Casio launches two new 2nd-gen full metal ring watches with retro A168 styling in the US

Casio has officially released the CRW-002 second-generation ring watches in the US. This time around, Casio ditched the G-Shock design used for the first-generation CRW-001 ring watch. Instead, the Japanese watchmaker went with the A168’s design. To recall, the A168 is Casio’s 30-year-long-selling digital watch. Casio has essentially transformed the A168 digital wristwatch (curr. at $29.99 on Amazon) into a miniature timepiece designed to be worn on the finger. 

Casio has revealed two versions under the CRW-002 second-generation lineup, including the CRW-002D-1A in plain steel and the CRW-002G-9A with a gold aesthetic. Dimensionally, the ring watch measures 25.2 x 18.2 x 6.2 mm (0.99 x 0.72 x 0.24 inches) and weighs around 15 grams (0.53 ounces). Unlike the smart ring, these small digital ring watches offer traditional timekeeping rather than health-tracking sensors. 

Furthermore, Casio used the metal injection molding (MIM) method, where a mixture of fine metal powder and resin is injected into a mold to create a ring-sized full-metal version of the Casio watch form. Casio has managed to squeeze in a smorgasbord of features into this tiny ring watch. Practical features include dual time, a 60-minute stopwatch, an LED backlight, a calendar, 12- and 24-hour formats, and the Time Flash function, which blinks the light on the hour and at a time the user sets. 

Although Casio hasn’t revealed the exact depth rating for the CRW-002 ring watches, both models offer basic water resistance suitable for everyday uses. An SR621SW cell powers the ring watch, offering up to 2 years of battery life. Moreover, each watch has a stated accuracy of ±30 seconds per month. 

As for price, the Casio CRW-002D-1A in plain steel and the CRW-002G-9A are priced at $155 each. However, there is no word on its availability from Casio.