Review of Casio MDV106-1A

The end of my internship has brought about a bout of retail therapy to calm my nerves from the stresses at work over the last two months. Today, I acquired the Casio MDV106-1A, a watch which has a cult following on several watch forums. In this review we shall discern if the MDV106 is worthy of its cult status.

Now let's start off with the quality, fit and finish of the MDV106. The MDV106 is 44mm across in diameter, inclusive of the crown. It comes in at about 92g in total, which does make the watch feel solid. 

The MDV106 can be had for about USD$40 onwards. The quality of the case construction though, is good. I don't even have to add that it's good for the price because it is that good, case quality is has not been compromised in spite of the low price. The finishing has been well done as well, with no rough edges or machining marks as far as I could observe.

We should consider that at USD$40, this watch is something of the next step up from the MQ24 rubber quartz series they offer, and it's a very big step up.

The case is polished on the sides and is brushed on all vertical surfaces. It is curved down at the lugs which is great for preventing overhang on smaller wrists. Flanking the sides of the crown are the crown guards, which I always prefer my watches to have. It is an attractive case design and I give Casio top marks for case quality and finish. Make no mistake, this is no Blancpain or Audemars Piguet but the case will hold its own very well against just about any nonluxury steel watch.

Over on the back, there is an engraved marlin which is a nice touch by Casio. Now I can brag about my $40 watch caseback being more decorated than on a $5000 Rolex. The caseback is screw-down which is great to see on a watch this affordable.

The crown is screw-down, which helps the MDV106 achieve a 200m water resistance rating. The crown is a just a little on the rough side when screwing down, but is not a major problem at all to me. It's very impressive Casio has managed to implement such water resistance measures on a watch of this price.

It features a mineral crystal which is flanked by a unidirectional coin edged bezel. The bezel clicks along nicely although there is some play, and it can move backwards by about half a click. Still, it's not too bad and I've certainly come across bezels which are much worse. On my watch, the bezel lines up exactly to the 12 marker so that's great too.

If there's another great thing it's that the seconds hand hits all the markers spot on. This is something I can't guarantee of all MDV106's so it's always best to buy quartz watches at a brick and mortar store. The movement is also one of the most silent I've ever come across; you really have to put your ear right up to even be able to hear the ticks. I guess some people like loud watches but I'm definitely for quiet movements, so the MDV106 is again a sweeter deal because of this.

 Moving onto the dial, it is really clean and simple, which is a good thing. No unnecessary subsecond indexes, just good old one whole seconds. It features a marlin on the bottom half which is quite tastefully done in my opinion.

The hands are really well done on the MDV106. They are long enough, such that telling the time at a glance is a breeze. Finished in polished steel, the hands add some flair to the dial and reflect light in a very attractive way. The seconds hand is tipped in red which is a nice addition.

Eventually though, Casio has to cut corners somewhere. That is clearly evident in the lume used on this watch. It won't hold a candle to any Seiko diver, losing it's charge extremely quickly and after about one hour the lume is pretty much nonexistent. Even after exposure to my brightest flashlight, the initial bloom is not that impressive at all. This watch won't please lume fanatics, that's for sure!

To set that off, the MDV106 features a universal lug width of 22mm. That was great for me since I found the stock resin strap to be pretty bad. It is pretty soft and comfortable, but only because it's so thin. It doesn't seem hefty enough for the watch head and makes lots of creaky noises. I will definitely be looking for alternative straps in the coming months.

In conclusion, the Casio MDV106-1A is really an excellent watch. It has nearly all the makings of a good watch; good build quality, nice dial and hands, good water resistance and well thought-out design. Even without being as affordable as it currently is, I would think that the MDV106 is a great watch. It IS however affordable!

This is the shining moment of Casio, where excellent design meets affordability. About the only thing this watch doesn't excel in is the lume department, but that's easily forgivable by me. To answer my own question at the start of the review, yes, this watch does indeed deserve its cult status.

So that's it for the review of the Casio MDV106-1A. I know I'll be thoroughly enjoying and appreciating the MDV106 in the months to come, all $40 of it. Thanks for reading!