Since forever, Casio has dominated the market for affordable digital and quartz watches. Now it's making a play for the wallet-friendly end of the mechanical watch market, territory traditionally dominated by fellow Japanese manufacturers Seiko, Citizen, and Orient. The new CMK-100 is Casio's first automatic watch to carry its mainline branding, following the introduction of mechanical models under its Edifice label last year.
And on paper, it's a pretty compelling proposition. Inspired by classic military field watches—with more than a passing resemblance to the Rolex Explorer and the Tudor Ranger—the CMK-100 has a 38mm titanium case, sapphire crystal, screw-down crown, and 100 meters of water resistance. Its textured dial features luminous Arabic numerals, while a Japanese automatic movement provides a 42-hour power reserve.
The movement's manufacturer hasn't been disclosed, although its specifications suggest it could be a Miyota 8215, a calibre used by Timex, Spinnaker, and Invicta, among others. There are five versions: one on a titanium bracelet, two on nylon straps, and two more on Italian leather straps—including a rather jazzy brown-dial model with a rose gold-colored case. Prices range from $330 to $440.
For Seiko, which has built a substantial business selling affordable mechanical watches through collections such as the Seiko 5 Sports, Casio's arrival in this category represents an interesting challenge. Titanium cases and sapphire crystals are hardly standard equipment at this price, and Casio already has an enormous following among younger watch buyers. Whether those customers will embrace a mechanical from the home of G-Shock remains to be seen.
But for anyone shopping for a good-looking, affordable automatic watch, there's now another Japanese name in the running for your attention.
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