Casio Duro: The $70 Cult Dive Watch Beloved By Beginners And Billionaires

It’s hard to believe that the Casio Duro has only been around for fourteen years now. It’s been at the top of affordable dive watch lists so consistently that you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s been around since the 1990s, but indeed, 2011 was the year this S-tier value proposition hit the market. The original Casio Duro MDV-106 was a mainstream success, selling over 600,000 units in its first decade. And it’s not difficult to understand why the Duro was such a crowd pleaser: a 200-meter water-resistant diver with classically appealing sporty aesthetics and genuinely nice finishing for $50 at launch (it retails for a still downright cheap $70 these days). Even for a brand known for its affordable classics, Casio had a genuine hit on its hands and over the years added colorways like blue and gilt, along with several bezel variants. And, of course, being the watch of choice for Bill Gates certainly didn’t hurt in cementing the Duro’s reputation.

Here, I will get into why the Casio Duro is one of the best affordable offerings of the last quarter of a decade. And since I know you’re thinking it, I’ll begin by addressing the smaller 38mm model and why I don’t categorize it as a “True Casio Duro.”

Casio Duro Case and Wearability:

Let’s start with the admission of the fact that the 44mm case size is the Casio Duro’s biggest flaw. Yes, it’s a pretty big diver measuring 44.2mm wide and 12.1mm thick with a lug-to-lug height of 48.5mm. To address the non-stop clamoring for a smaller version, Casio released a 38.5mm version in 2023 and the response was…very milquetoast. Casio released the MDV-10 collection back in 2023 and, unfortunately, it just did not live up to the admittedly high bar set by its older and bigger sibling.

But why? Well, first off, it actually looks significantly smaller than 38.5mm and wears more like a 36mm. When you take the lug-to-lug height of 41.6mm and near-comically diminutive 16mm lug width into account, it almost feels like a child’s watch rather than a more compact version of the robust Duro. This is underscored even further when it is placed side-by-side next to the 44mm version. This, factored with the weaker 60-click bezel, just makes for less fun in a tactile sense. Honestly, both would be forgivable if it weren’t for the dramatically lower water resistance of 50 meters. This is due to decisions like a snap-on case back and push/pull crown rather than screw-down that strip away the entire oomph and feel that makes a Casio Duro a Casio Duro.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s go a little deeper with the 44mm case of the Casio Duro. The 200 meters of water resistance and that satisfying 120-click uni-directional aluminum bezel are foundational to this watch’s appeal. The finishes are modest but well thought-out, as nearly everyone is fond of that contrast between a brushed top and polished sides along with nicely curved lugs and that handsome sliver of beveling running down the case side. It’s just excellent value for the remarkably modest price tag.

Beyond that, you’ve got a polished screw-down crown with crown guards and a brushed screw-down case back. Finally, the 22mm lug width is appropriate for the case which, it should be noted, does wear smaller than its 44mm width due to the relatively short lugs.

Casio Duro Dial:

Beneath the flat mineral crystal (yeah, you’re not getting sapphire at this price point), we find a fairly standard dive-watch dial that is not trying particularly hard to stand out but still has its own identity. The watch is legible and the arrow-shaped hands are finished actually faceted and polished quite nicely. This praise extends to the applied hour indices, which are also filled with a healthy amount of lume, even if it could stand to last a little bit longer. Even the date window at 3 o’clock is nicely done, with some framing around it and an easy-to-read display. Of course, there will be individual experiences with such a mass produced watch but the Casio Duro’s ticking seconds hand is actually decent in its precision and doesn’t misalign with the seconds markers too egregiously like so many other affordable (and even relatively unaffordable) watches.

The dial text is relatively minimal, with the Casio name at 12 o’clock and the WR 200M at 6 o’clock. And then there is the classic Marlin logo right above that water resistance info. The Marlin is Casio’s go-to designation for watches with 200 meters of water resistance but where you live might decide whether or not you’ll see this majestic fish on your Casio Duro. In the United States, the classic original MDV-106 is still available, though in some other countries, including parts of Europe, you can only find the new MDV-107. While these two references are basically the same, the latter does not have the Marlin logo due to reasons having to do with licensing rights.

The Quartz Movement:

For some reason I’ve seen people take issue with the fact that the Casio Duro is a quartz-powered watch. While I understand the instinct to be a mechanical-movement snob, we are talking about a downright cheap watch that is intended to a be a no-fuss, easy-to-use, durable diver. From a sheer practicality standpoint, a quartz movement is absolutely the way to go here. And it’s a good one, too. The Casio Quartz 2784 has quickset date, hacking seconds, is accurate to +-20 seconds/month, and can last three years on its battery. What more do you really want for a watch that costs as much as a video game in 2025?

Casio Duro Bracelet/Strap:

The Casio Duro comes on a basic rubber strap that is, well, pretty basic. There’s a reason why so many people choose to put their Casio Duro on an aftermarket strap and, though the standard-issue black rubber strap does get the job done, it just does not feel particularly supple or of decent quality. There is the option to get a bracelet, which is done in stainless steel and has a slight taper to it. It’s a fairly simple three-link bracelet, with some decent polished and brushed finishes that nicely match the case. The standard clasp even offers a couple of millimeters of adjustment. Again, there’s a reason why the internet is obsessed with aftermarket straps and bracelets for the Casio Duro. In fact, some of them cost as much as the watch itself, but that’s the fun of tooling around with such an inexpensive watch, isn’t it?

Variants And Final Thoughts:

Right now there are several versions of the Casio Duro MDV106 with Marlin-dial available in the states: the MDV106-1A has the black dial and black bezel on matching rubber strap; the MDV106B-2AV has a blue bezel and blue dial on a strap; the MDV106G-1AV is black with gold tones; MDV106B-1A3V has a green bezel with a black dial and strap; the MDV106B-1A1V has a bi-color blue-and-black bezel with a black dial and strap; the MDV106B-1A2V has a red-and-blue bezel with black dial and strap; the MDV106DD-1A3 has a green bezel and steel bracelet; MDV106DD-1A1 has a black bezel and steel bracelet; MDV106DD-1A2 has a blue-and-red bezel and steel bracelet. These are priced from $70-90, depending on strap or bracelet. And if you’re outside the United States, the Casio Duro will have a reference number starting with MDV107 and is basically the same as the 106 but without the Marlin design.

The Casio Duro has proven to be a staple dive watch amongst budget-conscious shoppers, or a billionaire looking for something resilient and reliable. Considering how much the cost of everything has gone up since 2011 to today, the $20 jump to a $70 retail price is not egregious. You can learn more about the Casio Duro over at casio.com