Casio's tiny Ring Watch is completely mad and I adore it

Yahoo

30-01-2025

The Casio Ring Watch makes no sense, yet it's something I've been desperate to try out. Now that it's here and I've had it on my finger for a while, I can tell you it's the silliest, most unusual, least practical, yet completely brilliant wearable I've worn in ages.
Perhaps this is the first time you're seeing Casio's Ring Watch, and you can't quite believe your eyes, so let me explain what it is. Created to celebrate Casio's 50th anniversary of making watches, it's a tiny version of the brand's famous 'square' G-Shock watch, made to be worn on your finger instead of your wrist.
Yes, this is a watch. That's not a decorative panel on the top of the ring. It's a real LCD screen that shows the time, date, world time, and a stopwatch function. There's even a little backlight to illuminate the screen in the dark. There are three buttons around the case which are used to change function, adjust the time, and activate the light. Despite being minuscule, they're easier to press than some full-size G-Shock watches.
It's made in a single size (a 10.5) but it comes with little spacers to adapt it for different finger sizes. They work really well and held it securely in place on a finger that otherwise wouldn't have been suitable. Make no mistake, Casio has made the Ring Watch to be worn, and not just displayed as a fun oddity from a brand known for its willingness to experiment, break boundaries, and form multiple creative partnerships that enhance its iconic watch shapes.
The effort involved in miniaturizing a watch made for wrist wear down to finger size is incredible, as is Casio's attention to detail. The standard Casio 3573 module has been reduced in size by a factor of 10, and then paired with a tiny battery powering the 7-line LCD screen. The mineral glass has a special adhesive to ensure it's water resistant — a Casio necessity — and the ring's body is a single piece of metal and resin.
The shape and finish of the Ring Watch closely match a metal G-Shock square watch, right down to the dimpled 'bracelet' design running down either side of the ring. There's even the famous brick motif design behind the bezel and under the Casio logo. If you're a Casio fan, there's so much here that makes you smile, elevating the Ring Watch from novelty to a desirable addition to your collection.
Despite this being a watch for your finger, it's surprisingly light at 16 grams (admittedly twice that of even the heaviest Oura Ring 4), but the 6.2mm depth makes it really stand out on your finger. People will notice it, and they're going to be completely amazed when you show them it's an actual watch and not just a trinket. Depending on how into watches and Casio specifically they are, they're going to love it or think it's completely barmy.
I don't think I would wear the Ring Watch all the time, and I may even struggle to wear it for an entire day. It's big and heavy, and it makes a bold statement. It doesn't track my sleep or activity like a smart ring, and while it does tell the time, it's a rare occasion I don't have some type of watch on my wrist or a phone in my pocket to do the same. It doesn't make much sense as a product, but I don't care.
Everything about the Casio Ring Watch is perfect. Casio could have celebrated its 50th anniversary only with special edition watches like the beautiful Casiotron TRN-50, or made the Ring Watch from titanium or platinum and charged an absolute fortune for it. It could even have made the Casio Ring without any specific functionality, and I think fans would still have clamored for it.
Instead, Casio let its design and engineering team push the boundaries of what's possible and created a working device it would be proud to put its name on. In the best tradition of the brand, it made the Ring Watch from metal and kept the price reasonable. Perhaps the only unfortunate thing is the Ring Watch's availability.
The Ring Watch was released at the end of 2024 in Japan and the U.S. and it almost immediately sold out. It was put up for order in the U.K. several weeks after and caused havoc on Casio's website, to the point the company stopped the online order process and resorted to a lottery-style invitation system, where the lucky few given the chance to buy the Ring Watch had to pay for it over the phone within a fixed period of time. Scalpers are now selling them on eBay for three to four times the original $120, or 105 British pounds price.
Should you pay this much for one? That's down to you, but I will say it's a unique curio that will look fantastic in every hardcore Casio fan's collection. However, Casio has a habit of beating a dead horse, so I wouldn't be that surprised if another version of the Ring Watch came out in the future, especially given its success. The original metal square G-Shock came in silver and gold for example. My advice? Should that time come, I'd make every effort to get one.
I'm wearing the Ring Watch as I type these words, and every time I see it glinting in the morning sunlight, like a signet ring made for Robocop, I smile. Not many other pieces of tech do that, and it makes me adore it.