Long before today’s smartwatches became common, Casio 1990s watches were already doing some surprisingly modern things. One model could control a TV, another checked blood pressure, and by 1999 Casio had even put GPS on the wrist. The Casio 90s watch lineup was full of unusual ideas, and many of them later became normal smartwatch features.

For the Casio watch 50th anniversary, the company created a heritage archive covering each decade of its watch history. The 1990s section is easily one of the most interesting because it mixes wild experiments with designs that are still popular today.

Some models disappeared and became collector pieces. Others, including the Casio A168 and AQ-230, are still easy to buy in India. This guide looks at both the strange ideas and the timeless classics.

What Is the Casio 50th Anniversary Heritage Collection?

Casio introduced its first wristwatch, the Casiotron, in 1974. Fifty years later, the company created an online “Our Heritage” timeline covering the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and the 2010s to 2020s.

Each decade highlights important watches and explains what made them special. The 1990s page includes more than 25 models. It also notes that Casio moved its headquarters to a 22-storey building in Hatsudai, Shibuya, Tokyo, in 1998.

If you want to browse current Casio models, the Casio picks on our YouTube shop collect several options in one place.

Casio 90s Watches at a Glance

Year	Model	What It Did	Feature You Know Today
1991	VDB-1000	Touchscreen Data Bank with no buttons	Touchscreen smartwatch
1992	BP-100	Optical blood pressure reading	Health sensors
1992	ALT-7000	Altitude, pressure and temperature	Outdoor watch sensors
1993	CMD-10	TV and VCR remote control	Smart home control
1993	DW-6300	First FROGMAN diver	Dive tracking watches
1994	ATC-1100	Altimeter, barometer, compass and thermometer	Triple Sensor outdoor watch
1994	DW-520	First Baby-G	Tough watches for women
1995	A168	Slim steel digital classic	Still sold today
1995	AQ-230	Analog and digital combination	Still sold today
1995	FKT-100	First Casio radio-controlled watch	Automatic time sync
1996	MRG-100	First full-metal MR-G	Premium G-Shock
1998	VCL-100	Vibrated for incoming mobile calls	Call notifications
1998	DW-9300J	First solar G-Shock	Solar charging
1999	PRT-1GPJ	World’s first GPS wristwatch	Built-in GPS

The Data Bank Era: Touchscreens, Dictionaries and Voice Memos

Casio’s Data Bank watches were small organisers you could wear. They stored phone numbers, names and notes using a feature called Telememo. Think of it as an early contacts app with very limited memory.

The VDB-1000 from 1991 pushed the idea much further. It had no buttons and no crown. Everything was controlled from its full dot-matrix touchscreen, which could even show a world map. That was a touchscreen watch more than two decades before the first Apple Watch.

The DKW-100, also from 1991, included a Japanese kanji dictionary with around 55,000 words. Users entered the pronunciation and the watch displayed the matching word.

In 1992, the IA-1000 used a flip-top design. With the face closed it looked like a normal analog watch. Open it and a digital display with a numeric keypad appeared underneath.

Casio kept going. The 1999 DBC-V50 “EASY REC” added a built-in voice recorder. It could save five recordings of up to 30 seconds each, and a recording could even be used as an alarm sound.

If you like the Data Bank style, the classic Casio CA-53W calculator watch and the Casio Data Bank range still keep that keypad look alive.

The BP-100 from 1992 was the world’s first watch with an optical blood pressure monitor. Users touched a fingertip to the sensor, and the watch analysed blood flow together with ECG signals. It did not need an arm cuff and could store up to 30 readings, including pulse data.

The JP-200W, also from 1992, measured pulse and showed when the user had reached the best aerobic exercise zone. It could save workout data for later review.

Then came the FBR-10W in 1993. After entering weight, age and sex and choosing one of 10 exercise levels, the watch calculated fat and calories burned. It refreshed the figures every 30 seconds during exercise.

Put these ideas together and you get pulse zones, workout history and calorie tracking. Those are features people now expect from a modern smartwatch.

The Casio TV Watch from the 90s and Other Gadget Toys

When people search for a Casio TV watch from the 90s, they usually mean the CMD-10 from 1993. It worked as a remote control for TVs and VCRs from major brands. Power, volume and channel controls were all available from the wrist.

The 1994 JG-100 “Cyber Cross” was aimed at school kids. It used infrared communication to send messages and play games with another compatible watch. It also included a friend registry and remote-control functions.

The TSR-100 Thermo Scanner from 1994 could measure surface temperature without touching the object. Its range went from minus 20°C to 200°C. Casio suggested uses ranging from checking frying oil to snow conditions and fishing spots.

The ABX-51 looked like a simple analog watch until its hidden LCD showed information on the glass. Turning the bezel could even change the dial colour.

In 1998, the VCL-100 “VIVCEL” reacted to mobile phone signals in the 800MHz band and vibrated when a call arrived. It was a very early version of the call alerts people now get on smartwatches.

That same year, the HBX-100 could sync schedules, contacts and to-do lists with a PC using infrared. It effectively put part of a desktop organiser on the wrist.

Casio 90s Dive Watch: How FROGMAN Was Born

Search for a Casio 90s dive watch and the DW-6300 quickly appears. Launched in 1993, it started the G-Shock FROGMAN line with ISO 200-metre water resistance for serious diving.

The watch used a screw-back metal case and an offset asymmetric design that helped it sit more comfortably underwater. It also introduced the diving frog character that became part of the FROGMAN identity.

Modern versions such as the analog G-Shock FROGMAN GWF-A1000 series add features like solar charging, Bluetooth and carbon materials, but the basic FROGMAN character still comes from that 1993 model.

Altimeter, Compass and GPS: The Road to PRO TREK

The 1992 ALT-7000 used two sensors to measure altitude, air pressure and temperature. It could also draw trend graphs on its small LCD and came with a metal case plus 100-metre water resistance.

In 1993, the CPW-100 added a digital compass. It measured the Earth’s magnetic field and displayed 16 directions on screen.

The 1994 ATC-1100 combined altitude, pressure, direction and temperature in one watch. Casio later built the Triple Sensor idea into a complete outdoor watch family.

That family became PRO TREK, starting with the DPX-500 in 1995. Casio developed it using feedback from mountain climbers, and modern PRO TREK watches now add features such as solar power and smartphone connectivity. You can browse current Casio PRO TREK watches here.

The decade ended with the 1999 PRT-1GPJ “Satellite Navi”, described by Casio as the world’s first outdoor watch with built-in GPS. It could show latitude and longitude, along with the direction and distance to a stored destination.

In 2021, Tokyo’s National Museum of Nature and Science recognised the PRT-1GPJ as Future Technology Heritage.

Radio Control and Solar: Two Ideas That Stayed

The 1995 FKT-100 was Casio’s first radio-controlled watch. It received time signals linked to an atomic clock and corrected itself automatically. The model first appeared in Germany.

In 1998, the DW-9300J “RAYSMAN” became the first solar-powered G-Shock. Its Tough Solar system charged the watch from light and could keep it running for about five months on a full charge. It also had an auto-light that switched on when the wrist was tilted in the dark.

Solar charging and automatic time correction later became common across the Casio range. If you want those ideas in a modern model, check solar G-Shock models.

Baby-G and MR-G: Two Spin-Offs That Grew Up

The DW-520 arrived in 1994 as the first Baby-G. It kept the tough character of G-Shock but used a smaller, more colourful design aimed at young women. It even came with interchangeable face protectors in three colours.

The line is still active today. A modern option is the compact Casio Baby-G BGD-565, which keeps the square shape many fans like.

At the other end of the range, the 1996 MRG-100 introduced the first MR-G. MR stands for “Majesty and Reality”. The watch used a full-metal body while keeping G-Shock-style shock resistance, with special buffering between the metal bezel and case.

MR-G is now the premium end of the G-Shock family. We covered newer models in our Casio G-Shock MR-G series guide, and you can also check the latest MR-G prices.

Casio A168: The 1995 Icon You Can Still Buy

Among all the Casio 1990s watch models, the Casio A168 may be the easiest to recognise. It launched in 1995, originally for the North American market, and later became a global retro fashion favourite.

It combines a slim steel bracelet with a digital LCD, EL backlight, alarm, stopwatch and a seven-year battery. The electroluminescent backlight lights the entire screen instead of using a single LED point.

In 2011, the A168 received Japan’s Good Design Long Life Design Award. One of the most searched versions in India is the Casio A168WA, also sold as the A168WA-1.

Casio A168WA-1	Details
Launch year	1995
Display	Digital LCD with EL backlight
Case	About 38.6 x 36.3 x 9.6 mm
Band	Stainless steel
Water resistance	Water resistant for daily use
Functions	Alarm, stopwatch, day and date
Battery life	About 7 years
Approx price in India	Around Rs 2,300 to Rs 2,700
Buy	Check A168WA-1 price

If you want something flashier, the Casio A168 gold version, A168WG-9, is another popular search. You can see the gold A168 here.

Casio AQ-230: The Analog Digital Combo That Refused to Retire

The Casio AQ-230 also arrived in 1995. It combines regular analog hour and minute hands with a small digital display. Casio says the design has stayed popular for nearly 30 years.

Its angular metallic case and steel bracelet give it a simple dress-watch feel, while newer versions add colours such as ice blue, turquoise, green and gold. Features include dual time, alarm, auto calendar and a 1/100-second stopwatch.

Casio AQ-230A	Details
Launch year	1995
Display	Analog hands plus digital window
Case	About 38.8 x 29.8 x 8.1 mm
Features	Dual time, alarm, stopwatch, auto calendar
Battery life	About 3 years
Approx price in India	Around Rs 2,200 to Rs 3,500
Buy	See AQ-230A colours

Best 90s Casio Watches You Can Buy Today

Most original 1990s models are collector items now, but many of their ideas still live in current Casio watches.

90s Original	Modern Pick	Best For	Link
A168 (1995)	Casio Vintage A168WA-1	Daily retro style	View deal
AQ-230 (1995)	Casio Vintage AQ-230A	Analog lovers with a digital twist	Check colours
Data Bank (1991)	Casio CA-53W Calculator	Gadget fans	See price
DW-6300 FROGMAN (1993)	G-Shock FROGMAN	Divers and collectors	Explore range
DPX-500 PRO TREK (1995)	Casio PRO TREK	Trekkers and hikers	Browse models
DW-520 Baby-G (1994)	Casio Baby-G BGD-565	Small wrists and tough build	Shop now
DW-9300J solar (1998)	Solar G-Shock	No battery swaps	Compare options
MRG-100 (1996)	Casio MR-G	Premium metal G-Shock	Check price

Looking for discounts on the vintage range? Our Casio Vintage watch deals roundup tracks models that often get price cuts during big sales. If you want a simple analog alternative, also read our Casio MQ-24DA-2A guide.

Casio Vintage Watch Terms, Explained

Term	What It Means
Data Bank	Casio watches that can store contacts, notes and numbers
Telememo	The built-in phone book feature used on Data Bank watches
EL backlight	A glowing panel that lights the whole display evenly
Triple Sensor	Altimeter or barometer, compass and thermometer in one watch
Radio controlled	The watch automatically syncs time using atomic-clock radio signals
Tough Solar	Casio’s system for charging a watch from light
ISO 200 m	An international diving-watch water-resistance standard
Analog digital	A watch with normal hands plus a digital display

Original Casio Vintage Watch: Quick Buying Tips

The Casio vintage watch original price in India is often around Rs 1,500 to Rs 4,000 for many classic steel models. Because these watches are affordable and popular, copies are also common.

Check the model code on the case back, make sure the LCD digits look sharp, and look closely at the backlight. Original EL models should glow evenly rather than showing one weak LED spot. A valid Casio India warranty card and a reliable seller also help reduce the risk of buying a fake.

What the 1990s Taught Casio

The Casio 50th anniversary heritage timeline shows how willing the brand was to experiment. Casio did not wait for phones to become smart before asking what else a watch could do. It tried health sensors, GPS, call alerts, solar charging, remote controls and even a wrist-mounted temperature scanner.

Not every idea survived, but many of them returned years later in more polished forms. And the fact that simple 1995 models such as the A168 and AQ-230 are still popular proves that sometimes the most basic designs age the best.

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