Last Updated on September 3, 2022 by swisswatchreview
It seems like everybody has a strange affinity for the 80s these days. Perhaps it was the release of the movie, Ready Player One, and the book that came before it. The book was much better by the way. In either case, the 80s is the new 2022, and what better way to represent it than with a retro watch?
Retro digital watches are just what they sound like, digital watches with a classic vibe that isn’t necessarily cemented in the styles and neon nuances of the 80s. Digital watches have been around for a long time and retro can easily refer to the 60s, 70s, or even the 90s.
The best thing about going for a retro watch vibe is that there are so many styles and eras to choose from. You can go with something akin to Sean Connery’s and Roger Moore’s James Bond, or fast forward to the styles of Back to the Future. The options are limitless and a virtual trip backward in time.
Retro Digital Watches: What Defines Retro?
There are several, major brands that came into their own on the backs of the digital watch in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Everyone is probably familiar with the likes of Casio, Timex, Seiko, Hamilton, and Bulova.
Some of the digital watches on that list were reliable but relatively inexpensive, while others, such as Seiko and Bulova, are powerhouses when it comes to pulling money out of your wallet.
A digital watch that truly replicates a backward step in time is always going to have a few instantly recognizable features. At least they are recognizable to those of us who are in our forties.
- Squared off look
- Straight lines
- Large, blocky, digital numbers
- Segmented wrist bands with straight lines and rectangular segments
- A lot of print on the glass face of the watch
- Bulky side buttons
- Loud, beeping noises
Just looking at one of these watches sends your mind wheeling back to a time when kids could ride their bikes miles from home, only three channels encompassed the whole of our TV entertainment, and Atari systems were just giving us a brief glimpse of the world to come.
Best Digital Watches for the Retro Minded
The best digital watches don’t try to fake it by packing a load of technology in a retro shell. They’re as retro as it gets or as you would expect a watch to be decades ago.
1. Bulova Computron
One of Bulova’s NFTs, in its partnership with Decentraland, is the Bulova Computron, a digital watch with a square, computer chip aesthetic. It’s the kind of look you would be greeted with if you took apart one of those ancient Nintendo cartridges.
The glass face sits on a slight elevation with the north and south edges falling away at a 45° angle. This watch is the epitome of Bulova’s 1970s retro theme and it effortlessly conjures images of Jeff Bridges’ Tron.
You can get both the physical version and the aforementioned NFT version to wear in Decentraland as a part of the ever-expanding metaverse, cryptocurrency, and play-to-earn games.
The Computron comes in several variations, including the gold and silver capped version and the open, see-through glass version, encased in black and neon green striping. The price point isn’t for the faint of heart, however. If you’re itching to get your hands on one, prepare to save up.
2. Casio F91W-1 Digital Sport Watch
Casio knows how to make a retro watch because Casio practically defined digital watch design in the 1980s. This Casio isn’t trying to do anything slick or paint a retro veneer over a technological powerhouse.
The entire watch is designed with materials that have the technological durability and electronics of the 80s. That includes cheap materials, basic rubber, plastic “glass,” a chronograph, and large, protruding side buttons.
The digital display includes hours, minutes, and seconds. It also has the rest of the information you would expect from an 80s digital watch, including a two-digit representation of the day, a pm/am display, the day of the month, and the bright backlight that comes on when your press the side button and hold it down really hard.
3. Casio Calculator Watch
You were the epitome of a high-style nerd if you owned one of these sought-after watches that featured a full calculator below a black and white digital display. The best part about the gigantic Casio Men’s Vintage CA53W-1 is its cost, which is only around $20.
If you are into retro collections, it won’t cost you much to drop this watch on your glass display. It features everything you would expect from a decades-old, Casio calculator-style watch. It’s water resistant, features an 8-digit calculator, has an internal calendar, multiple measuring modes, and more.
The band is nothing more complicated than simple resin. You get your basic alarm clock settings, backlight, and even an hourly time signal. The stopwatch includes 1/100 second elapsed time and 1st or 2nd place times.
4.
This Timex practically screams “70s”, with a really cool look to boot. The large, square watch face includes the blinking, digital hands of a winding clock face above a full, digital number time display. The entire thing sits on top of a backdrop of pure white.
Blue printing on the glass face creates an outline impression of a standard timepiece along with two, parallel dividing lines that stretch over the top of the digital number display. It includes the day of the week, date, and seconds counter.
On the sides, there are four, protruding, oval buttons that control a number of features and the watch’s overall aesthetic color is rose gold, with a segmented, rectangular watch band. It’s a little on the pricey side, but well worth it.
Final Thoughts
Retro digital watches are the perfect collector’s items for anyone who wants to have a link to the not-so-distant past. You can’t find a piece of clothing, sunglasses, or shoes that can replicate the pure retro feel of these watches.
