Do you remember your first watch? Odds are it was a basic Casio or Timex—or maybe a Texas Instruments with the sweet calculator. There was something special about getting your own timepiece—digital or analog—back in the days before smartphones took over timekeeping. Now, wearing a watch is more of a fashion statement or status symbol than necessity for promptness to appointments, or just telling time. Guys who are serious about watches gravitate toward analog timepieces when starting (or adding to) a collection. Analog watches—automatics powered by quartz and movement or mechanicals that need winding—have the classic look, feel, and workmanship that most budding horologists prefer. But digital watches, which hit the scene in mass quantities in the mid-70s, can now be almost as desirable. They generate a lot of nostalgia for people who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s. Plus, with those decades coming back into fashion, recent retro digital releases are gaining new appreciation.
So don’t discount digital watches, even though the smartphone tried to send all wristwatches out to pasture—like the recent resurgence of vinyl records, these timely timepieces refuse to die. We’ve gathered up a batch of the latest, coolest digital watches to buy now.
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1. Casio A1000
When it’s time to go back to the future there’s no better way to do it than with a vintage Casio watch. This thing of beauty comes in multiple hues and band options—like pink gold with a stainless steel mesh band and adjustable clasp—but we like the more subdued black on black version for everyday wear. It’s water resistant so there’s no need to get twitchy about being on a boat or at the poolside cabana with this vintage-looking baby on your wrist. Features include a stopwatch, alarm, calendar and an internal LED light for checking the time on dark nights in dark clubs.