Casio Edifice

Japanese watch manufacturer Casio instills each Edifice timepiece with three things: classic sports watch design, the legendary durability of the G-Shock, and state-of-the-art technology. Edifice watches are made of stainless steel; select models are also available with black, gray, or rose gold ion plating. Furthermore, every case has a screw-down stainless steel case back and is water-resistant to 100 m (10 bar, 328 ft). Casio outfits most versions with mineral glass, though top models boast scratch-resistant sapphire crystal.

When it comes to the dial, you can choose between a traditional analog display or a combination of analog hands and digital displays. Both variants are available in a wide range of designs. From reserved timepieces to high-tech instruments based on an F1 car's cockpit, the Edifice collection truly has something for everyone.

Chronographs make up a vast majority of the collection. Some also feature other unusual functions such as alarm clocks, temperature displays, or tide graphs. Other models can connect to smartphones via Bluetooth, store telephone numbers, or help you locate your smartphone.

This vast array of features is made possible by Casio's groundbreaking quartz and micro-technologies. Their movements are extremely precise and economical. Battery-powered models require a new power source every three to ten years, while watches with Casio's "Tough Solar" technology make battery changes a thing of the past. The latter charge under ambient light and can function in complete darkness for 24 months when fully charged.

Most Edifice watches belong to the Smartphone Link series. These timepieces feature Bluetooth technology that enables them to connect to your iOS or Android-powered smartphone. Simply download the Edifice Connected App to control the watch's many functions. Functions vary by model and may include multiple alarms, a second time zone, or the transmission of stopwatch data to your smartphone. Another useful feature is the "Phone Finder," which you can use to ping your phone should you misplace it.

The Edifice ECB900DB is a great example of the wide range of functionality offered by these Bluetooth-enabled timepieces. It is a 48-mm solar-powered watch that combines analog and digital elements. There is a traditional time display – i.e., with hands and indices – as well as an analog semicircular display between 3 and 6 o'clock, which can function as either a power-reserve indicator or tachymeter for calculating speeds depending on the watch's current mode.

The ECB900DB also has two alphanumerical LCD displays at 9 and 12 o'clock. These displays can be set to show the date, day, or alarms. You can also use them as a timer or to display the time in one of 29 time zones in addition to the local time. What's more, the ECB900DB's chronograph is accurate to 1/10th of a second and can store up to 200 different intervals. These figures also appear on the LCD displays.

The ECB900DB features a black dial with your choice of red, blue, or yellow accents. Casio mounts this watch on a multi-link stainless steel bracelet. Luminous material coats the hands and indices, enabling them to glow in the dark. This model also comes with LED lighting. You can purchase a mint-condition ECB900DB for between 160 and 220 USD. Pre-owned pieces are relatively hard to come by.

EQB500/EQB501

If you aren't a fan of the ECB900DB's digital displays, you may prefer the EQB500. This model boasts nearly all the functionality of its sister model; however, instead of using LCD displays, everything about the EQB500 is strictly analog. The final result is a high-tech watch with the look of a classic chronograph.

The EQB500 has a black dial with a prominent semicircular subdial between 3 and 6 o'clock. This feature can serve as a speed indicator or day display depending on the mode. It's also home to a date display at 4:30 and a dot indicator that lets you know whether or not you have any new emails. There's also a subdial at 9 o'clock, which can show a second time zone, your alarm, or the chronograph's elapsed hours and minutes. Two more subdials at 12 and 7 o'clock complete the dial. These are day/night indicators for the local time and a second time zone, respectively. Plan to spend around 300 USD on a never-worn stainless steel EQB500. Models with a black coating demand about 430 USD. You can save between 60 and 80 USD by purchasing a pre-owned timepiece. Those who like a wider range of dial and bezel colors should take a closer look at the Edifice EQB501. It is technically identical to the 500 but is available with a blue or white dial. It also sells for similar prices of between 280 and 400 USD.

The Edifice Standard EFR and ERS series are two of the few Casio lines made up entirely of analog watches. In fact, these timepieces bear a close resemblance to conventional chronographs in terms of both design and functionality. However, thanks to their precise quartz calibers, they are more accurate than many mechanical watches.

One example is the Edifice EFR513SP-1AV. This timepiece's stopwatch can accurately measure times to within 1/20th of a second, making it much more accurate than most mechanical chronographs. Casio equips this model with a date window and 24-hour display that also functions as a day/night indicator. The quartz movement's battery has enough energy to run for about three years. Prices for this Casio Edifice sit around 230 USD.

Those who prefer the convenience of solar technology should turn to the Edifice EFSS540DB-1A. Its 47.6-mm stainless steel case houses a precise quartz caliber that provides this timepiece with its many functions. There is a chronograph, a date display at 4:30, and a power reserve indicator at 7 o'clock. The watch also has three subdials: one for the elapsed seconds at 6, another for the elapsed minutes at 9, and a 24-hour display at 12 o'clock. Sapphire crystal protects these various displays from the elements. You can purchase this watch for roughly 170 USD new and 140 USD pre-owned.

The Standard series also contains the only three-hand Edifice watches, including the EFV100L-1AV. This model has a 42-mm brushed stainless steel case, as well as a mineral glass crystal. It features a black dial with wide applied indices. Both the indices and the arrow-shaped hands are coated with a generous layer of luminous material. A date display at 3 o'clock rounds off this timepiece. You can find this watch on Chrono24 for as little as 100 USD.

The Edifice EFV120DB-1AV is nearly identical to the EFV100L except for the presence of a unidirectional countdown bezel and a slightly altered hand and index design. This version costs about the same as its counterpart without a special bezel.

Watches with an integrated data log are among the highlights of the standard series. Take the Edifice ERA120DB, for example. It is capable of storing up to 30 telephone numbers, each with up to eight letters and twelve numerals. Two LCD displays on the dial's lower half show this information as required. These displays can also indicate the time in a second time zone, the date, and your alarms, as well as function as a stopwatch or timer. Wide stick hands and applied indices serve as the standard time display. According to Casio, this watch boasts a battery life of up to 10 years. Be sure to have about 150 USD on hand to purchase this multi-functional timepiece.

Fans of cushion-shaped watches should be on the lookout for the Edifice EFA120D-1AV on an integrated stainless steel bracelet. Despite its unique looks, this timepiece is no less impressive than its sister models. Its analog hands rotate atop a collection of LCD displays, which you can use to view the ambient temperature, date, or the time in a second time zone, among other functions. The chronograph function is accurate to a jaw-dropping 1/100th of a second. This analog-digital timepiece demands about 110 USD.