Casio AE-2100W-4AV
A Properly Rugged World Timer
The Casio AE-2100W-4AV is one of those watches that immediately looks like it means business.
Released around 2015, the AE-2100 belongs to the same broad family of feature-packed Casio world timers that includes watches such as the AE-1000 and AE-2000, but the 2100 has a character all of its own.
And this particular version, the AE-2100W-4AV, is easily my favourite colourway from the range.
The combination of the brushed metal-effect bezel, black case detailing, orange lettering and bright orange-red resin strap gives it far more personality than the more restrained versions.
It's bold without becoming ridiculous.
More importantly, underneath all that styling is a genuinely capable everyday Casio.
Classic Casio World-Time Styling
There's absolutely no mistaking the AE-2100 for anything other than a Casio.
The display is busy, but it's organised in a way that quickly becomes familiar.
The large digital time display dominates the lower half of the screen, while the world map and circular sub-display occupy the upper section. Around that, the substantial bezel carries clearly marked controls and the large WORLD TIME and ILLUMINATOR lettering.
It's exactly the sort of functional styling I enjoy on Casio's larger digital watches.
Nothing is particularly subtle, but nothing needs to be.
And the orange detailing on the AE-2100W-4AV works especially well. It picks out the markings around the display and ties everything into the brightly coloured strap.
For me, this is the version of the AE-2100 to have.
More Than Just Good Looks
As you'd expect from a Casio world timer, there's plenty going on beneath the surface.
World Time gives the AE-2100 genuine usefulness for travelling or keeping track of another time zone, while the stopwatch, countdown timer, alarms and calendar cover the everyday functions most people are actually likely to use.
There's also 200 metres of water resistance, which makes this considerably more capable than its relatively inexpensive price would suggest.
Then there's Casio's quoted 10-year battery life.
That's one of the things I particularly like about this generation of Casio digital watches. There's no charging routine, no app and nothing particularly complicated about owning one.
Put a battery in it, set the time and wear it.
One Thing I Would Change
There is one part of the AE-2100 that I think could have been better.
The illumination.
The watch uses an LED positioned at one side of the display. It does the job, but with a display this large, I really wish Casio had fitted two LEDs — one on either side.
That would have produced much more even illumination across the display and would have suited the otherwise very capable nature of the watch.
It's certainly not enough to spoil the AE-2100 for me, but it's probably the first thing I'd change if I were redesigning it.
For a watch that gets so much else right, a second LED would have finished things off nicely.
Surprisingly Comfortable
Looking at the AE-2100, you might expect it to feel enormous on the wrist.
It certainly has presence, but I've found it very comfortable to wear.
The resin strap is flexible, the watch sits nicely on the wrist and the relatively lightweight construction means it doesn't feel nearly as cumbersome as its rugged appearance might suggest.
That's important because this isn't the sort of watch I want to baby.
It's exactly the sort of Casio I can throw on when I'm heading out, working on something or simply want a practical digital watch without having to think about it.
Despite the size and busy appearance, it quickly disappears on the wrist.
Finding Mine
My own AE-2100-4AV was something of a bargain.
I managed to pick it up new on eBay for around £15 including postage, which is remarkable value for the amount of watch you're getting.
When it arrived, however, it needed a new battery.
Considering the AE-2100 was released around 2015, that made me wonder whether mine had actually been sitting unused in stock for many years and could potentially be one of the earlier examples.
A fresh battery brought it straight back to life.
For me, that actually adds something to the watch. Rather than buying one when they were readily available, I've effectively uncovered an unused example years after the model disappeared from Casio's range.
A Discontinued Casio Worth Finding
The AE-2100 appears to have disappeared from the range around 2022, and that's a shame.
Casio has produced plenty of World Time watches, but the AE-2100 has a particularly good combination of rugged styling, useful functions, excellent water resistance and everyday comfort.
It's also sufficiently different from watches such as the AE-1200 to justify owning both.
And because they're discontinued, finding a genuinely new example is only going to become more difficult.
If you come across one at sensible money — particularly an unused example — I'd highly recommend picking it up while you still can.
The Casio Collector Verdict
The Casio AE-2100W-4AV is exactly the sort of watch that reminds me why I enjoy collecting Casios.
It isn't expensive, sophisticated or pretending to be anything it isn't.
Instead, you get a rugged and distinctive digital watch with World Time, 200-metre water resistance, a long-life battery and a genuinely useful collection of everyday functions.
It's also extremely comfortable despite its substantial appearance.
This orange-red AE-2100W-4AV is easily my favourite colourway in the range, and the brighter strap and orange detailing give an already distinctive watch even more character.
My only real criticism is the illumination. One LED works, but two — one on either side of the display — would have made considerably more sense.
Beyond that, there's very little I would change.
Considering I managed to find mine new for around £15, it's difficult to think of many watches that offer this much capability and character for the money.
The AE-2100 may now be discontinued, but if you can still find a new one tucked away somewhere, I'd absolutely recommend grabbing one.
It's big, practical, comfortable, slightly bonkers-looking and unmistakably Casio.
And that's precisely why I like it.
Specifications
Model: Casio AE-2100W-4AV
Display: Digital
World Time: Yes
Water Resistance: 200 metres
Battery Life: Approx. 10 years
Stopwatch: Yes
Countdown Timer: Yes
Alarm: Yes
Calendar: Full auto-calendar
Illumination: LED
Strap: Resin
Power: Battery-powered quartz
Approximate Release: 2015
Discontinued: Around 2022
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