When it comes to ’80s style aesthetic there are few watch companies as close to the bone as Casio. Their watches look like they’ve simultaneously come from Billy Idol’s fever dream and some kind of far future where everyone is always smacking their watches against hard surfaces.
The Stranger Things Casio A120WEST-1A, then is the epitome of this aesthetic. It’s a standard A120 watch – the classic watch with four jolly buttons below a little LCD readout – but with a decidedly Stranger Things paint job. The whole thing features plenty of Upside Down styling, from the veins on the face and band to the Demogorgon below the readout and, when you ignite the illuminated face, you’re presented with a cute little Stranger Things logo which is, obviously, upside down.
For those not familiar with the A-120 it is a sort of homage to the original F-100, a four-button watch that Ripley wore in Alien. This watch, which was remade into the A-100 more recently, was released in 1978 and had a resin exterior which led to the launch of the G-Shock.
The A-120 is a bit bolder with buttons that control mode, watch setting, and the blue backlight button. The whole thing is fairly thin and definitely works better on a thinner wrist. It is, in short, more of a kid’s or teenager’s watch than something for someone a bit bigger.
The A-120 is a surprisingly nice design and the watch operations are fairly straightforward. I was able to set it without consulting the included manual and I definitely loved the illuminated face. Ultimate, this is a very polarizing watch – you either love it or hate it – but if you love Stranger Things then it’s definitely an option.
That said, Casio did a great job with this little watch and it’s a real blast to wear. The watch is about $79 and you can check it out now on Casio’s site.
