Teddy Baldassarre
Casio AQ-230 Review: The Minimalist Ana-Digi Watch
When you think of Casio watches, one inevitably goes to digital classics like the F-91W, A168, AE-1200, or the G-Shock line. The Casio AQ-230 is the odd exception, in that it’s almost a minimalist dress watch intended to slip under a cuff. It’s also been around for over 30 years now, so it has to be doing something right.The Casio AQ-230 is the quintessential under-the-radar piece that doesn’t shout "digital watch" too loudly. The cleanly minimal, ana-digi design is thoughtful in ways that I appreciate but are subtle. For example, the analog hands never touch the digital LCD screen. The AQ-230 was released all the way back in 1995 as a follow-up to the old Casio Janus AQ-200 from 1982. The design was almost completely unchanged, other than the addition of another pusher on the left side of the case and a slimmer case width. Naturally, the AQ-230 stands out from other Casio watches due to its slightly “dressier” appearance and aesthetic. I have heard some people say it’s Casio's version of the Cartier Tank - which sounds a little outlandish but kind of checks out once you think about it. Casio AQ-230 Case and Bracelet This is a quintessentially unisex case size, coming in at 29.8mm wide, 8.1mm thick, and 38.8mm tall (with 30 meters of water resistance). This may sound a little small and, honestly, it is. But that’s not a bad thing, especially considering the rectangular case shape. The Cartier Tank Louis in the large case size measures 27.8mm wide and 38.1mm...
