Casio Duro MDV106C: I'm playing my watch snob card

I don't think I'll ever buy a Casio Duro. I'm going to play my watch snob card: it's too cheap for me.

I'm never going to pretend to be the everyman of watch collecting. I am a watch snob among watch snobs, and I'm going to live with it and own it. That doesn't mean I'm shopping for extremely high horology. I can't afford it. Apparently you can have expensive taste without the corresponding budget.

The new MDV106C gives the Duro Arabic numerals and a cloth strap, and Casio lists the black MDV106C-1AV at $110 USD as checked October 17, 2026. I still don't think it looks good, and the price isn't going to talk me into it.

What Casio changed

This is a new interpretation of the existing Duro. The numerals and cloth band give it a different look from the familiar resin-strap version. Casio's US listing marks it new for October 2026; October 16 launch reporting puts it in yesterday's release digest. Casio doesn't give an exact announcement day on the product page.

The case measures 44.2mm across, 48.5mm long and 12.1mm thick. Casio lists stainless steel, an aluminum bezel, mineral glass and 200 meters of water resistance, along with a screw-lock crown and caseback. The listed weight is 96 grams. Its quartz movement runs on an SR626SW battery with an estimated three-year life.

Those are useful specifications for someone who wants an inexpensive everyday watch with a rotating bezel and substantial water resistance. They're also specifications I can read without wanting to own the watch.

I want it to feel good

The finishing and the feeling are where I start caring. I want to pick a watch up and get that sensation of something good, something well-made. Seiko is about where my interest starts, with room for an Orient or an affordable microbrand that gets those things right.

I don't like quartz very much, either. The ticking seconds hand bothers me. I suspect the Duro wouldn't have the weight or feel I want, but I haven't handled this one. That is a guess about how I'd get along with it, and 96 grams on a specification sheet can't settle it.

I own G-Shocks, so my snobbery comes with its own very specific exceptions. The resin feels good to me. Even there, I want the 5000-level square with the screw-back case. I look at the little screws on the back of a 5600 and immediately lose interest. I haven't worn one, so I can't tell you how it feels. I can tell you I'm picky enough to reject it from the back.

Who should buy it

If the new dial and cloth strap appeal to you, Casio has the MDV106C in its US store at $110. Check the current listing for stock. If you're after my recommendation, the problem is personal taste before we even get to a purchase.

I'm sure plenty of people will love this Duro. Cool, fine, yep. I'm just not going to buy one.