Casio Oceanus Titanium Review (OCW-T150-1AJF) | Is This My Grail Casio?
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Here's an oxymoron - "Luxury Casio."
Super low-cost resin watches are surely the antithesis of luxury…right?
Last year, I began exploring some of the more premium Casio offerings which aim to break that mold. This included a unique LCW titanium model from the Lineage lineup, which quickly became my favorite due to the beautiful iridescent dial and the additional intuitive functions.
While it was my most worn watch of 2021, it never quite fulfilled the promise of being a true premium Casio. Despite having a revolutionary link-removal system, the stock bracelet was far from the highest quality, with hollow links and only two micro-adjustment holes. Similarly, the level of finishing across the piece wasn't great, with sub-par case polishing that scratched easily and a handset that looked good to the naked eye but was disappointingly dirty when viewed through the macro lens.
It left me hunting for more. Was a high-end Casio actually out there?
Well, a few weeks ago, an opportunity fell right into my lap. Japanese retailer Discovery Japan reached out via email, wanting to work with us in some capacity. Boy, oh boy, did this get me excited. No, not because they're sponsoring the post (because they're not).
Instead, as a JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) retailer, Discovery Japan has access to many unique pieces that are otherwise very tricky to come by in the Western market. Luckily for me, their repertoire includes Casio and, more importantly, the Oceanus range.
(Full Disclaimer: This watch was sent in for review purposes by Discovery Japan Mall. No monetary payments were made, and Discovery Japan Mall has no creative control over this content. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)
Casio OCW-T150-1AJF Review
This hallowed collection is known as the grail for Casio lovers, supposedly offering the best build quality from this brand for another step up in price. Are these watches the true premium Casios I've been looking for? Are they in any way better than the Lineage models? After browsing through their extensive range, I picked out this one, the Oceanus OCW-T150-1AJF. You'll find it linked throughout this article. While most of the Oceanus lineup offers comparable specifications, I opted for this one for several reasons.
Firstly, it's titanium, the same lightweight material as the Lineage and secondly, I saw a couple of scalper eBay listings that had this down as either 38 or 39mm in diameter, which would have made it the smallest Oceanus by some margin. Despite other sites contradicting this information, there was still a chance that it could fit my tiny wrist perfectly as Discovery Japan currently doesn't display watch diameters on their site.
So, they sent it across, and it arrived quickly, considering the distance. Let's see how close Casio has gotten to luxury.
Packaging
This is the best first impression I've had with a Casio right out of the gate. Unlike the Lineage, which arrived in a generic tin, this Oceanus came in a nicer faux leather clamshell container sitting within the outer white box. This makes it much better for gifting and, unlike the former, won't give the recipient the impression you purchased it from Dollar General.
Dimensions
On the surface, this OCW appears very similar to the LCW, with an identical grey case tone and a similar color scheme. It turns out that my gamble regarding sizing almost paid off. Indeed the 41.3mm diameter of this watch listed on most sites includes the crown guards, meaning that the actual diameter sits at a more versatile 39.4mm. It's also reasonably slim at just 10.1mm, so it hugs the wrist well.
Watch Bracelet
The lug to lug isn't as short as its predecessor, so when combined with the fixed end link bracelet, it fits more like a 40mm watch and is slightly too large for my slim wrist. I'd have preferred the bracelet to have been fully articulating, as it would have accommodated a wider variety of wrists, which would have been pleasing given the improved quality of this component. Indeed, this is a considerable upgrade, offering solid link construction throughout and a milled clasp rather than the basic stamped one on the Lineage model.
Sadly, we don't see a return of the innovative scissor-clamp removal system present in the LCW, and due to the fixed integrated end-links, you can't switch this out for an alternative band. Why do brands do this? I have no idea, but it is disappointing. That's not to say that this stock option isn't comfortable.
You'll notice there are no micro-adjustment holes here, and that's a good thing for once! This Oceanus has a party trick hiding in the clasp. Here there's a slide rail system that allows for on-the-fly toolless adjustments. Compress the clasp buttons, shift it to whichever position you deem fit, and then let go to fix it in the perfect spot.
Admittedly, it doesn't have quite the range of Rolex's glide-lock mechanism and does induce some mild rattling during motion. However, it's quicker to use and easy to adjust even while the watch is on the wrist, resulting in a welcome addition to this $500 watch.
Case Construction
I've also noticed that both this and the case scratch up far less than the similarly colored titanium on the LCW. While the OCW houses more brushed sections, I'm not sure that is entirely what's responsible for this increased resistance. It immediately felt like there was an extra coating here, akin to Citizen's 'Super Titanium,' as the discrepancy across the brushed sections of each Casio is instantly noticeable. After some reading, this appears to be a similar Titanium Carbide, so the results make sense.
Aside from the material, everything here has been done more precisely, with sharper transitions and neater edges. The polishing has also been completed to a mirror-like standard, giving defined reflections that allow the case to catch the light better.
Water-resistance & Crystal
The rear of the case reveals the simplistic case back. This Oceanus is ocean-worthy with a solid 10bar water resistance designation. It's not a proper diver but will easily cope with being submerged when necessary, which provides more peace of mind than the LCW mentioned above, which offered just half that rating.
The scratch resistance extends to the crystal selection. As expected, this is sapphire, with what appears to be the same anti-reflective coating as its predecessor. No elaborate domes here, just a standard flat piece, which I guess fits the style of this watch.
Functions
The most significant difference here is the absence of the digital portion and corresponding pushers, with the OCW opting for a traditional crown and a single pusher at 4 o'clock. As a result, several practical functions are sacrificed, including the stopwatch, alarm, and power reserve indicator. You still have access to the 'multi-band 6' radio-controlled technology for automatic near-perfect accuracy at all times, meaning that once the watch is set, you'll likely never have to change it unless you're traveling through various time zones. If the latter applies, you'll just need to pop out the crown and cycle through to the zone of your choice.
To some extent, this Oceanus tries to prioritize form over function (at least when compared to the Lineage), an approach akin to many luxury or fashion watches. Has it achieved that objective, though?
Watch Dial
While the case looks markedly better, I still prefer the dial on the cheaper Lineage model. That one still has the most striking backdrop I've come across, and its bigger brother here falls short, with a standard grey sunburst that isn't nearly as mesmerizing. It doesn't look bad, but I was hoping to see something more like the former.
Casio Lineage LCW
Casio Oceanus OCW
Unusually, the central segments of the indices do appear to share the iridescent sheen from the Lineage, which helps the Oceanus recover some lost ground. Despite the nonchalant appearance, this grey dial is still packing a solar cell, which powers the 'tough solar' movement that drives the watch. This tech brings the expected boon of no battery changes, which is both eco-friendly and wallet-friendly in the long run.
The handset is a bit scruffy on a macro level, which is a shame, though it's not visible to the naked eye. Still, the little details like this separate luxury watches from mid-tier and entry-level ones, and as such, I think it would be pushing it to call this Oceanus an 'affordable luxury' watch.
The Oceanus does feature some additional blue accents to provide a pop of blue, including the bar on the bottom left and the distinctive two-tone second hand. It's worth mentioning that Casio has again nailed the movement alignment, with this one perfectly hitting the markers. A feat that a surprising number of comparably priced watches can't seem to manage.
Something Casio has done quite well is the reduction of visual clutter. The Lineage had a string of unnecessary text above the digital window, which has now been restricted to simply the "tough movement" text. The majority of the operation text has also been strategically placed within the raised chapter ring, which hides it amongst the abbreviated city names around the circumference.
While this certainly looks better than having it splattered across the dial, as is commonplace with many Casio watches, the lack of the digital display means that you inevitably have more action around the perimeter, providing a different look to the more minimalist Lineage.
I prefer most of the markers on the Oceanus, which look cleaner and boast a finely ribbed texture that showcases a higher standard of craftsmanship that I wish the handset could match.
The only one I'm not keen on is the Roman numeral at twelve o'clock, which seems a touch out of place. The enlarged markers present on other Oceanus models are better choices given the chosen aesthetic.
Branding
Right below that is the Oceanus logo and text. Unlike the unusual and divisive Edifice branding on some of the great budget Casio watches, I think the sleeker Oceanus wave icon is much more of an easy pleaser. I'd perhaps like to see them ditch the Casio wording altogether, as overall, this watch is a world away from their dirt-cheap digitals.
Final Thoughts
At around $489, potentially around $540 depending on import fees, I think this is a decent watch, especially for wrists larger than mine. It's undoubtedly the best quality Casio I've come across to date, with some aspects being well and truly class-leading. As it stands, though, I still think the Lineage is marginally the better value proposition, considering the price discrepancy and lug style.
Nevertheless, the sizing debacle has got me thinking. What if the listed proportions for most other Oceanus watches are similarly false? If so, I'd love to find one that potentially eliminates the issues found in this model.
Ben’s Watch Club Rating (4/5):