The Best-Selling Watch Of All Time

The Casio F-91W holds the title of the best-selling watch ever, with over 100 million sold. However, this depends on whether you count the Apple Watch as a watch at all. So, setting aside the 300 million Apple Watches sold, let’s focus on the Casio F-91W.

US President Wore This Watch

The F-91W also has its share of well-known fans, including U.S. President Barack Obama, Hyundai executive Chung Eui-sun, Duty Free mogul Chuck Feeney, and Subcomandante Marcos of the Zapatistas. Read here to know that an US president wore a 20$ Casio watch

The Best-selling Watch Creator

First released in 1989, the F-91W is still being made today, with around 3 million units sold every year. What’s incredible is how little it has changed, today’s model is nearly identical to the one from over three decades ago. It was the debut design of Ryuusake Morai, who later created many famous Casio G-Shock models.

Case and Strap

The F-91W’s resin case is unchanged since its release. It measures 35.2mm across, is 8.5mm thick, and 38.2mm from lug to lug. With 30 meters of water resistance and a weight of just 21 grams, it’s light and comfortable on the wrist. Some say it wears on the smaller side, but that’s part of what makes it so wearable for many people.

Display and Functions

The watch features a clear LCD display that’s easy to read in different lighting. The three side buttons are marked clearly to show what they do. The upper left “Light” button activates a green light that’s dim but useful without draining too much battery. The lower right button is used to switch between alarm modes and time formats.

The “Mode” button on the lower left lets you cycle through the functions. One press brings you to the Alarm mode, where you can toggle between daily alarm, hourly signal, or both. Two presses take you to the Stopwatch mode, which measures down to 1/100 second and includes split timing. Three presses let you set the time and calendar, adjusting the seconds, hours, minutes, month, date, and day. It also features an annual calendar, meaning it automatically accounts for February’s shorter length.

Holding the lower right button for three seconds brings up “CA510” on the screen, Casio’s way of proving it’s not a fake. Yes, even a $20 watch gets copied enough to need anti-counterfeit measures.

Movement and Battery

Inside the F-91W is the Module 593 quartz movement. It powers the stopwatch, alarm, calendar, and light, and is accurate to about ±30 seconds a month. The CR2016 battery lasts roughly seven years and costs around 50 cents.

Price and Summary

The F-91W is listed at $22.95 but is often available for around $16. Few watches offer better value, and the ongoing strong yearly sales prove it’s still a favorite. Some videos have shown the watch holding up in extreme conditions, including water resistance up to 60 meters, double its rating, and even surviving being run over by a pickup truck.