The Casio touch watch was a revolutionary new style of digital watch when it first appeared in the 1980s.
With a high-tech touchscreen interface instead of buttons, these futuristic watches became symbols of forward-thinking style and technology.
In Ghana, the Casio touch watch was an aspirational product that gained popularity among middle-class consumers as an indicator of modernity and status.
For vintage electronics collectors today, the original Casio touch watches from the 1980s and 1990s have become valuable and sought-after finds.
About Casio
Casio Computer Company is a Japanese multinational electronics firm that innovated the watch industry with the first commercially successful digital watches in the 1970s.
Building upon their digital watch success, Casio introduced the groundbreaking touchscreen watch lineup in the 1980s.
Early touchscreen models included the AT-550, AT-V500, DB-100, DB-500, and DB-1000 among others.
These were likely the first watches with a touchscreen interface aimed at mass-market consumers worldwide.
The Casio touch watches were futuristic tech gadgets that showed off the potential of touchscreen technology and digital displays. For tech-savvy consumers, they represented an aspirational product worth paying a premium for.
Price Of Casio Touch Screen Watches
Before the Casio touch watch, digital watches typically had buttons to control and navigate the digital displays.
However, the Casio engineers pioneered the use of touch-sensitive screens with an interface to set the time, date, alarms, and access to other functions through fingertip taps and presses.
This revolutionary interface design presaged the rise of touchscreen smartphones and tablets decades later.
By replacing physical buttons with a sleek, glass touchscreen, the Casio touch watches marked a profound shift toward gestural interfaces and input without moving parts.
The novelty of adjusting a watch simply by tapping the screen helped drive enthusiasm and demand for these high-tech timepieces upon release.
Cultural Impact In Ghana
For many middle-class consumers in urban centers across Ghana in the 1980s, owning one of the coveted Casio touch watches conveyed progressive taste and technophile savvy.
Although relatively expensive at the time, paying the premium price for touchscreen functionality was seen as a mark of forward-thinking status.
The Casio touch watches became a youthful fashion statement and symbol of participating in the technological revolution.
For the older generation, the unfamiliar digital interface lacked the elegance and craftsmanship of a fine automatic or mechanical watch. But for younger, metropolitan Ghanaian consumers, the Casio touch watch represented the future.
Collectibility And Rarity Today
Over the years, Casio continued to refine and expand its touch watch lineup, while competitors followed suit.
Eventually, digital touchscreen watches declined in popularity in favor of multifunctional smartwatches.
For collectors today though, the vintage original Casio touch watches from the 1980s and ’90s have become coveted finds.
Rare, early models in pristine condition can fetch prices upwards of 1000 Ghana cedis depending on scarcity and demand.
Price Of Original Touch Casio Watch Price In Ghana
More common models still sell for GHS 50 to GHS 200 among vintage electronics sellers. Finding an original Casio touch watch today with all functions working properly and physical wear at a minimum makes for a valuable collector’s item and artifact from the dawn of touchscreen electronics.
What To Look for When Buying
For buyers seeking an original vintage Casio touch watch in Ghana, some things to look out for include:
- Model number – Iconic early models include the AT-550, AT-V500, DB-100, DB-500, DB-1000, and more. Rarer models tend to have higher value.
- Condition – Minimal signs of wear on the case, strap, bezel, and especially the touchscreen. Scratches negatively impact value.
- Functions – All modes should work properly including timekeeping, date, stopwatch, and any calculators or games.
- Battery – Having the original battery or a battery from the correct period improves collectibility.
- Extras – Original box, manuals, and warranty cards boost value. The more complete, the higher the price.
- Research – Check archives online to gauge fair pricing for rare or unique models before purchasing.
Maintenance And Repair
For collectors who acquire an original Casio touch watch, keeping the watch in good working order requires basic maintenance.
Batteries generally need replacement every 1-2 years. Replacing worn straps or bezel protects the case.
Periodic servicing can catch issues before they become serious problems. However, repairing malfunctions in vintage Casio touch watches poses challenges.
It is difficult to find replacement parts like obsolete touchscreens or proprietary circuit boards. Touch capabilities may degrade over time as well. But well-maintained units can still function for years with care.
Conclusion
The pioneering Casio touch watches were innovative feats of technology for their time. For many Ghanaians, owning one of the futuristic touchscreen watches was a mark of progressive thinking.
Today, the original vintage Casio touch watches are collectible artifacts reminding us of the dawn of the digital age and the revolution sparked by these iconic timepieces.
In this article, we covered the price of original Casio touch watch prices, things to look for when buying one in Ghana, and everything you need to know about Casio. You can also read about our latest watch review, the Garmin Forerunner.
