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Casio’s Latest Digital Creation Belongs to a Burgeoning Watch Trend

This release may look like your typical digital watch. Only you don’t wear it on your wrist.

Casio CRW-001-1JR smart ringCasio

By Tucker Bowe

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Last year, Casio released a collection of rings, each designed to look like one of its most iconic digital watches from the last 50 years.

The catch? None of those previous tiny timepieces actually worked. They looked the part but didn’t tell the correct time (except twice daily).

That’s changing with Casio’s newest tiny creation, a digital watch that you wear on your finger. What’s more, it arrives mere weeks after Timex released its own take on the hybrid category, signaling perhaps the beginning of a new trend in affordable watchmaking.

More watch, less smarts

Casio CRW-001-1JR smart ring
It’s Casio’s first ring that actually works as a digital timepiece.
Casio

First spotted by The Verge, the Casio CRW-001-1JR is the company’s first-ever “smart” ring.

But let’s be clear: it’s a smart ring because it has some watch functionality, not because it can count your steps or track your heart rate like other more conventional smart rings.

The ring features a tiny LED screen that works. It tells the time in hours, minutes and seconds. Heck, it even lights up. There are also three function buttons that allow you to adjust time or change time zones.

Casio CRW-001-1JR smart ring
The packaging even looks like a miniature version of what an actual Casio watch comes in.
Casio

More digital watch features

Casio has given its tiny ring several other digital watch features. It has a stopwatch and alarm functions — there’s no built-in speaker, but the LED will flash when an alarm goes off — which is amazing, but slightly absurd. It lacks a calculator function, which you probably could’ve guessed.

The smart ring runs on a single battery that should last roughly two years. According to The Verge‘s article, Casio claims the battery is “easily replaceable.”

Casio CRW-001-1JR smart ring
The ring comes in one size, 10.5 US, but can fit smaller fingers with the included spacers.
Casio

One size to fit them all

As far as size, Casio’s smart ring doesn’t give you a lot of choice. It only comes in size — a US 10.5 — but don’t fret if that doesn’t fit you.

Casio includes several clear plastic spacers that squeeze between the ring and the finger. This promises to improve the fit for those with smaller fingers. Unfortunately, if your finger is larger than 10.5, you’re out of luck.

Casio CRW-001-1JR smart ring
The ring more than looks like a Casio digital watch. It works like one, too.
Casio

Price and availability

Similar to the desk clock Casio announced earlier this fall, the smart ring (CRW-001-1JR) appears to be a Japan-exclusive. It goes on sale in December.

As for price, it costs 19,800 yen — which comes out to around $128.

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