Casio MRW-200 (analogue clarity with a rotating bezel)

I knew it would be vexing, but I bought it anyway ... because I had to know ...

As far as a watch goes it ticks all my boxes for an analogue watch:

• clear and easy to read (clearly differentiable hands)
• day, date complication
• bi-directional rotating bezel
• water resistant and rugged
• light
• accurate

I'm a big fan of bi-directional bezel because you can time lots of small things (that are perhaps 5 or 10 minutes) and then just rotate a little to "restart the timer". Its about here that the "Dive Watch" wankers will squeal about how it could cost me my life if I was diving. To which I would say "grow up and go do some diving (because I bet you haven't). Nobody relies on a watch like they did in the 1970's we all use a dive computer now. I totally DGAF about the ISO standard for Dive Watches because if you're a serious recreational or professional diver you'll actually be using a dive computer anyway...

ISO 6425: The Definitive Standard for Dive Watch Construction

Requirement	Detailed Specification
Water Resistance	Minimum 100 meters depth rating; tested at 125% of rated depth
Bezel	Unidirectional rotating bezel (only counterclockwise) to prevent accidental time extension
Legibility	Readable at 25cm in complete darkness; luminous hands and markers
Durability Tests	- Magnetic resistance (4,800 amperes across three axes)
	- Shock resistance
	- Thermal shock resistance
	- Salt water resistance (24-hour saline solution test)
Strap/Bracelet	Must withstand 200 newtons of force in each direction
Marking	Officially marked with "DIVER'S" when ISO tested

Mostly fussed about by people (incels) who don't dive and have never dived.

Anyway, as you can see I've put it on a strap (which was a NATO but had the useless flap removed as I've done for years now) and its pretty straightforward to fit (a nice standard 18mm lug width and good quality spring bars)

Watch thickness is about normal for this sort of thing (meaning too fucking thick).

for reasons I don't get modern watch buyers think things like this should be bricks on a strap, yet other  watches I have which are quarts and divers and have bezels and are made of steel are thinner, such as the bottom one here:

I don't know what's wrong with people today ... 

If you do go with a NATO then make sure its as thin as possible because its quite a tight fit in behind the spring bars. Naturally this also means that the watch isn't sat up as much with this insignificant extra thickness.

but it is what it is ...

the other Casio in my watch box is the lovely F-91W, which is pretty much my preference for my daily wear (you can call it a beater if you're into that sort of thing) and it ticks most my boxes (day, date and time, no bezel, but it does have a Chronograph {aka stopwatch}).

They're both light (clearly one is 30% lighter but its not an issue), the 200 is instantly telling me the time in all sorts of adverse condition (lume sucks about as hard as it gets, but the 91W backlight is legendary in its own right). However the 91 disappears into the wrist when wearing ...

...while I end up bashing the 200 on things a lot due to its bulk. 

Conclusion

I happen to like both, and I wear the 200 on those occasions where I value legibility higher than slimness (like I can glance at my arm and instantly see/recognise the time while riding my motorbike and I can't even see the digits on the 91W), as well its nice to be able to see the timer you've set/started  as well as the time (something the little digital can't do).

If I need to time something to the fraction of a minute then I'll use the F-91W with its chrono, but if I just want to know to within a minute how long it takes me to ride to (say, Stanthorpe) I'll wear the 200. I can just spin the bezel and go.

Both are tool watches that cost less than most tools spend on a watch (like a Rolex Explorer is a watch for a tool). Both have overlaps and both have strengths. 

Speaking of strengths the "hourly chime" on the 91W is not to be undervalued as a nice little reminder when writing ... "fuck, have I been here an hour?"

Its a great watch, so if you're even faintly inclined buy one; its only cost me about a weeks petrol.