Casio’s Retro Sports Watch Gives G-Shock Vibes at a Tiny Fraction of the Cost

This beefy digital timepiece offers a whole lot of functionality for its impressively budget-friendly price under $40.

Close-up of a digital watch face showing "10 YEAR BATTERY," "WR 100M," and buttons labeled "ADJUST" and "MODE.

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Published January 19, 2026

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G-Shock is known, in part, for its big, bold watch designs. While that’s not all they have to offer, it’s a pretty major part of the brand’s identity and, for many, its allure.

Unfortunately, that typically comes at a pretty high cost. Even the brand’s most affordable offerings cost nearly $100 apiece.

But what if you could have that styling and much of the substance for a fraction of the cost? That’s what G-Shock’s parent brand is offering with its Casio WS1800-1AV, -2AV and -3AV sport watches.

Digital Casio wristwatch with olive green resin band and black bezel, featuring countdown timer and 10-year battery. — While it shares some similar styling with G-Shock, Casio’s sub-brand, this watch is far more affordable.

Low investment, big payoff

The inherent G-Shock-ness of this watch is apparent to anyone who knows the Casio sub-brand. That said, there’s not a specific model it takes direct inspiration from.

Still, you can see clear similarities to G-Shock’s more circular offerings, like the 9052 Series or the GD-010 Series (meaning not the brand’s most iconic style, the square DW-5000). In fact, its quartet of pushers around the dial is similar to those of both the 9052 and the GD-010.

Black Casio digital watch with countdown timer, 10-year battery, and water resistance up to 100 meters. — The dial layout is unique yet easy to read at a glance.

That said, the watch also has its own clear, unique identity, as evidenced by its display. Yes, it has a primary digital display, but that’s only part of what it has going on (more on this later).

Most significantly, this watch costs a fraction of what even the cheapest full-sized G-Shocks cost. Instead of approaching $100 on the most budget-friendly side of the spectrum, this watch costs just $40 total — yes, really.

Two Casio digital watches side by side, one with a gray strap and yellow accents, the other with a black strap and red accents, both showing time and date. — The WS1800 comes in three colorways: green, blue and black.

Sporty spice

It needs to be said that this isn’t a G-Shock. Yes, that’s obvious, but there’s another implication here: it doesn’t have the brand’s signature shock-resistant housing. Put plainly, this watch can’t take the same beating a G-Shock might.

That said, it does do a lot of other things that still make it well worth the investment, especially when you consider that most folks, even those who partake in athletic endeavors, really don’t need G-Shock levels of shock resistance.

This watch costs a fraction of what even the cheapest full-sized G-Shocks cost.

For instance, the watch features a worldtimer complication with 29 time zones across 48 cities. It has alarms, a full-auto calendar, 12- and 24-hour timekeeping and more. It also has an awe-inspiring 10-year battery life, using a CR2025 battery.

However, its banner feature is especially significant for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Those two curved displays on the upper left of the dial are countdown timers.

Close-up of a Casio digital watch face showing time, date, alarm, and water resistance WR100M. — The two unique dial elements are actually how the watch displays its countdown timer.

Pricing and availability

All three versions of the Casio WS1800 — the 1AV, 2AV and 3AV — are now available on the brand’s site for just under $40 apiece.

Casio WS1800

Specs

Case Size	48.2mm
Movement	Quartz
Water Resistance	100m

$40 at Casio

About the Author: Sean Tirman is an associate editor at Gear Patrol who specializes in EDC, cannabis and outdoor gear.

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