The Pathfinder
This article is a round up of the major casio atomic watches. When people think of Casio atomic watches, they usually think of the Pathfinder. Not only was its arrival greatly anticipated in the watch world, it has also claimed the title of the ‘perfect watch’ for a number of watch enthusiasts.
However, people looking for just an ordinary watch might feel a little intimidated by this piece – the reason?
It brings together a plethora of features into a single watch. For example, it was the first watch of its kind to bring together atomic time, solar power, a compass, thermometer, barometer…
That’s not all. This particular watch also has multi-band calibration which means it can tune itself to atomic clocks from around the world. This is a huge step forward, considering that most Casio atomic watches were only compatible with the US or Japan. In keeping with its name, the Pathfinder is the perfect gadget to take along on treks as it not only keeps a record of ascents and descents, but also sounds an alarm when you’ve reached a specified altitude. The watch doesn’t give you one but five different alarms and is also water resistant. However, the watch isn’t exactly a subtle piece but then again, it does have to house all those special features!
G-Shock Riseman GW-9200
Apart from the Pathfinder, there are two watches in the Casio atomic watches range that have been path-breakers. The G-Shock Riseman GW-9200 is the product of an ongoing integration of two of Casio’s most popular watches – the Pathfinder and the G-Shock. It is also an exercise in bringing back Casio’s Riseman line, which was introduced in 1997 and then discontinued. It comes loaded with features like multi-band atomic calibration, time transfer function, and world time support for 33 cities. The one thing that prevents this from being a full-fledged triple sensor watch is the absence of the compass. Yet it still manages to be one of the most sophisticated watches in the world – its drawbacks, if any, are that it might not make it to American markets.
Right now, it looks like this watch will only make an appearance in Japan.
Oceanus
Casio chalked up a first for itself with the Oceanus, which is the world’s first atomic solar-powered chronograph. Like a number of other Casio atomic watches, this one is literally bursting with features- oddly enough; this has proven to be a negative with some users. In terms of overall design, some people felt that there was just too much going on in terms of extra functions. The time face does indeed seem to be very crowded and if you’re just looking for a watch to tell the time, this one is probably not for you.
However, if you’re a real gadget geek and serious sportsman, this watch is what you should have. It comes with all the usual Casio atomic features like solar power and atomic time calibration. Its chronograph has a resolution of 1/20th of a second and it comes with a tachymeter and dual time function. In terms of looks, this watch can be described as elegant, attractive and a little rugged. However, it can be a little difficult to read the watch face in the dark.
While the watch face does light up, it can be difficult to discern what’s going on with all the different colored hands and dots!
It’s interesting to note that in the United States, this watch is being purely pushed as the Oceanus – the Casio name is hardly being used at all. This could be because in America, Casio is still seen as a rather cheap, plastic brand. In fact, a lot of Americans aren’t aware that Casio makes some of the finest watches in the world. In this case, Casio has certainly made something special with the Oceanus. In fact, this watch is in a league of its own, despite a few minor flaws. It will be exciting to see what other Casio atomic watches offer when they hit the markets in the future. You can read more about it at the Casio Oceanus site