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The Casio A168WA-1 is a square, steel-bracelet digital watch with a resin case, an electro-luminescent (EL) backlight, an alarm and a stopwatch, and it is usually sold for well under $100.
Quick answer The Casio A168 is a retro 1990s-style digital watch that Casio says has been popular worldwide since it debuted in 1995. The standard model, the A168WA-1, is a 38.6 mm resin square on a stainless steel bracelet with a roughly 7-year CR2016 battery, a daily alarm, a 1/100-second stopwatch and a blue-green EL backlight. It is splash-resistant, not a swimming watch. Buy the A168WA-1 for the classic look, or the A168WEM-1 if you prefer a mineral glass and a blacked-out display.
What the Casio A168WA-1 is
The A168 is part of Casio’s Vintage line. It is a rectangular, lightweight digital with a large display, the word “ILLUMINATOR” printed on the face, and a stainless steel bracelet with an adjustable clasp. The case itself is resin with a chrome-plated finish.
The standard silver reference is A168WA-1, and you will see regional suffixes such as A168WA-1W, A168WA-1YES and A168WA-1WDF. Those suffixes mostly indicate market or packaging, not a different watch. The specs below combine Casio’s own pages with retailer listings that repeat Casio’s data.
| Spec | Casio A168WA-1 |
|---|---|
| Case size | 38.6 x 36.3 mm, 9.6 mm thick |
| Weight | About 50 g with bracelet (listing data) |
| Case and bezel | Chrome-plated resin |
| Bracelet | Stainless steel, adjustable clasp |
| Glass | Resin |
| Display and light | Digital LCD with blue-green EL backlight |
| Functions | Daily alarm, hourly time signal, 1/100-second stopwatch (to 59’59.99″), auto-calendar, 12/24-hour format |
| Accuracy | Within 30 seconds per month |
| Battery | CR2016, about 7 years |
| Water resistance | Splash-resistant (see below) |
| Approximate price | $39.95 list at Casio US (often discounted) |
Where to buy
Compare the same watch on both sites: eBay for pre-owned and vintage pieces, Amazon for new stock.
Casio A168WA-1
Casio A168WEM-1
Casio F-91W-1 Alternative
Casio AE-1200WH-1AV Alternative
Prices and availability change; check the listing before you buy.
How water resistant is it?
Casio describes the A168 as suitable for washing up or sudden rain. One retailer listing shows a 30-meter rating, but the same listing says it will withstand accidental splashes and is not suitable for swimming, so treat it as splash-resistant. Our guide on water resistant versus waterproof watches explains why a 30 m mark does not mean you can dive with it.
A note on the module
Watch forums often cite a specific module number for the A168. We could not confirm one on a Casio page, so we have left it out rather than repeat it. The functions above are what Casio and retailers actually list.
History and where it sits in Casio’s range
Casio’s A168 page says the watch debuted in 1995 and has been a favorite around the world since. It also won Japan’s Good Design Long Life Design Award in 2011. Casio places it in the context of 1980s digital watches, which lit their displays with a small incandescent micro-light.
That context explains the A168’s main upgrade: the EL panel lights the whole display evenly, instead of a small bulb. Casio groups the A168 with other long-selling vintage models: the A159W, A158W, F-91W, AE-1200 and AQ-230.
The exact family tree is murky. One enthusiast blog calls the A168 a predecessor of the A158W with “a much better backlight,” but Casio’s page does not describe a formal lineage, and we could not confirm release dates for the A158 or A164, so we will not draw one. What you can say with confidence is that the A168 sits alongside the F-91W as a plain, cheap, durable Casio, with a better light and a bracelet.
What the A168 does well
Reviewers consistently praise the same things. It is very light, Two Broke Watch Snobs calls the size unisex, and the blue-green EL light is easy to read in the dark. The same review lists the backlight, light weight and retro look among its pros.
The feature set is also useful for the money: a daily alarm, hourly signal, stopwatch with split and 1st-2nd place modes, and an auto-calendar that handles February. The roughly 7-year battery means you can ignore it for years. Casio’s own accuracy figure of 30 seconds a month is typical for a quartz watch at this price.
The steel bracelet is the other selling point. You do not need to buy a strap, and WristWatchReview says the strap sized quickly with a small cam on the clasp. If you want a cheap watch that does not look like a sports watch, the A168 is one of the more convincing choices. For other options in the same price bracket, see our dress watches under $500 guide.
Trade-offs to know before buying
The case is plastic with a chrome-plated finish, and a resin crystal on the standard model will mark over time. The bracelet is thin: Two Broke Watch Snobs calls it flimsy, and other buyers say it can catch arm hair. The WristWatchReview write-up of the A168WEM-1 adds that the alarm is not very loud and the stopwatch is basic.
The same review notes that the watch can feel small on a medium wrist and is not suited to formal settings. There is no solar charging, no world time and no shock resistance, so it is not a rugged tool. If you want those features, Casio’s G-Shock range is a better fit.
Finally, the water resistance is modest. Wear it in the rain, but take it off for a swim. For something similarly priced and more utilitarian, the Casio AE-1200 adds 100 m water resistance and world time.
A168 variants and which one to buy
Casio’s own A168 page lists a wide family. These are the references it names:
- A168WA-1: the standard silver model with a steel bracelet.
- A168WG-9W: the gold-tone model with a steel bracelet.
- A168WGG-1B, A168WEGB-1B, A168WEMB-1B: the “chic” colorways. Casio India lists the A168WEGB-1B with a black ion-plated steel band and a gold-tone case.
- A168WEM-1VT: black dial with a negative (blacked-out) display. WristWatchReview describes the A168WEM-1 as a reissue with mineral glass, and notes teal (-2VT) and silver (-7VT) versions.
- A168XES-1B and A168XESG-9A: translucent-band versions.
- A168WEPC-7A (PAC-MAN) and A168WEUC-1A (UNO): collaboration models.
Casio Australia also sells A168WA-3A, -5A and -8A colorways. Not every reference is sold in every country, and the list changes, so check the Casio page for your market before you order.
If you want the classic, buy the A168WA-1. If you want a gold watch without paying gold prices, the A168WG-9W is the one. If you like a darker look and a mineral glass, the A168WEM-1 is the upgrade. Skip the collaboration models unless you want the branding, since they cost several times as much.
How much the Casio A168 costs
Casio’s US store lists the standard A168WA-1 at $39.95 and the gold-tone A168WG-9 at $79.95, as of October 2026. Those are list prices. Because the A168 is stocked almost everywhere, it is often discounted, and older reviews from Two Broke Watch Snobs found it for under $20 a few years ago.
Prices elsewhere are higher. A Canadian retailer, Big Time Watches, lists the A168WA-1 at CAD $50, and Casio Australia’s shop has the A168WA-1W at AUD $139, with special editions such as the PAC-MAN and UNO models at AUD $299. Compare a few sellers before you buy. More Casio models we cover are on the Casio hub.
Who wears the Casio A168
There is no brand-confirmed celebrity partnership for the A168. The sightings that exist are reported by watch media, and you should treat them as that.
Chris Pine as Steve Trevor
G-Central, a G-Shock news site, said the digital watch Chris Pine’s character Steve Trevor wears in Wonder Woman 1984 looks like a Casio A168WA-1, which it described as a currently available model released in the 1990s. This is a media identification, not a statement from the studio or Casio.
Ryan Gosling
G-Central also reported in November 2019 that Ryan Gosling’s personal watches include Rolex watches and the Casio A168WA-1, citing a video by The Urban Gentry. That is a secondhand report, so we treat it as reported rather than confirmed. If you like the idea of a billionaire-style Casio, our pages on Bill Gates’ Casio and the Casio Duro MDV-106 cover better-documented examples.
Alternatives to the Casio A168
Several current Casio models cover the same ground. The F-91W is the cheapest and most famous: it comes on a resin strap with a simpler, weaker light, and costs less. One enthusiast blog put the F-91W at about $15 and the A158W at $5 to $10 more, though those numbers are not current.
The A158W, which Casio lists with the A168, is a close sibling, with a chrome finish and a metal bracelet but a weaker light than the A168. The AE-1200WH adds world time and 100 m water resistance. The AQ-230, another Casio long-seller, mixes analog and digital in a similar steel-bracelet package.
If you need toughness, step up to a G-Shock such as the DW-5600 series. If what you want is the vintage digital look on a bracelet, though, nothing else in Casio’s cheap range matches the A168 for its combination of EL light, steel bracelet and price.
FAQ
What is the Casio A168?
The Casio A168 is a retro digital watch from Casio’s Vintage line with an EL backlight, daily alarm, stopwatch and auto-calendar, which Casio says debuted in 1995.
Is the Casio A168 waterproof?
No. Casio describes it as suitable for washing up or sudden rain, and one retailer lists a 30-meter rating while noting that it is not suitable for swimming, so keep it out of the pool.
How long does the Casio A168 battery last?
Casio lists about 7 years on a CR2016 battery for the A168WA-1 family, though one retailer’s description says 3 years, so check the listing you are buying from.
What is the difference between the A168WA-1 and A168WEM-1?
The A168WEM-1 is a reissue with a black dial and a negative display, and WristWatchReview says it uses mineral glass, while the standard A168WA-1 has a resin glass and a silver face.
Who wears the Casio A168?
Watch media reports that Ryan Gosling owns an A168WA-1 and says Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor wears what looks like one in Wonder Woman 1984, but neither is confirmed by Casio.
How much does a Casio A168 cost?
Casio’s US store lists the A168WA-1 at $39.95 and the gold-tone A168WG-9 at $79.95, as of October 2026. Retailers often sell the standard model for less, so compare a few before buying.
Sources
- Casio US: A168WA-1 product page
- Casio USA: A168 vintage collection page
- Shop Casio Australia: A168W retro cool, reinvented
- Two Broke Watch Snobs: Casio A168WA review
- WristWatchReview: Retro cool with Casio’s vintage reissue A168WEM-1
- G-Central: Ryan Gosling’s Rolex & Casio Watches by The Urban Gentry
- G-Central: Chris Pine wears Casio digital watch in Wonder Woman 1984