Casio is an enormous electronics manufacturer that makes everything from mobile phones to music gadgets. With all of that variety, one specialty that stands out is affordable watches. Being an electronics company, Casio focuses on digital timepieces. There are some solid quartz powered analog watches available, but the digital interface allows the Japanese tech company to really show off what it can do. You can make the argument that Casio first popularized the smartwatch back in the ‘80s. Back then, having a clock, calendar, alarm clock, calculator, and stopwatch that lit up on your wrist was a novelty. It culminated in the 1989 release of the F-91W, which is still the essential retro digital watch today.

Arguably the most popular digital watch brand in the world is the Casio sub-brand, G-Shock. First introduced as a sports watch line in 1983, the rugged and water resistant timekeepers became fashionable in the ‘90s with wild color schemes. In the ‘00s, G-Shock took off as part of the streetwear movement and has remained a fashion icon ever since. Some of the more durable and tech-heavy models can get pricey, but most G-Shock watches come in at under $400. The retro models are mostly under $100.

Most modern G-Shock designs are big, impressive, and flashy. However, the older designs from the early days of the sub-brand are sleeker and easier to style for every-day wear. Our style editors prefer the DW5600E-1V model, because it looks like the early ‘90s designs that first put G-Shock on the map. It has all the bells and whistles in a compact and durable package.

Read more: Best Casio Watches