Casio launches new affordable all-black W-221H-1BV watch with 10-year battery and negative display

Casio has quietly updated its W-221H series with a third variant, the W-221H-1BV, now listed on Casio International. The new model is joining the recently announced Japan versions, but this one comes with a darker, more uniform look.

As expected, the W-221H-1BV sticks to the same core formula: a 43.7 × 38.4 × 12.2 mm resin case weighing 35 grams, 50-meter water resistance, and a quoted 10-year battery life using a CR2032 cell. It retains the large LCD layout with amber LED backlight and selectable 1.5 or 3-second illumination, plus afterglow.

Functionally, nothing really changes with this one. You still get world time across 29 time zones (48 cities), a 1/100-second stopwatch with split timing and auto start, a 24-hour countdown timer with auto-repeat, three alarms (including one snooze), hourly time signal, full auto-calendar to 2099, and ±30 seconds/month accuracy. The key difference here is the design. The 1BV has into a significantly more muted, almost stealth-like finish compared to the earlier black and beige Japan models. Since it's up on Casio's international webpage, we can expect it to be the more globally available variant out of the three, thanks to its straightforward "everyday digital" appeal.

With pricing for the Japan models set at ¥6,050 (~$39), the international version is expected to land in a similar entry-level bracket. Alternatively, you can check out the Casio W-217H-9AVCF on Amazon.