Modern day digital watches are extremely accurate and also clever. Digital watch giant Casio already has a range of high-tech G-Shock watches that combine GPS and atomic clock radio signals to keep perfect time. However, it goes without saying that these watches often cost a pretty penny more than your average G-Shock. Fortunately, there is now a more accessible alternative, and it comes in the form of Casio’s new Edifice EQB501 watches that feature the brand’s Bluetooth Accurate Time System. Let’s find out how it works and take a closer look at the watch itself.
We’ll talk about the Bluetooth Accurate Time System first. As much as we watch lovers are pained to admit it, your smartphone is arguably the most accurate timekeeping device around. Most smartphones are GPS-enabled and are already constantly updated with the latest atomic time signals, so why not make use of that?
Time information is routinely acquired by smartphones from an atomic time server on the Internet. The smartphone then analyzes this data and compares it with location data gleaned from its GPS. This is how smartphones automatically set their time. Using the Bluetooth Accurate Time System, the smartphone can then pass on this time information to the Casio Edifice EQB501 watch via Bluetooth, thus ensuring that the watch keeps accurate time. In fact, the Casio Edifice EDQB501 automatically syncs with your smartphone up to four times a day to ensure that it has the most accurate home and world times. It will even take into account daylight saving time.
The Casio Edifice EQB501 can also be managed by owners using the Casio Watch+ app, which is available as a free download for both iOS and Android devices. The app lets owners quickly adjust the time on the watch, set alarms, access and set world times, transfer stopwatch data, and more. All in all, the Casio Edifice EQB501, like most other Casio digital watches, is packed full of features and makes for an ideal go-everywhere, wear-everyday watch. Much of this functionality is similar to what Casio is offering in even more full-featured, but also more expensive, watches such as the G-Shock Gravitymaster GPW2000 (hands-on) or the $7,400 G-Shock MR-G MRGG2000HT-1A Hammer Tone (hands-on).
The Casio Edifice EQB501 measures 44.4mm in a brushed and polished stainless steel case with a stainless steel bracelet. It is water resistant up to 100 meters and the three-dimensional dial is protected by a scratch-resistant mineral crystal.
Like most modern high-tech Casio watches, the Casio Edifice EQB501 has a highly three-dimensional dial with lots of details. At 12 o’clock, we have a 24-hour display, and at 9 o’clock we have a sub-dial that indicates time in another time zone along with a day/night indicator. At 4 o’clock, there’s the day and date indicator as well as a speed indicator, which is really just a cooler way of reading the tachymeter. The Casio Edifice EQB501 is also solar-powered and a single full charge is good for about 8 months worth of operation.
Finally, the Edifice EQB501 will come in two variants. The Edifice EQB501XD-1A features an all stainless steel case and bracelet, and a black dial with sporty red accents. The Edifice EQB501XDB-1A also has a stainless steel case and bracelet, but with a black ion-plated bezel and a black dial with striking blue and green accents.
These new Casio Edifice EQB501 watches are significantly more affordable than Casio’s premium GPS-timekeeping-enabled watches. As such, I see them as being great options for watch lovers who want a simple, capable, and tough watch that can stand up to the rigors of traveling. Of course, their ability to sync time and display time in two time zones also make them excellent choices for frequent travelers. The Casio Edifice EQB501XD-1A with red accents is priced at $300, while the Edifice EQB501XDB-1A with blue accents and black bezel is priced at $320. casio.com
