A Childhood Grail

A grail in my books, is that piece where you dream of owning one day. A piece where sometimes you don’t actually need, but you really want one.  Not knowing what the term meant when I was about 10-years of age, I’ve always dreamt of owning a calculator watch from Casio. That to me, was my childhood grail. Although the want sort of faded after I got my first G-Shock as a gift, the itch to get one came back again not too long ago. And of course, having the freedom to purchase one, I did.

You might be asking, in this day and age where smart watches are capable of so much more, why buy a calculator watch that’s so basic? Well, to start off, if capability was the topic of discussion, why are we event wearing vintage watches anyway? Of course, technology is great! But a huge part of this hobby for me is tied to feelings and emotions, not specifications. At most times, it’s really how something makes you feel that counts and this Casio CA-53W-1ZDR “Databank” definitely puts a smile on my face.

Sized at 42mm long, 34mm in width and only 8mm in thickness, this little guy wears great on my 16cm wrist. There’s no overhang from the case and the soft rubber strap feels comfortable on the skin. Besides, a huge contributor to comfort lies in the fact that it only weighs 24g! How bout that! Although the rubber strap might not feel as durable as one on a G-Shock, it’s honestly comfier. Probably due to its thinness.

Features wise, it’s worth noting that the CA-53W-1ZDR does not come with a backlight and date display. The absence of a backlight does bother me by the slightest bit, but hey, the way this watch looks already puts a smile on my face regardless of the specifications. Having a stopwatch, dual time and an alarm on this timepiece is already a bonus.

All in all, like a lot of the watches that I get drawn towards, this databank has a ton of character. I’d call it an icon in its own right. It’s quirky, nerdy, has history and puts a smile on your face. Not to mention, could probably get you some stares from fellow enthusiasts too. All of that for less than 150 MYR? Come on, go get yourself one now.