The race towards ever-thinner watches has heated up in the last few years, but it’s been going strong for more than a century, beginning in 1903 when Edmond Jaeger (co-founder of Swiss luxury watch brand Jaeger-LeCoultre) invented the Caliber 145, the thinnest watch movement the world had ever seen. Like athletes and yacht owners, watchmakers are competitive people, and they love nothing more than doing something better—even infinitesimally better—than the competition. After the Caliber 145’s debut, the industry’s brightest minds immediately began dreaming up new designs for ever-thinner cases and movements, and they haven’t stopped ever since. Some 120 years later, Richard Mille’s RM-01UP Ferrari is in the lead, but, watchmakers being who they are, a new contender can’t be far off. The face has a rather symmetrical design, with the logo and text generally positioned towards the centre. I think it looks quite classy and I prefer the less cluttered design compared to some of the older watches; though that is going to be subjective and based on what you prefer.

I call this "F91W type" even though I know it's not the F91W. In fact, it's not even module 593. The module used is 3472, evidenced by the thinness, the night light and the fact the display reads SPL (for "split") instead of LAP when using the chronograph lap feature.

Finally, the amber night light is absolutely perfect. Not too bright, not too dark, looks better than the blue/green EL light on other models, and obviously blows away the cheap green light of the F91W. Casio has announced a series of three new models in their Vintage collection. The A700W series is made up of retro-inspired digital timekeepers that will make many enthusiasts of a certain age fondly nostalgic for the watches of their youth. With an ’80s vibe and a low-cost of entry, these watches might hit the spot if you’re after a casual summer beater. Complete the short form that accompanies your product. Please ensure that you complete all of the sections, as this will guarantee the timely processing of your return/exchange.

First is the ubiquitous F91W, the most popular watch in the world. After that, the F105W, which is the F91W with a slightly different case shape with the EL (ElectroLuminescent) night light for easy night viewing. After that, the A158, which is the "steel" version of the F91W, and then the A168, the "steel" version of the F105W.What makes the A700W so legible? Three things. The 6mm thinness, the mineral glass crystal (yes, real glass here and not acrylic,) and the amber night light. The mineral glass crystal makes the display so clear it almost doesn't even look like it's there. I had no idea a Casio digital display could look this good. Any photo of this watch does it no justice whatsoever. This is something that has to be seen to appreciate fully. You've never seen an F91W type with a mineral glass crystal before, but once you do, this is as good as an F91W type gets. Then there's the recently introduced A700W, pictured above. Acts like an F91W, looks like an A158W, so what's the deal with this model? There is basically zero LCD "wash" on the A700W. Lean the watch at any angle and it can still be read without the LCD segments becoming unreadable. The F91W is already amazing at this, and the A700W is even better.