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“Less is more" perfectly sums up minimalist design - a concept Casio has embraced in the F-91WB. But have they gone too far?

From the Barcelona Chair, to exposed concrete interiors, minimalism focuses on removing superfluous elements, simplifying and subsequently enhancing a design. The user gets everything they need, and nothing more. But sometimes we like those creature comforts. Concrete and glass are clean and crisp but not all that comfortable. In a sea of cream and beige interiors, you can find yourself longing for a hint of color. So has going monochrome made the F91WB better, or have we lost some creature comforts along the way?

With over 100 million units sold, the Casio F-91W is officially the most-sold watch in history. Whilst some might not know the reference number, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who didn’t recognize 'THE' digital watch (and its predecessor the F87W).

This little black Lego brick on a plastic strap was as common as a BMX and a grazed knee when I was a kid. You likely owned one as an 80s or 90s child, or your cheap uncle had one, or you bought one ironically a few years ago and relish the sentimentality of it all. Cheap to make, simple to use, and seemingly indestructible, even to this day 3 million F91Ws are sold every year.

Putting one back on my wrist after a long hiatus, it’s easy to see why they continue to outsell Rolex three-fold a year. Extremely light, very thin (8.5mm), and accurate to around +/- 1 second a day. It can wake you up in the morning, help you boil an egg for breakfast, and measure your PB on the way to work. It’ll tell you the day and date, and even has a charming little backlight. 3 buttons make navigation a breeze and the integrated strap allows it to fit wrists of any size between 4 ½ - 8 inches. They say cockroaches will outlive humans, I dare say the F91W will join them after we’re gone.

*Left:* *Original Casio F-91W* *Right:* *Casio F-91WB*

When this model arrived, I quickly dug out my older model for reference. The first thing I noticed was that my old 91W had lost a mere 6 minutes in over 2 years of sitting in the closet - just half a second a day. It really is amazing that mechanical movements survived at all once this thing was unleashed on the market.

Casio F-91WB Review

So what's new? As alluded to earlier, Casio has seriously paired back the beloved and ubiquitous F-91W, giving us more with less. In monochrome black with sparse white text, there is almost nothing left to upset even the pickiest of minimalists.

Gone is the enigmatic blue border around the edge of the dial, and the white border around the LCD display. Casio have done away with the red and gold colored text too. “Water Resist” is gone (why not 'resistant' I always wondered) and “Alarm Chronograph” has been axed too - all in the name of design, concept and clarity.

We are left with a large amount of negative space on the dial which is a little jarring to begin with. Interestingly, Casio have kept a little charm by retaining some of the original type-faces; the “WR” acronym sits stubbornly in its white frame bottom centre, somewhat ironically given that this watch is not very water resistant at all. And “F-91W” clings on in cheeky italics in the top right - which one could argue is a little flamboyant for a minimalist. But when you look at such an otherwise blank dial, it’s pleasing to see those familiar features remain, even in their new monochromatic format.

Button labels have been moved outboard of the LCD screen and read vertically now, like G-shock square models - further simplifying the visuals. I think this layout works better. In the classic model, the button labels got a little lost amongst the decorative dial text. This updated version makes it much easier to spot and read the labeling. The classic black-on-white LCD display itself has not changed. Neither has the audible 'beep' of the buttons and alarm.

In addition to updating the visuals, Casio has been working behind the scenes to migrate to bio-resin instead of the old petroleum-derived plastics. Bio-resin is still very similar to old plastics in terms of strength and behavior, but since it is plant-based, it’s cleaner, renewable, and if treated correctly, I understand it’s also compostable. Great news for the cockroaches - who would otherwise end up living on a planet-sized ball of plastic F91Ws.

There are 3 different colored versions of the F-91WB; an all-white model, an all-blue model, and an all-black model. Confusingly, Casio has chosen to duplicate the black model in their product line-up shots. So it looks like there are 4 versions, but I can only find three reference numbers; F-91WB-1AEF(Black), F-91WB-7AEF(White) and F-91WB-2A1EF(Blue). I think the duplication of the black model on the website is purely for symmetry. But it does look like a potential placeholder for something else. Perhaps an all-black model with white-on-black LCD screen? It would seem like a natural progression - one I'd very much like to see. For now, all models have the typical greenish LCD screen with black digits.

Specifications

Case Diameter	33mm
Lug-to-lug	38mm
Thickness	8.5mm
Accuracy	+/- 30 seconds per month
Material	Bio-resin case
Water Resistance	Splash resistant
RRP	£24.90 (~$30USD not yet advertised)

Alternatives

Of course, with Casio dominating the digital watch market, several models in their back catalog offer a similar retro air to the F-91W. You could follow in Jeff Goldblum’s shoes in Netflix’s Kaos Series where Zeus is particularly fond of his all gold A159WGEA – literally God Tier. Admittedly, this wonderfully garish option is in no way as understated as the F-91WB-1AEF. But you could turn the bling down a notch and opt for the stainless steel A168WEM-1EF.

Beyond Casio; Timex’s T80 in all-black is an obvious competitor to the F-91WB. The Indiglo screen lighting is considerably better than Casio’s candle in the wind backlight, but the overall design and heritage is not nearly as iconic as the F-91W.

What I liked

The wearing experience of the super light, incredibly slim F-91WB is excellent. The fact that the design has barely changed over the course of 35 years and is still the most sold watch on the market is a true testament to the brilliance of the original design.

This all black model even got compliments from my wife, who initially thought it was my old F-91W, but then looked closer and admired how ‘sleek’ it looked in monochrome. She then asked if I got to keep the watches I review.. I think she was a fan!

The new clarity of the button labels was surprisingly useful and I guess that’s the entire point of minimalism - Less really was more here.

I’m far from a climate change activist, but I do what I can, and I liked that Casio is moving away from the dinosaur juice to more sustainable plant-based materials.

The familiar ‘beep’ of the buttons and alarm remains loud and proud.

What I didn’t like

With the dial color and text removed, the F-91WB dial is quite a stark visual compared to what I was used to. It reminded me of the day my father shaved off his beard for the first time in my life – quite shocking at first, but slowly you get used to the new look on that old familiar face. Eventually, I grew to really like it (Dad's face, and watch).

Those slightly cheap-looking blue and gold accents were synonymous with the early 90s and my childhood. So losing them has changed what this watch offers. No longer is it a blast from the past, a private little time machine on my wrist. Instead, these updates have completely modernized the watch.

The backlight is still weaker than the wifi signal at an airport - barely worth even trying. It will illuminate the first two digits of the display, but beyond that, your guess is as good as mine. It’s laughable.

Summary

The F91WB-1AEF is truly an exercise in minimalism. By limiting the color palette, and simplifying the text, the dial is undoubtedly easier to navigate. I found myself actually reading the dial instructions and knowing which button I should push in advance, rather than relying on muscle memory and random button pushing to navigate the various screens.

Has Casio gone too far? Is this the watch equivalent of an echoey concrete supervillain’s lair? Yes, and no. It’s certainly a much more modern take on the classic. It feels cleaner, and more grown up – almost slick. With that, it’s lost the nostalgic vibes of the F-91W-1XY. Dropping the red, blue and gold accents has eradicated the eightiesness of the design. Thankfully, the 'old-school' F-91W remains available, with the F-91WB supplementing the range.

We are left with a much crisper, more purposeful watch - almost surgical if it wasn’t for the slightly goofy italics and WR text that remain. This modernization has grown on me. It’s more mature, almost dressy - which is impressive for a sub-£25 plastic watch. Would I buy it? I don’t think it’s bold enough to stand out on its own, for me. The nostalgic pull of the F91W-1XY is mighty, and that charm outweighs this new model's modern aesthetic. However, I very much enjoyed wearing it, it's still a watch that can start conversations. I could see the blue and white models being used as fashionable accent pieces. I’m convinced further colorways are already on the designer’s desks back at Casio HQ.

For now, I think I’ll stick with my F-91W-1XY. But if Casio were to release an F-91WB with a stealthy black LCD screen.. I could well be adding another F-91W to the collection.

view the casio f-91wb on casio uk