I don't consider myself to be a watch snob, but I do enjoy a sporty, classy looking yet sturdy timepiece. Having to work within a limited budget, I do my best to keep the price tag below $100, and much less than that if possible. Thankfully, there are some very attractive and rugged watches made in that price range. There are some 'cheap' brands out there that I won't touch, but there are also some great 'value' brands to consider.

I own Bulova and Invicta watches. While they are quite nice at first, invariably something goes wrong with either the watch or band. Thus, I can't really say they are worth their higher price tag even if bought on sale, because cost of ownership becomes a factor.

That is where this Casio shines. While the Casio brand does not carry the panache of say, a Graham or Rolex timepiece, they are well respect for accuracy and durability. My most recent watch prior to the AQ-S810W-1AV was an B004KP0WQI. It is a fairly basic digital sport watch but I like the way it looks on my wrist. It has what I would term a 'blackout' face, making the time difficult to read under certain lighting conditions. I like it's understated look though, and it fits my wrist well.

The Casio is about the same width (nearly 50mm) which I find to be a good size proportional to my wrist. It is slightly thinner and lighter, which makes it even more comfortable on my wrist. The band and latch feel a bit thinner/more flimsy, but I've had not issues yet (time will tell). The watch itself appears quite rugged. Overall, it is slightly more comfortable on my wrist than the Armitron, and is easier to read under varied lighting conditions. The hands and numerals glow in the dark, but the battery powered light only illuminates the tiny digital readout, which can be set to either either time, day or date, and counts off the seconds.

Speaking of battery power, this Casio features a solar face that recharges the battery under a variety of lighting conditions for approximately 10 years. That's a plus, since I hate having to take my watch in for battery replacements. It is also has quartz movement, a mineral face, and is good to over 300 feet under water. There are timer and alarm features too, but I won't make much use of them. I was able to set the watch's basic functions without cracking open the instructions too. That's good, because the comprehensive instruction book that comes the watch is in tiny mouse print.

For some reason I was not able to include any customer photos, so please check the comments to see them. So far, I am very impressed with this watch, so much so that it looks like it will take over daily duties from my Armitron. At this price point, I don't think you can go wrong with the Casio Solar Sport 1AV.

~ Kort