The development of CASIO watches: 1970
Our heritage since 1974
Redefining the timepiece in every era to make life better
The history of Casio watches is all about taking on challenges. It all started in 1974 with the Casiotron, the world’s first digital watch with an automatic calendar. Casio has been innovating ever since, delivering highly original watches that not only capture the essence of time-keeping but also expand its possibilities.
Casio is still embracing challenges today, improving people’s lives and contributing to the global community. You can count on Casio to keep creating amazing watches the world has never seen before.
1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s - 20s
1974
CASIOTRON
The birth of the CASIO watch
What is the vital essence of toughness? 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.
1976
Dedicated Casiotron assembly line opens
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.
1976
Casiotron X-1
World's first wristwatch with five functions
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.
1976
Hannover Messe exhibition
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.
1977
Casiotron for women
High-fashion digital watches for women
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.
1978
F-100
Rigid resin case with lightweight strength
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.
1979
Hamura R&D Center completed
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.
1979
Yamagata Casio Co., Ltd. established
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.
1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s - 20s
