Casio Men’s MDV102-1AV Sea Analog Illuminator Dual LED Dive Watch

5 Responses to “Casio Men’s MDV102-1AV Sea Analog Illuminator Dual LED Dive Watch”

1. P. Anton says:

   June 12, 2010 at 7:37 PM

   Works great. Drifts only a few seconds per month. Feels very robust and solid. Looks good and pretty expensive from a distance, as long as you’re far away enough for people not to read the “CASIO” label… The light is very strong, can be used to search for stuff in darkness etc. The bezel ring comes in handy when you want to time your pasta etc.

   All this at a ridiculously low price!
   Rating: 5 / 5

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2. R. Candy says:

   June 12, 2010 at 5:09 PM

   So here’s the thing: It is a remarkable watch. Heavily built with seemingly solid construction. Very easy to read, beautiful to look at and the other reviews are right: The two LEDs are stunningly bright. You will NEVER have a problem reading this in the dark. It is an exceptional time piece and a ridiculous value. The ratchet works very well, the screw down crown is as smooth as you would expect from a very high end watch. This could easily be priced for a few hundred and would be worth it except for one massive flaw: The band is beyond BAD. It may be one of the great engineering failures of the modern era. It is unbearably stiff and has been designed to dig into your wrist like some kind of medieval torture device. Do not buy this watch unless you buy a replacement strap right up front. I did as a previous review suggested and got the Modena 22mm rubber strap with deployment clasp. I took it out of the box and inside of ten minutes the soft rubber it is made with had begun to collect dust and debris… Which it hung on to with amazing tenacity! On top of that, the clasp is flimsy and poorly made. I tossed that into the can along with the original band. I next ordered a 22mm Seiko diver’s band also from Amzaon. Success at last! A tad stiff but a nice tight fit for the watch. Simple black with a standard buckle. Looks like it was the original strap and is very comfortable.
   
   Here’s the item/part number: 001-seikoOrigRubber22
   
   Well worth the money.
   
   Rating: 4 / 5

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3. jink says:

   June 12, 2010 at 2:58 PM

   Pros:
   
   Rotating top-ring, 200m water resistent, LED lighting. luminescent paint is two colors: green for hands, blue for hour markers. Screw-down crown, screw-down caseback (usually found on higher end diver’s watches).

   Cons:
   
   Crystal “bulges” outward (prone to scratching), the inset luminescent marker on the topring does not glow very brightly/hard to see in dim lighting. Dial is not completely black, but more of a dark gray (Topring is completely black). Uncomfortable strap. Topring is hard to turn with fingerpads – I have to use my nail, especially underwater.

   I’ve been windsurfing and sailing with this watch and it’s been great. If you want a basic, durable diver’s watch, look no further. At this price, this is the one to beat.
   Rating: 5 / 5

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4. Mediapig says:

   June 12, 2010 at 12:06 PM

   As someone else commented, this watch is reminiscent of the Omega “Planet Ocean” watch, as worn by Daniel Craig in the latest James Bond film. I wouldn’t call it a knockoff, it just has a similar style to it. For under $50, it’s a solid, attractive, and classically masculine watch, and definitely fills the role I purchased it for.

   It even features a Bond style gadget! The illuminator button on the top right activates (2) very bright LED lights behind the 12 and 6 positions… the LED’s stay lit for a couple seconds and are very bright white…. you could easily use this watch as a flashlight in a dark room. The watch also features a screw down crown, which I think is a nice high-end feature for such an inexpensive timepiece.

   Unlike almost every other review here, I had no problems at all with the strap… Mine is very soft and comfortable. Not sure if Casio changed it, or if I just have different tastes, but really, I find the watch a pleasure to wear as is.

   Sure, this watch is no Omega or Rolex, but for the money, I think it’s a solid, attractive, and functional piece, that packs a hell of a lot of style into an affordable package.

   4/17/09

   Just wanted to add, I’ve had the watch for some time now, and I still have no problems with the strap… again, not sure if Casio changed it out, or if I’m just in the minority, but I think it’s quite comfortable.

   Also, another positive feature is the luminosity of the watch… after a normal day’s wear, I have no trouble seeing the watch in the dark, and don’t even need to use the LED function to tell the time. They used two colors of luminous paint as well… a light blue for the markers, and traditional green for the hands, which is kind of neat. All in all, I still can’t believe this is a sub $50 watch. Great deal!
   Rating: 4 / 5

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5. Krukster says:

   June 12, 2010 at 10:04 AM

   This is a great looking sports watch, and the light is really bright – it’s a white LED both at 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock, so it allows for nice visibility in low light. The stainless steel case is nicely polished and looks very sharp. This watch really looks more expensive than it is, and I’ve had people ask about it when wearing it. It’s an eye catching watch.

   The MDV102-1AV is 200m water resistant, which means it can handle you going swimming, snorkeling, even some diving without much problem. This watch has a screw-down crown too, which makes it even more water resistant. The only thing to watch out for is washing the dishes, hot tubbing, or showering with it – warm/hot water isn’t great for watertight seals on watches. I’ve heard it can weaken the seals and cause a leak.

   The little marlin on the watch is a great touch, and the face is very easy to read. The white markers contrast really well with the black dial, and even have a mirror-like edge to them, which makes the markers stand out even more. The offset date at 4 o’clock makes it look interesting, too.

   My only disappointment was the band – it’s a hard rubbery band and not very comfortable. That’s why I took off one star from my rating. Aside from the band this watch really rocks! To solve that, I bought a Timex Expedition Adjustable 16-20mm watch strap TX977761L, Timex watchband, Fast – Wrap Expedition, 16-20mm, Black, Adjustable, Long. It’s for a Timex Expedition, so it says Timex on it, but it’s a great velcro strap that’s really easy to adjust and install on the Casio.

   If you decide you want to change straps like me, just pop out the strap that comes with the Casio, pull out and save the little springs, then attach the Casio (using it’s springs) to the Timex strap. Took 3 minutes and I love the adjustable Timex strap, it’s very comfortable and dries out easily when it’s gotten wet.

   I definitely recommend this watch. It’s well worth the money for the water resistance, and looks really nice!
   Rating: 4 / 5

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