The Duro Dive is one of the best-selling models on the internet and since its release in 2011, over 600,000 versions of the watch have been sold throughout the world. The model has even curried the favor of the likes of billionaire Bill Gates. The crown, like the case back, is of the screw-down variety. There are two nicely chamfered guards surrounding it, with enough slope and rounded edges to keep them from digging into the wrist. The crown itself is unbranded, with enough of a polished finish to reflect my face like a funhouse mirror. It screws into place relatively easily, though not as smoothly as my higher-priced divers.
At $44, they could have cheapened out and gone with some form of plastic. The Duro’s large mineral crystal is perfectly serviceable for a basic beater watch, and mine picked up only a single scratch after several weeks’ worth of moving-related work. Try as I might, I haven’t been able to dig up the exact specs for the Duro’s movement. I’m not alone in this, either – Folks like TGV from g shock watch The Urban Gentry Youtube channel and other far more qualified reviewers have encountered a similar barricade. The general consensus seems to be that Casio employs one of their stock quartz movements, shown on the case back and manual as module number 2784. This crystal-controlled setup is powered by a three-year SR626SW battery, with an accuracy rating of +/-20 seconds per month.
Each of its indices are applied, and the polished hands are distinct and well-wrought. This combination makes this an eminently readable watch from almost any angle, a trait that proved truly valuable on my long-haul trip. The branding is subtle and well done, with another marlin to match the one on the case back. The dial itself is something of a flat black, though there’s a bit of a sunburst if viewed from the proper angle. This deceptively simple combination lends a real pop to the hands and indices, along with the bright red of the second hand.
All the indices have luminescence for nighttime visibility. Admittedly, it’s not the brightest lume you’ll ever see in a dive watch. However, it lasts much longer than you’d expect from a budget watch. Most watches at this price point have a rather disappointing lume, but the Casio Marlin is not your average underdog. As watches go, it’s been largely ignored by the modding community but clearly deserves its place in the watch box. I’ll argue it’s one of the best underrated budget divers on the market.
The date window is nothing to write home about on the MDV106-1AV. The applied lumed markers have a chrome edge and stand above the black of the dial. We appreciate the attention to detail displayed in a watch at this price range, such as the markers g shock protection aligning perfectly to the dashes on the chapter ring. Elegant, durable has adequate features and awesome build quality. Still, I’d recommend purchasing the watch online, as in-store prices always hover a bit higher than those in cyberspace.