The Bill Gates Casio Duro MDV-107 watch review – Without Marlin, but with Pepsi and Batmanem

Tags: Review | Casio | Men's | Classic | Diving | Fashion

31.5.2022 | 6 MIN | 12x comment

For someone who can buy any watch in the world, you probably wouldn't expect a watch costing a few dollars. But Bill Gates likes to wear this watch. The Casio Duro Marlin MDV-106 got famous because of him and stayed in the light for many years. However, Casio has released an upgrade in the form of the Casio Duro MDV-107. Why did it lose the Marlin logo, and what else has changed? And why do I still think it is still one of the best watches under 80 EUR you can get?

The Casio Duro MDV-107 is being presented as a "novelty". In reality, it is not as new. But the watch looks incredibly good, especially after you find out the price. So it surely deserves a more detailed review.

The older version, the Casio Duro Marlin MDV-106 has never received a word from us. To be completely honest, I have never held it in my hand because Casio simply didn't deliver it to the Czech market. Yes, exactly, one of the best price/performance watches was not available here. And the watch was made famous by one of the richest men in the world, Bill Gates, as he was seen with it many times, and it is said to be one of his favorite watches.

Bill Gates wearing the Casio Duro.

Casio stopped production of the MDV-106 Duro, also nicknamed the Marlin (after the fish on the dial and the swordfish-like case back), as it no longer had a license for the marlin logo. So in an effort not to confuse fans, the upgraded version MDV-107 doesn't have a fish.

The original Casio Duro MDV-106 with Marlin.

Casio also introduced two new bezel colors in this "upgraded" model to please the fans. And the choice was a shot into a bull's eye. To be more specific, it was not that difficult for Casio as they simply took the two most popular color combinations of diving watches: red-blue Pepsi and black-blue Batman.

Both new variants look great. The Pepsi is a classic, but what I like more is the way Casio matched the blue second hand in the Batman version. The new color variants are, either way, a step in the right direction, and I believe that many Casio fans enjoyed it.

Now, let's talk about how big of a novelty it is. Or it isn't. All parameters remained. Thank God, unfortunately.

Unfortunately, becauseis no question many potential owners hoped that this change would bring at least a smaller version. You know, 40 would be nice. Or at least 42... Nevertheless, Casio left the size completely untouched.

The diameter of the case is still 44 mm (without the crown, with the crown it is 47 mm), the thickness of the case is 12.5 mm, 22 mm between the lugs. But even though 44 is quite enough it is worn more than well and a little smaller than it might seem in terms of parameters because if you look at the lug to lug size, ie the length of the case, it is 49 mm. The lugs are pleasantly rounded and the watch sits on its wrist perfectly.

Casio Duro on a wrist with a circumference of 16 cm.

Of course, it is already aesthetically too big for me (with 14.5 cm I can't be surprised), but honestly? The watch was so comfortable and well-balanced that if it wasn't for the loose strap, I wouldn't find it weird to have it on the whole day.

The first meeting with the watch was a bit sheepish just because of the strap. Resin is, in my opinion, too hard, but I might be pampered by Garmins silicone. As for the case, I am absolutely satisfied with the price. Everything fits right, and I see no deficiency. Sports watch overlapping with elegance if you exchange the strap. Matěj Urbaczka, the editor of Hodinky 365 magazine.

And thank God, because Casio also left other essential parameters intact. Above all, the 200-meter water resistance is incredible regarding the price, and it was achieved with the screw-down caseback, and the screw-down crown. The crown is also protected by protrusions of the case, so there is a decreased possibility of accidental manipulation or interference with objects. Door, table, sleeves, you know it…

Again, there is a mineral glass, which is still a great choice – with a price under 80 EUR we could hardly long for a sapphire. There is also a luminescence on the hands and indices that shines in the dark but, as expected, doesn't last long.

But I can't complain about legibility in daylight in the slightest. No matter the reflections and lighting conditions, the legibility is amazing. Simple three-hands have something to it. The hands and indices protrude from the black dial in a nice contrast and are readable from every angle.

An admirable detail is a rather inconspicuous sunburst making the dial look slightly gray depending on the incident light.

If I were to go into the details of the workmanship, then it's clear that it's an inexpensive watch. But usually, it was a fact that I focused more on. And honestly, I was pleasantly surprised with the fitting, because I've seen a much more expensive watch with a much more lax approach. The case is polished on the side, including the edge, and has easy sanding on the front.

If we omit Aliexpress, you won't just see a diving watch under 80 EUR. And since Casio has many years of experience in making immortal watches, you can trust them to keep the promised water resistance. I was worried the Casio Duro might look cheap (which I would not really mind regarding the price tag), but Casio proved me wrong. The workmanship is so decent my wallet started to itch. Dominik Hok, the editor-in-chief of Hodinky 365 magazine.

The bezel is unidirectionally rotatable with 120 clicks. At first, the rotation was quite stiff, but as soon as it "parted" a bit, it worked nicely. The insert with a minute scale is made of aluminum, and especially for color variants, you will appreciate its easy coloring. It doesn't look bad at all.

And the strap? Again, it is an ordinary resin, ie a synthetic resin. When you have a watch in your hand, you think that the strap will be the first thing you replace. But as soon as you actually put it on, it is comfortable and looks nice. Much more comfortable than the plastic strap I have in my Casio F92. The surface is more velvety, smoother, and nice.

If I changed the strap for another, it would be purely personal reason. It ends with waves through which the loop does not pass, which means that the end of the strap is sticking out a little. But I understand, it is not a watch for small wrists, and most people won't have a problem with that.

However… There is 22 mm between the lugs, and when you put Duro on a NATO or even steel strap, you get to a bit different level again. The watch looks much more expensive on a steel ban, and it also moves more from the purely sports category to the more elegant one. It might not fit with a suit (even though Bill Gates has a different opinion on that, but...), but for everyday wear it is perfect.

Finally, one last important piece of information. Inside is the 2784 module, a simple quartz movement from Casio, whose battery, according to the manufacturer, should last up to 3 years. The tolerance is set within 20 seconds per month, but I expect it to be much less with Casio only covering its back. But a lot depends on what piece you come across. A colleague has his Casio F91 with a second a month deviation, while my piece has ten to twelve seconds.

I have nothing to complain about when it comes to Casio Duro MDV-107. With this price?! Absolutely unreal watch. It is probably the same as the previous version, but I'm even more excited that at least the 107 have finally reached our market. And I predict it a bright future.

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