So if you recall, in Casio AE1200, Part 1: The Review, I discovered this tidy little digital gem and rapidly acquired a small collection of them. In part the second, I will tell you how I set about improving/ruining them a bit, and fitting proper replacement straps.
Removing Text
Right off the bat, I had issues with all the text on the case and dial. It is a lot by any standard, most of it is unnecessary, and some is downright ugly, like the “Word Time” and “Illuminator” emblazoned across the case. That just had to go. Some quick Googling told me that rubbing alcohol, nail polish remover, and Goo Gone all would work. I tried all three, which turned out to be four by the time I was done.
Rubbing alcohol seemed like the safest option, so I got my silver Casio, a Q-Tip, and set to work. I think I can safely say that rubbing alcohol works about as well as cold water and warm wishes – not what I would call a roaring success. After much rubbing and zero progress, I gave up on it.
Next up was nail polish remover. According to the accounts I read, it works great, you just have to be a little careful. Considering myself to be a careful fellow, I borrowed a bottle from my wife and dabbed a Q-Tip for round two. Sadly, I had forgotten that acetone, the key ingredient, is the natural enemy of all manner of coatings and plastics. It took the letters off like nothing, but one more rub and the case paint came too. Then it started eating the case. Shit.
On the third round, I decided what I really needed was acetone-free nail polish remover. I borrowed a bottle from my daughter, grabbed another Q-Tip, and resumed the debadging process. This time, it was a success. It takes a little bit of patience and some steady rubbing, but once you start to see a little paint on the swab, it dissolves quickly. Even so, those words don’t disappear without a fight.
Now, about all those words on the inside…
The simplicity of the Casio gave me the courage to pop off the back and fiddle with the innards, something I have never done with any of my other watches because – and I say this with the utmost sincerity – I have no idea what I am doing. Four simple screws and the case back comes off, followed by a gasket. A gentle pry at the metal retaining flanges with a jeweler’s screwdriver is all it takes to liberate the movement – well, not a “movement” really as there are no moving parts. “Module” is the correct term. It couldn’t be easier. Now you can see why I said in Part 1 that the battery is probably the heaviest component of the watch.
About the only moving parts on the whole watch are the pushbuttons, secured by tiny c-clips holding back springs and gaskets. Having no reason to take them off, I left them alone. The last thing I needed was for one of those tiny bits to shoot across the room and into certain oblivion. Now, you do need to pop them out to replace the case, but that’s a matter for another day.
The display frame comes right out too. Too many words? Then erase them with the same tools and technique you used on the case. Some folks have cut away the crossbars that separate the displays, but I don’t think that’s a great look.
For this, I busted out the Goo Gone. I have no idea what this stuff is, but it claims to dissolve adhesives and not ruin most surfaces. It is some form of petroleum distillate and it smells vaguely like oranges. Again, I put a tiny dab on the end of a Q-Tip and got to rubbing, this time attacking the “10 Year Battery” and “5 Alarms” printed on the dial overlay. It took about as long as the non-acetone nail polish remover and just as much effort. When I was done, I washed off the excess and tried to dry it with something that wasn’t full of lint.
Goodbye offending letters! Hello … shiny patches? It seems the overlay has a barely noticeable texture that gives it a matte appearance and rubbing the hell out of it with a solvent smooths it out.
All said and done, I do like the watch better without those extraneous words, and once reassembled, it was hard to notice the sections I rubbed smooth, but this whole exercise strikes me as high effort, low reward. In the end, I did not use my newly modified overlay in any of my other watches. I just popped it back into my battered silver test mule instead. I’ll figure out what to do with it another day.
Once I was certain I had not left dust or fingerprints anywhere, I reassembled it, snapping the module in place, pressing the gasket back into its channel, and screwing down the case back. Voila! Then I discovered that I had, in fact, left dust in there, but screw it. It’s a test mule. On to bigger and better things.
Straps
As I mentioned in Part 1, the stock resin strap is surprisingly nice, but in the end, it is still a piece of plastic. It makes sense for a plastic-cased watch with a plastic module, but we can do better. A 42mm case on a standard 18mm strap is going to look like a lollipop. You need something to fill it out like Casio’s notched 24mm strap does.
My first instinct was to put it on a bund, and I must say, I was not at all disappointed with the result. I chose one from Vario.sg that was intended for the brand’s 1918 Trench Watch. Its 18mm strap is the right size and the pad is more than adequate to handle the Casio’s 42mm case. At first, it feels a little strange wearing a strap that is heavier than the watch, but not unpleasant. They are available in seven colors and are currently available for pre-order for $23 ($34 full price).
Still, bunds aren’t for everyone (indeed, I can hear Mike Razak gagging at my fashion choice from here) and certainly not for every day, so you will likely need something more conventional, closer to the factory design, but of a more appealing material. Well, it just so happens that the folks at Vario were thinking the exact same thing. You can already find a selection of G-Shock straps and adapters on the site, and now, they are producing straps for the AE1200/1300 series as well (the AE1300 uses the same case). They gave me three for this review.
I was pretty smitten with them right out of the box. Like all of Vario’s products, they are well-made, without an uneven line or loose stitch in sight. The 4mm thick leather is oil-tanned, so it has deep color and a magnificent pull-up effect when bent that gives it a comfortably lived-in look. The fit is tight, but spot-on, filling the 18mm between the lugs and matching the 24mm edge-to-edge perfectly. Quick-release spring bars make it easy. They taper to a signed and brushed silver or black 20mm buckle.
I tried Cinnamon Brown on my Kranio stainless steel case (yes, yes, I know you are waiting for that review and I’m writing it now), the Merlot Red on my black case, and the Graphite Black on the gold case. Vario also offers Prussian Blue, Moss Green, and Pecan Brown. They look amazing.
When new, they are all deceptively dark. It takes a gentle bend to bring their true colors to life. Cinnamon Brown is closest to its color when new and the pull-up imparts more weathering than color shift. It is most spectacular on the Merlot, which looks almost black until the stress pushes those oils aside. Parts that don’t bend like the area between the lugs and the tip of the tail stay dark, creating a neat, two-tone effect. The Graphite Black is actually a very dark gray with brown undertones that shows pronounced wrinkles when worn. Very cool.
If you are looking to upgrade your AE1200 strap (and you should) I cannot recommend the Vario straps strongly enough. Really, don’t dither around with conventional 18mm straps or try to cut down that 24mm you have in the strap drawer, just order these tailor-made beauties. They are $28 and Vario is running a sale until April 11 for just $26.
Conclusion
I’d say my modding attempts were a mixed bag. Removing the text on the case and frame was not terribly difficult with the right solvent, but I wonder if it was really worth the effort. On the other hand, the new straps from Vario really improved the watches. I particularly like the 1918 Bund on the Kranio case and the new AE1200 oil-tanned straps on the stock plastic cases.
Next up in Part 3, I’ll release the Kranio! Stay tuned.
