This post is being written on New Years Eve, at a time when around the world people are looking to their watches and clocks to countdown until the clock strikes midnight. As a kid on the west coast, my parents were lucky because each New Year they could turn on the TV just before 9:00pm and we could watch the ball drop in New York. We could be sent to bed by 9:15pm, feeling like we rang in the New Year. When I got a little older, I remember learning about the time zones and the international date line and being fascinated by it. I remember seeing on the news how the Pacific island nation of Kiribati was the first to ring in the new year. Then each hour another place got to celebrate as the time move around the world. So it seemed fitting to write a post about one of my favorite watches, the Casio AE1200WHD-1A World Time.
We can't talk about the Casio AE1200WHD-1A World Time, without talking about it's affectionate nickname, the "Casio Royale". As I child growing up in the 80s, I of course had a fascination with James Bond and all of his gadgets. In the 1983 James Bond movie Octopussy, Roger Moore as 007 uses a Seiko G757 5020 Sports 100 to track a Fabergé egg with a homing device in it at a Sotheby's auction. According to Q "The homing device is compatible with the standard issue radio directional finder in your watch... if you haven't lost it." It was so cool to see the direction finder on the watch show 007 where to look. So when the World Time came out and had similar look, it quickly became a James Bond type of watch. Casino Royale was another James Bond movie and all you had to do is remove one letter to get "Casio Royale". The connection is a mystery so easy, even 007 could solve it, in the most complicated way, while using the coolest gadgets. That is why I like the Casio AE1200WHD-1A World Time, it is a watch so simple and easy to use, yet it is complicated and has so many features that make it super cool.
The Casio AE1200WHD-1A World Time is a digital watch that was released in 2012. It has a silver painted resin case and a stainless steel band. 100 meters of water resistance. It features World Time, Multi Time for 4 different cities, 31 time zones, and a cool map. It also has a full auto calendar that is good until 2099. Casio claims a 10 year battery life or as I like to call it a 10 year "Power Reserve". 5 alarms, stopwatch/timer, LED light. Plus the analog display in the top left corner that makes you feel like James Bond tracking a homing beacon. For me, who can never leave a watch the way I got it, I found the World Time and Illuminator logos on the case a bit distracting and removed them. I left the ones inside the case alone. There are lots of tutorials online for how to remove them. Do so at your own risk. I love how mine turned out.
You can also get it in a black resin case with a black resin band, model AE1200WH-1A. It looks good too and feels like a tactical James Bond style watch. I got that as well and came across Vario leather watch straps for the Casio AE1200WH World Time series. I bought a few of those and found they also work on some of the other Casio watches, like the F-91W. The oiled leather looks even better with age and gives a whole new look to the watch. They have a variety of colors of straps to choose from. I also have a nice Canvas Watch Roll and Travel Spring Bar Removal Tool from Vario which are excellent. The Travel Spring Bar Removal Tool has threaded caps on the ends and I didn't realize how much I would appreciate that feature until I had it. It makes it more comfortable to work with and if put in a bag it doesn't poke holes in things.
Overall, I am super happy with my Casio Royales. The Casio AE1200WHD-1A World Time is a watch that feels perfectly comfortable when dressed in a suit and tie or work casual. It is easy to read and gives a lot of information while not being a distractive smart watch. It has distinctive style and that is both interesting and approachable. Adding a Vario leather strap to the Casio AE1200WH-1A dresses it up enough for casual wear as well as being rugged enough for in the field. So if your inner James Bonds is seeking style and adventure, a Casio World Time a.k.a. the Casio Royale is the watch for you.