On its 50th anniversary, Casio stepped outside the conventional box with this new design. The Casio CRW-001 is a modern and contemporary version of a product that was launched in the ’40s, a representation of the brand’s evolution over the past few decades. This new ring watch pays tribute to Tadao Kashio’s designs.
It’s inspired by a cigarette ring that dates back to 1946. The ring was manufactured in Kashio Seisakujo, and it spread like wildfire in those days. Also known as a yubiwa pipe, the tiny product was worn on the finger as a ring but doubled as a cigarette mount.
While the cigarette ring was not manufactured by Casio, it was the brainchild of the company that ran things before Casio, so it’s a part of Casio, too. The proceeds from the cigarette ring were used to build a new company that dominated many industries: Casio.
To celebrate a big milestone, Casio shrank the normal watch to a miniature size, with a factor of 10, producing a unique timepiece that can be worn on the finger.
Just like normal Casio watches, this model comes with three different buttons for adjusting time. Even though the CRW-001 is a small watch, it has superb functionalities, which are featured on a normal Casio watch — a stopwatch, a digital LCD display, and a calendar.
It also features a metallic casing constructed through metal injection molding (MIM), a highly advanced method that uses molds. It’s worth noting that every element, from the casing to the ring, is interlinked with this technology into one piece.
The new Casio CRW-001 is $120 — it’s available at Casio stores and other verified retail shops.
