right... stop... no... that's the light. Save here….ok…done…so…quick check for German time so I know what time it is at my family’s house…. And what... DAMN, why doesn't German time work now?
Long story short. When I arrived at the hotel, I threw the Casio into my open suitcase from a distance of 3 meters... but actually aiming for the trash can.
And then I remembered the horror when I unpacked the Casio with excitement two years ago. It started with the operating instructions. Many people already know it, but I still have to mention it. Anyone who writes such operating instructions as Casio must hate their customers. Or at least completely despise it.
The German description made no sense. Even the words didn't fit. They were translated twice. From Japanese to English (wrong of course, because the English manual didn't make much sense either) and then from wrong English to wrong German. (minus multiplying minus doesn’t make a plus)
Any elementary school student would have translated it better using Google.
Ok...I thought to myself...my wife speaks Korean...the neighboring country of Japan. There are many Koreans living in Japan and there is definitely at least one Korean working at Casio. So I gave it to my wife...she read the sentence that I didn't understand three four times in Korean and at one point said..."that doesn't make sense!".
OK thanks.
Turned on YouTube, where a nice YouTuber helps.
It turned out (if I remember correctly) that in addition to the incorrect text description, the technical description, i.e. the arrangement of the modules to click through, was also incorrectly described.
Seriously...Casio hasn't just been around since yesterday and this model isn't new either. So has Casio not cared about what it serves its customers for years or decades?
Unfortunately, this topic fits in nicely with my column about Casio and their product policy failures.
I know there are many Casio fans and please don't get me wrong. I have three Casios in my collection and I am grateful that Casio allows us to build wonderful collections without having to rob a bank first. And I would still recommend the AE-1200 to anyone looking for these exact features.
But if Casio is “GOOOOD Tier” then God must hate us.
And now for a short vacation in Portugal with a full program and little time, should I sit down at the watch again for an hour to understand it and set it? No thanks.
On the other hand, with the Montblanc I now had my first analogue UTC/GMT watch (plus chronograph function and date).
It was simple, functional and reliable and set up within a minute. The point is not that it is an expensive mechanical watch. To be honest, I was partly worried about the Montblanc because I was hiking with it and on the beach (not in the water with 3Bar and leather strap). A cheap analogue quartz watch would have been just as good. But I have now discovered that an analogue GMT/UTC watch is much more practical than a digital all-rounder, which, however, has so many functions that after a few months you no longer have an overview and it is so unintuitive to use. And I have now decided to buy another inexpensive analogue (probably quartz) GMT/UTC watch for my travels.
And now back to Casio.
Yes, my love...it's over. The passion is gone. I also don't believe the assurances that it can change. The fact that Casio hasn't changed since the 80s...literally...I described it extensively in my column back then.
Yes, Casio...we can still be friends...You know what that means: after two weeks I won't answer your calls anymore.
And again dear Casio fans. Take it sportingly and not personally. It's my own subjective opinion. So please take it with humor ;-) .
As an affordable enthusiasts alternative I became resently a sucker for Zeppelin. So I might extent my collection with a Dual-Time-Model of them.
Propably with the Atlantic Series, which even has full lume dial, which would be very practical on long flights.
Chairman of Quarz Rights Watch Association, fighting for equal rights of Quarz Watches and reporting crimes against quarz watches by Mecascists (mecanical fascists) and abuses and missuses of Quarz-Or...
I keep on Google drive a PDF version of my Casio user manuals because I know that I'm going to need them for doing anything more complex than changing display modes.
My Casio ProTrek is a living proof that I'm too stupid to own it because I always get stuck on DST changes with the wrong time.
Interesting & topical for me.
I've been kicking around the idea of getting an AE-1200 for about 6 months.
I've also been semi-cursing do-it-all devices for about as long.
This breakup post has brought into clear focus a philosophy I have tried to espouse, but have mostly failed at executing; every task has its tool and everything needs a purpose.
Sadly, the siren song of multi-function is just that; an illusion for most people; especially those of us that do not use all of the functions all of the time. When a function isn't used frequently, one forgets how to use it. Once that knowledge has been forgotten, the function basically does not exist. Could it be that some technology can over-evolve?
It is a $30 USD watch; certainly not expensive by any definition. If it was such a great watch, I'd have it already. So I won't.
Similar experience to myself around 20 years ago- I'd been a G-Shock wearer for years, bought an SKX on a whim (they were cheap back then) & that killed multi function digital for me completely.
Dislike even complicated analogue watches, the simpler and more basic the better.
The whole "God tier" thing is laughable & I just don't get it, they are brilliant tools, but that's all for me.
Its funny, in other arenas the G Shock and/or Protrek is almost ALWAYS shouted at to people when they ask for a tactical watch.
Yet for most, myself included a solid, robust, and legible/lumed basic watch will work faaaaaaar better.
Don't need an extra hand to light it up, if it has a bezel, voila there's your countdown, in a pinch you can use the hands as a rudimentary compass. (Trust me, just Google it, in a true crap+fan scenario it'll get the job done)
And most really only use their rather expensive G Shock, Garmin, whatever for time, date and maybe a stopwatch.
So realistically a basic Timex Ironman would suffice, YMMV.
And this is coming from someone who absolutely LOVES his Protrek. Set mine up to track pressure changes and alarm me for incoming storms, tracking altitude for orienteering purposes, the compass is nice too...
Still take an analog these days, maybe throw a button compass on. I'll still wear a Protrek for nostalgia or a particularly time sensitive or interval workout TBH.
Right tool for the job, watch tells the time and/or a particular countdown. For other stuff use the appropriate tool, i e a lensatic, DAGR, GPS, dive computer, whatever.
I keep on Google drive a PDF version of my Casio user manuals because I know that I'm going to need them for doing anything more complex than changing display modes.
My Casio ProTrek is a living proof that I'm too stupid to own it because I always get stuck on DST changes with the wrong time.
If you feel stupid with your ProTrek, then I feel with my AE-1200 like..
Interesting & topical for me.
I've been kicking around the idea of getting an AE-1200 for about 6 months.
I've also been semi-cursing do-it-all devices for about as long.
This breakup post has brought into clear focus a philosophy I have tried to espouse, but have mostly failed at executing; every task has its tool and everything needs a purpose.
Sadly, the siren song of multi-function is just that; an illusion for most people; especially those of us that do not use all of the functions all of the time. When a function isn't used frequently, one forgets how to use it. Once that knowledge has been forgotten, the function basically does not exist. Could it be that some technology can over-evolve?
It is a $30 USD watch; certainly not expensive by any definition. If it was such a great watch, I'd have it already. So I won't.
Honestly if some one would buy it just to get it as a collector it would be ok for the little money or as an one or main watch. But if not he/she wouldn't miss anything.
Its funny, in other arenas the G Shock and/or Protrek is almost ALWAYS shouted at to people when they ask for a tactical watch.
Yet for most, myself included a solid, robust, and legible/lumed basic watch will work faaaaaaar better.
Don't need an extra hand to light it up, if it has a bezel, voila there's your countdown, in a pinch you can use the hands as a rudimentary compass. (Trust me, just Google it, in a true crap+fan scenario it'll get the job done)
And most really only use their rather expensive G Shock, Garmin, whatever for time, date and maybe a stopwatch.
So realistically a basic Timex Ironman would suffice, YMMV.
And this is coming from someone who absolutely LOVES his Protrek. Set mine up to track pressure changes and alarm me for incoming storms, tracking altitude for orienteering purposes, the compass is nice too...
Still take an analog these days, maybe throw a button compass on. I'll still wear a Protrek for nostalgia or a particularly time sensitive or interval workout TBH.
Right tool for the job, watch tells the time and/or a particular countdown. For other stuff use the appropriate tool, i e a lensatic, DAGR, GPS, dive computer, whatever.
Yes...good point.
I once wrote an article regarding tactical watches.
https://www.watchcrunch.com/Uhrologe/posts/tactical-watches-vs-swiss-army-an-explanation-41896
I think the best ones are those with rotating bezels as you mentioned and with tritium tubes.
Some you can even get for a price as like a G-Shock.
Similar experience to myself around 20 years ago- I'd been a G-Shock wearer for years, bought an SKX on a whim (they were cheap back then) & that killed multi function digital for me completely.
Dislike even complicated analogue watches, the simpler and more basic the better.
The whole "God tier" thing is laughable & I just don't get it, they are brilliant tools, but that's all for me.
Totally agree!
Its funny, in other arenas the G Shock and/or Protrek is almost ALWAYS shouted at to people when they ask for a tactical watch.
Yet for most, myself included a solid, robust, and legible/lumed basic watch will work faaaaaaar better.
Don't need an extra hand to light it up, if it has a bezel, voila there's your countdown, in a pinch you can use the hands as a rudimentary compass. (Trust me, just Google it, in a true crap+fan scenario it'll get the job done)
And most really only use their rather expensive G Shock, Garmin, whatever for time, date and maybe a stopwatch.
So realistically a basic Timex Ironman would suffice, YMMV.
And this is coming from someone who absolutely LOVES his Protrek. Set mine up to track pressure changes and alarm me for incoming storms, tracking altitude for orienteering purposes, the compass is nice too...
Still take an analog these days, maybe throw a button compass on. I'll still wear a Protrek for nostalgia or a particularly time sensitive or interval workout TBH.
Right tool for the job, watch tells the time and/or a particular countdown. For other stuff use the appropriate tool, i e a lensatic, DAGR, GPS, dive computer, whatever.
My Ironman was my watch on deployment, it got the job done perfectly. When I moved to recon, most people had the Suunto Core because the ABC functions were useful. I stupidly broke mine and got a Pathfinder to replace it, and I can't recommend it highly enough. But I also noticed some dudes wearing two watches. When I asked about it, I got hit with the old "two is one, one is none" rule. I was young and dumb then so I didn't know anything about mechanical watches. The other watch was usually a diver, and almost always an Invicta. Now that I'm old and dumb and into watches, I also double wrist it. But like you said, it's all about the right tools.
The wonderful thing about watches is enjoying the variety, something we typically give up when we enter a real relationship. So enjoy the watch variety! That said I find the AE1200 setting design to be very simple and logical.
Similar experience to myself around 20 years ago- I'd been a G-Shock wearer for years, bought an SKX on a whim (they were cheap back then) & that killed multi function digital for me completely.
Dislike even complicated analogue watches, the simpler and more basic the better.
The whole "God tier" thing is laughable & I just don't get it, they are brilliant tools, but that's all for me.
The whole 'God tier' is his way of marketing himself.
You can't not think of him whenever someone says it.
The whole 'God tier' is his way of marketing himself.
You can't not think of him whenever someone says it.
Yep, that's spot on . Find him really annoying myself (but not as detestable as that gobby Australian self proclaimed "Pontif") 😂👍🏻👍🏻
Probably, it is some cultural difference that can't be translated whith automatic translate programs.
I have the same experience whith Citizen Attesa ( JDM, eco-drive, radio-controlled) I never in my life feel so stupid as I feel when i wanted to set that simple 3 hands and date watch. I never read manuals of electronics and in 90% of time this work well.
Whith this watch i read that manual 5 times, word by word and use coloured markers and in the end i understand how to set the watch and i understand that good translations cost more money then my watch or yours can pay.
Google translate is free but the results are cheaper.
Haha! i am going on a 3 week trip to NZ next week and i plan to bring the AE1200 and the Timex Q GMT. I was planning to do a similar kind of comparison. I can see the Q GMT being on the wrist most of the time though.
I "solved" my own problems with the Casio/G-Shock button sequence complexity by trying to get the solar/Bluetooth versions. Set them via the phone app, and get on with life!
But yeah, it's interesting how more old-fashioned analog designs can sometimes do the job faster and easier than a digital piece.
I got an OG CasiOak. I was completely useless at setting any functionality in the module. The minute the bluetooth CasiOak was available I upgraded and gave the old one to a friend (who also has issues changing anything despite owning the manual).
Digital watches are utterly counterintuitive.
I literally just ordered the AE1200 as I am also on a trip in Portugal and wishing I had a GMT while I was here.
Thanks for the post, really brought a nice dose of reality. Cancelled my order. I'll save up instead for a nice GMT when I get a chance 🤣🤣🤣
Unfortunately the bad sides are rarely discussed at some youtube influencers.
I think the watch makes sense if you have a two or maximum three watch collection. So thst you always keep in touch with it and stayvused to the functions. Otherwise it will be a pain in the a...
I also started no looking for a good affordable gmt/utc watch.
I mentioned Zeppelin, but I want to see what others has to offer as well.
P.S. greetings from Porto, hope you're enjoying Portugal as much as I am.
I'm already back again. Porto is great. In my opinion everything between Port and Lisbon.
Faro deep south was like...nah...ok. nothing special for my taste.
Enjoy your holiday and the awesome seafood.
I got an OG CasiOak. I was completely useless at setting any functionality in the module. The minute the bluetooth CasiOak was available I upgraded and gave the old one to a friend (who also has issues changing anything despite owning the manual).
Digital watches are utterly counterintuitive.
Another fellow also wrote something similar. Yes, the new bluetooth function is a hell of a lifehack. But I will never touch a digital multi functional casio again with my bare hands.
Unfortunately the bad sides are rarely discussed at some youtube influencers.
I think the watch makes sense if you have a two or maximum three watch collection. So thst you always keep in touch with it and stayvused to the functions. Otherwise it will be a pain in the a...
I also started no looking for a good affordable gmt/utc watch.
I mentioned Zeppelin, but I want to see what others has to offer as well.
I was looking at the vario empire GMT. Maybe you want to take a look at that? It's not too expensive and has a good miyota movement (miyota 9705)
I was looking at the vario empire GMT. Maybe you want to take a look at that? It's not too expensive and has a good miyota movement (miyota 9705)
Unfortunately it is not available here.
But the FC Index Business Timer looks more for me.
I was also looking for a moonphase and a blue watch...so I would hit three birds with one stone.
Unfortunately it is not available here.
But the FC Index Business Timer looks more for me.
I was also looking for a moonphase and a blue watch...so I would hit three birds with one stone.
Beautiful watch! Didn't even know fc made a watch like this
Some people should just ask other people what time it is. Thats how they arrive at everything else they know, why should the time be any different. That way they can remain oblivious as to whether the information received is actually accurate or not.
So you stated you had a problem remembering what button you needed for world time function? It’s a digital watch? What were you expecting?
Sorry but this is a dumb post.
You’re allowed, obviously, to have an opinion but I don’t have to agree or respect it. Nobody does, really. But this post isn’t really as helpful as you’d think. Because you couldn’t remember what to do to set the watch properly or make sense of the instructions, that’s not a fault of the watch. It’s a digital watch, they have buttons and can sometimes be complicated.
You’re allowed, obviously, to have an opinion but I don’t have to agree or respect it. Nobody does, really. But this post isn’t really as helpful as you’d think. Because you couldn’t remember what to do to set the watch properly or make sense of the instructions, that’s not a fault of the watch. It’s a digital watch, they have buttons and can sometimes be complicated.
...mmhh...ok..
...
I have a Citizen Perpetual world timer that somehow lost time a few months back. I have never been so mad at a watch than I had been on that one. Its stupidly hard to set and somehow I did it wrong twice and the hands just keep spinning to some random city I set by mistake so I feel your pain haha! I prefer dual time for that very reason. Its much easier and you can easily witch between the two!
I have a Citizen Perpetual world timer that somehow lost time a few months back. I have never been so mad at a watch than I had been on that one. Its stupidly hard to set and somehow I did it wrong twice and the hands just keep spinning to some random city I set by mistake so I feel your pain haha! I prefer dual time for that very reason. Its much easier and you can easily witch between the two!
Yea...I think it's a general problem in japanese product design culture.
They are to focused on the functions instead of making something simple and intuitiv in handling. They expect from the customer to educate and train himself to learn how their product works instead of offering the customer a good product experience. It only works on a certain point with a watch.
On first day, you are exited and try to understand (even you don't want), then you use it a while, but after a few weeks/months break you forgot everything, making a mess und you don't want to spend/waste your time again to figure it out how it works.
I never been more happy to have a simple analogue GMT.
Yea...I think it's a general problem in japanese product design culture.
They are to focused on the functions instead of making something simple and intuitiv in handling. They expect from the customer to educate and train himself to learn how their product works instead of offering the customer a good product experience. It only works on a certain point with a watch.
On first day, you are exited and try to understand (even you don't want), then you use it a while, but after a few weeks/months break you forgot everything, making a mess und you don't want to spend/waste your time again to figure it out how it works.
I never been more happy to have a simple analogue GMT.
I don't blame you. Setting the time over and over becomes tedious at the best of times. Then you have to contend with different time zones and DST and so on but I think I have cracked it this time. Time will tell I guess haha! I think you are quite right. Certain aspects could absolutely do with improving! Hope you have a great day!