In 1974, in the middle of the quartz crisis, Casio further disrupted the watch market by unveiling its Casiotron QW02. Considered at the time as a futuristic UFO, it is simply “the first digital watch with an automatic calendar function”.
To celebrate its fiftieth anniversary, Casio is offering a new limited edition of 4000 copies… with only 50 for France!
And the Casiotron QW02 broke the codes for the first time…
If the Seiko Astron is the origin of the first horological upheaval of the 1970s, another Japanese watch also helped to derail the beautiful Swiss mechanism a few years later: the Casiotron QW02.
Launched in 1974, it is not only a technological feat for its time, it also represents an aesthetic and functional break in the world of watchmaking. Then considered as “a UFO of watchmaking”, this watch is the perfect embodiment of made in Japan innovation capabilities, since it is the first digital watch capable of automatically displaying the date, thus eliminating the need for manual monthly corrections (except February 29, every 4 years).
If it seems commonplace today, this feature was truly revolutionary in the seventies, symbolizing Casio’s commitment to contribute to society through innovative products… and not just calculators.
The Casiotron then marks the beginning of an era where practicality and precision become standards in the field of digital watches. But who could have imagined that it would come back to the forefront 50 years later?
The Casio TRN-50, a new model faithful to the original
From 1974 to 2024, nothing has changed… or almost nothing! In tribute to the QW02, Casio introduces the new TRN-50. A code name (not so) mysterious, which serves to perpetuate the spirit of the original Casiotron while integrating modern technologies.
Thus, the design of this new watch remains the same, with its 42.7 x 39.1 mm case combining different finishes and a notched dial circumference. Of course, the time is always read with a digital display benefiting from a blue backlight.
In addition to receiving time calibration signals transmitted from six stations around the world, the new Casio TRN-50 is equipped with the Mobile Link function to connect to a smartphone via Bluetooth®, thus ensuring unparalleled time accuracy. The watch automatically updates time zone information and time differences via pairing with a smartphone, offering practicality and convenience. A reminder of this embedded technology is visible at the back of the case: instead of showing off an oscillating weight and an automatic movement, one discovers a screwed back, where only the center is in glass to allow radio wave reception with the integrated antenna.
Meticulously recreating the original design of the Casiotron, including its size, this special edition symbolizes half a century of originality and innovation at Casio. Delivered in a collector’s box made from recycled paper materials, this new TRN-50 is offered at the price of 499€. However, there won’t be enough for everyone, as this watch available from February 29, 2024 will only be produced in 4000 copies worldwide, including only 50 for France.
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