Casio Duro MDV106-1AV Review & Complete Guide

Photo: Wickedcoolwatches

Casio Duro MDV106-1AV Review & Complete Guide

There are many affordable dive watches out there, but which are actually worth owning? If you listen to the opinions of the crowds, the Casio MDV106-1AV is definitely one that is worthy of consideration.

In fact, I speak from my own experience of having owned this watch for many years, and I can without a doubt say that this is one of the best affordable dive watches priced in the region of 50 USD.

The ”issue” with affordable watches is that naturally, their quality is lower than that of premium timepieces. In many cases, the most affordable watches tend to compromise on quality substantially. They only last for a short time before they break, they don’t have any weight and heft to them, and they feel just overall rattly.

But notice I said in most cases. 

The fact is that the Casio MDV106-1AV punches well above its weight, and if you look at the build quality and finish, it’s hard to believe this watch only costs around 50 USD.

In this article, we are revising the Casio MDV106-1AV 200M diver and going into detail about all its specifications. When doing so, you will find that the MDV106-1AV is a watch that offers insanely great value for money.

Casio MDV106-1AV Duro Diver 200M review

As the name suggests, the MDV106-1AV is a dive watch. And very evidently so. It has a robust stainless steel case which is shaped just the way you visualize a dive watch to look. It has a unidirectional dive bezel, great legibility, and a suitable rubber strap.

But most importantly, it has a no-bullshit design. It’s clean and elegant, has a sporty appeal, and has great performance and quality.

Casio MDV106-1AV Diver 200M case

The Casio MDV106-1AV has a 44mm stainless steel case with a satin-brushed finish on top of the lugs. The sides of the case are polished, and for an enhanced look of quality, it also has slightly beveled and polished edges.

The case has a lug-to-lug measurement of 48mm, a case weight of 92 grams, and a 12mm height. There’s no denying this is a large watch – and it should be. At the same time, it is not sized to the point where it is not wearable, because it is. In fact very much so. What I have found by owning this watch is that it is extremely practical.

Whilst it is a dive watch, it looks just as great with more formal clothing and even a jacket. You’ll be surprised! And because of its clean and timeless monochrome design, it doesn’t scream or stand out too much which enables it to be worn even with a suit. The wearability of this watch can to some extent be attributed to the relatively short and curved lugs as they don’t overhang the wrist.

Considering the price, the case finish is very high.

Being a dive watch, it offers a water resistance of 200 meters. At this price, this is a rather impressive depth rating. This is really where this watch stands out. The fact that you can go swimming and diving with it without it breaking a sweat proves that it is durable and built to last. Again, this is a lot different from many other watches in this price range where you worry the crown will fall off when you operate it. The MDV106-1AV is definitely in a league on its own.

Photo: Dappered

The watch has a screw-down crown which is protected by crown guards. The crown guards fit well into the design of the case. The crown also has a notched edge for improved grip and a better look. What we can say about the crown is that it sticks out farther than the crown guards which means it is not 100% protected and may hit objects and potentially get damaged. It’s not a huge risk, but I’m unsure if larger crown guards would be suitable for this watch (or even a smaller crown), as it could damage the pleasant aesthetics.

If we turn the watch around, we find a screw-down solid case back. Nothing special and exactly what we would expect from a sporty dive tool watch. Engraved on the case back, however, is a marlin. Seiko uses this symbol to tell us that It has a water resistance of 200meters. The marlin not only looks good but is an appropriate symbol for water resistance. An interesting detail about the case back is that you can find the text ”CASIO JAPAN MOV’T CASED IN CHINA DY’.  Don’t expect a Swiss-made watch from Casio, nor at this price range.

Sitting on top of the case is a flat mineral crystal. At this price point, we can certainly not expect a sapphire crystal. The mineral crystal does the job, but it is more prone to scratches than sapphire, so if you are tough on your watch, it may acquire some scratches over time, otherwise, it will do just fine.

Bezel

Moving on to the bezel. Since this watch is a dive watch, it is equipped with a unidirectional rotating bezel with 60-minute markings. The bezel has a black aluminum insert. At 12 o’clock, you can find a triangle and a lime pip on it so you can see the positioning of the bezel even in the dark.

The numerals are clear and distinct against the black background, and it creates a clean dive watch look.

For improved grip, the bezel has a notched edge. It is easy to operate but still offers the security of not being too soft so that it rotates by accident. The rotating action feels a bit hollow, but this is what we can expect from a watch at this price.

Casio MDV106-1AV Diver 200M dial

What I love about this dial is that it is so clean and legible. It features all the elements you would expect in a dive watch and just looks great.

As its background, it has a black dial with a sunburst finish. The nicely finished dial really does a lot to the appearance of the watch and looks incredibly striking as the sunlight hits it, changing its appearance.

The dial has large white applied markers with luminescence on them for legibility in the dark. The markers have a chrome metal edge around them. The dial printing is kept at a minimum with the depth rating, the Casio logo, and a marlin. The marlin is a really nice detail I love.

Placed at 3 o’clock is a date window. Oftentimes, people complain about date windows damaging the symmetry, but the date window is nicely and discretely integrated into the dial.

The dial has an exceptional finish and quality control for its price, with markers applied with great precision, and sharp printing.

The watch features a minute, hour, and seconds hand. The seconds hand is the only touch of color on this watch and creates a nice contrast and a sporty appearance. The hour hand is shaped like a broad arrow and the minute hand as a sword. The hands have applied luminescence on them.

Around the very outer edge of the dial, we can find a small and discreet chapter ring with seconds markers printed in white.

Movement

This watch is powered by a Japanese-made quartz movement which is specified to an accuracy of +-30s/month, but bear in mind in practice, the accuracy is often much better

Featuring a quartz watch, it means it is affordable to service, with a batter change only necessary about every 3 years. This can be done either by a watchmaker or at home if you have the proper tools.

In this price range, we can’t expect an automatic movement inside, but regardless, the quartz movement does the job very well.

Casio Duro MDV106-1A Specifications

• Movement: Japanese quartz movement
• Water resistance: 200 meters (660 feet)
• Crystal: Mineral crystal
• Diameter: 44mm 
• Lug-to-lug: 48mm
• Height: 12mm
• Weight: 92 grams case weight

Conclusion

For the money, it is hard to find a better dive watch (that actually offers the water resistance of one) than the Casio MDV106-1AV Diver 200m.

The Casio MDV106-1AV is great looking, exceptionally well-finished for the price, looks great, and is a great beater that you won’t have to worry about getting scratched and banged up. This is a tough watch at an affordable price.

If anyone asks me about a dive watch for about 50 USD, this is the watch I recommend every time.

The Casio MDV106-1AV is available to order on Amazon.