Quick Verdict
The Duro is the reference point for what a watch actually needs to cost. 200 m, a screw-down crown, a rotating bezel and quartz accuracy for under $100 makes almost every other budget watch difficult to justify.
At a Glance
- Typical street price
- $60
- Movement type
- Quartz
- Power reserve
- Battery, approximately 3 years on an SR626SW (Casio specification)
- Case diameter
- 44.2 mm
- Lug-to-lug
- 48.5 mm
- Crystal
- Mineral
- Water resistance
- 200 m (656 ft)
Design
An unapologetic homage to the classic dive-watch layout: rotating bezel, applied markers, a Mercedes handset and a date at three. It is not original, but the proportions are correct and the execution is clean for the price.
Movement
A standard Casio quartz caliber specified at ±20 seconds per month with a battery life of roughly three years. It requires no attention beyond an occasional battery change.
Build Quality
Steel case, screw-down crown and a 200 m rating — a genuinely unusual combination below $100. Finishing is simple, the bezel insert is printed rather than inlaid, and the crystal is mineral.
Dial
High contrast, well printed and easy to read. The luminous fill is the weakest element and fades quickly compared with anything from Seiko.
Bracelet & Strap
The supplied resin strap is functional and unloved, and it is the first thing most owners replace. Casio does not publish the band width for this reference, so check it before ordering a strap — but a NATO or a steel bracelet costs a fraction of the watch and transforms it.
Comfort & Wearability
44 mm across with a 48 mm span and 92 g on resin. The light weight makes it more wearable than its dimensions suggest, but it is still a wide watch.
Accuracy
Casio specifies ±20 seconds per month, which is roughly forty times tighter than any mechanical watch in this database.
What we like
What we like
- 200 m water resistance with a screw-down crown at under $100
- An anti-reverse rotating bezel, a screw-lock crown and a screw-lock back
- Casio publishes the full specification, down to the SR626SW cell and the 2784 module
- Cheap enough to treat as genuinely disposable
What we don't like
- Mineral crystal and a basic case finish
- The stock resin strap is the first thing most owners replace
- Luminous material is weak
Who Should Buy It?
Anyone who needs a watch for the beach, the workshop or travel, and anyone who wants a first dive watch without commitment.
Who Should Skip It?
Skip it if you want something with any sense of occasion. This is a tool, and it makes no attempt to be more.
Best Alternatives
Three watches worth weighing up before you commit.
How It Compares
Casio Duro MDV106
3 categories won
Orient Mako III
1 categories won
- Typical street price
- $60Winner
- $195
- Movement type
- Quartz
- Automatic
- Caliber
- 2784
- F6922
- Power reserve
- Battery, approximately 3 years on an SR626SW (Casio specification)
- 40 hours
- Stated accuracy
- ±20 seconds per month (Casio specification)
- -15 to +25 seconds per day (Orient specification)
- Case diameter
- 44.2 mm
- 41.8 mm
- Case thickness
- 12.1 mmWinner
- 13 mm
- Lug-to-lug
- 48.5 mm
- 47 mmWinner
- Crystal
- MineralEven
- MineralEven
- Water resistance
- 200 m (656 ft)Even
- 200 m (656 ft)Even
- Bracelet / strap
- Resin strap
- Three-link bracelet with solid end links
- Weight
- 92 gWinner
- 158 g
- Style
- Diver · Sport · Everyday
- Diver · Sport · Everyday
- Recommended wrist
- Medium · Large
- Medium · Large
- Selection Score
- Not published
- Not published
Final Verdict
The best pure value in this database and the watch every other budget diver has to explain itself against. Buy it, put it on a NATO strap, and stop worrying about it.
Specifications
- Brand
- Casio
- Model
- Duro MDV106
- Reference
- MDV106-1AV
- Collection
- Duro
- Typical street price
- $60
- MSRP
- $85
- Movement type
- Quartz
- Movement
- Casio quartz
- Caliber
- 2784
- Power reserve
- Battery, approximately 3 years on an SR626SW (Casio specification)
- Stated accuracy
- ±20 seconds per month (Casio specification)
- Balance spring
- Not published
- Case diameter
- 44.2 mm
- Case thickness
- 12.1 mm
- Lug-to-lug
- 48.5 mm
- Lug width
- Not published
- Weight
- 92 g
- Case material
- Stainless steel / aluminium bezel
- Crystal
- Mineral
- Water resistance
- 200 m (656 ft)
- Dial colours
- Black
- Bracelet / strap
- Resin strap
- Bracelet material
- Resin
- Clasp
- Pin buckle
- Date
- Yes
- GMT
- No
- Chronograph
- No
- Style
- Diver · Sport · Everyday
- Recommended wrist
- Medium · Large
- Country of origin
- Japan
- Released
- 2011
- Selection Score
- Not published
Score Breakdown
Where to Buy
Selection Time is reader-supported. If you buy through a link on this page we may earn a commission. This never affects our scores or what we recommend.
- Check Price on Amazon
Amazon
Price shown on Amazon
- View at Casio
Casio
Not published
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the Casio Duro be used for diving?
It is rated to 200 m with a screw-down crown, but Casio does not certify it to ISO 6425. It is well suited to swimming and snorkelling.
Why is it called the Marlin?
Earlier versions of the MDV106 carried a marlin graphic on the dial, and the nickname stuck even on references that no longer have it.
