The Casio Edifice Series is extensive and it can be challenging to find the exact model that matches one’s needs and style, so if you are looking for the Edifice watch that fits you perfectly, feel free to use this article as a guide to get you on the right track.
All the Casio Edifice models are based on the chronograph style and categorized according to their specifications, and in a moment I will show you my absolute favourite among the Edifice watches and I will go into deep details about this particular model.
What Exactly is a Chronograph?
Since the Casio Edifice Series is based on the chronograph concept, let’s first clarify exactly what is a chronograph.
The term ‘chronograph’ is often confused with the term ‘chronometer’, and while a chronograph watch can also be labeled ‘chronometer’, it is in fact two completely different things.
The term ‘chronometer’ refers to the quality of a timepiece and in order to be labeled a chronometer, the timepiece must be certified by The Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC), the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute.
This means that the timepiece will have to pass a rigorous test conducted by COSC in order to achieve this label.
Description of a Chronograph
A chronograph watch is a display watch that also has the ability to serve as a stopwatch.
A basic chronograph will have an independent second hand that can be started, stopped and returned to zero by the push of a button.
More complex chronographs may be equipped with multiple independent second hands to measure hours, minutes, seconds and sometimes even tenths of a second.
Some chronographs also has moveable bezels, also known as a tachymeter, which is used to compute speed based on travel time or measure distance based on speed.
The term ‘chronograph’ is a compound word consisting of two words originating from the Greek language.
‘Krono’ means ‘time’ and ‘grapho’ means ‘to write’. Put together it refers to the concept of ‘recording time’.
The first modern chronograph was invented by Louis Moinet in 1816 and was solely used for working with astronomical equipment.
The first marketed chronograph was developed by Nicolas Matthieu Rieussec in 1821.
The Casio Edifice Series
The Casio Edifice Series is divided into four main groups:
- Smartphone Link
- Limited Edition
- Solar Powered Chronograph
- Standard Chronograph
They come in a wide variety of style and features, and they range from basic chronograph to more advanced models with computerized movements and Bluetooth connectivity.
The particular model I’m going to explore this time belongs to the category ‘Smartphone Link’, so let’s just quickly go through the other categories first.
1. Limited Edition
Casio has partnered up with Scuderia Toro Rosso (commonly known as Toro Rosso) and they have created several models in cooperation with the Italian Formula One racing team, so if you have a passion for car racing, you might want to take a closer look at these models:
| Model | Name | Tough Solar | Mobile Link |
|---|---|---|---|
 | ECB-900TR-2A | Yes | No |
 | EFR-564TR-2A | No | No |
 | EQS-920TR-2A | Yes | No |
 | ECB-800TR-2A | Yes | Yes |
 | EFR-563TR-2A | No | No |
 | ERA-110TR-2A | No | No |
Casio’s partnership with Toro Rosso is clearly reflected in the colors, style and design of the Limited Edition Series.
Some specialized models are quite rare and because they are produced in a limited edition, the price of these watches has risen sharply over a relatively short period of time.
Price range: $150-?.
2. Solar Powered Chronograph
These models are sub-categorized into the EQS-900 Series and the EQS-800 Series, and both series share the same set of specs including Tough Solar, Battery Level Indicator and 100 m Water Resistance, but differ in the position of the sub-dials and some minor variations in the overall design.
Price range: $110-400.
3. Standard Chronograph
Although the Standard Chronograph Series has focus on a more scaled version of Casio’s Edifice models, you actually get great value for the buck.
There are currrently +170 models to choose from and they come in many different styles, colors and materials.
Some models feature 10-year Battery Life, Telememo 30 and 100 m Water Resistance, but if you want to enjoy more sophisticated features as Tough Solar and Bluetooth Connectivity, this is not the series to go for.
Price range: $75-135.
My Top Pick
Without further ado, let’s get right to it.
My favourite Edifice model is the Casio Edifice ECB-900.
This model is a really solid choice if you want a modern chronograph watch that combines the best of a traditional chronograph with features we know from smartwatches.
There are currently four variations of the ECB-900 model:
- ECB-900BL-2A (Navy Blue Theme, Genuine Leather Band)
- ECB-900DB-1A (Bordeux Theme, Stainless Steel Band)
- ECB-900DB-1B (Dark Blue Theme, Stainless Steel Band)
- ECB-900DC-1A (Pink Gold Theme, Stainless Steel Band)
These four models basically share the same specs except for the color theme and band material, so let’s go through all of them one by one.
Specifications
This is the scale inscribed around the rim of the watch and it’s used to measure speed based on travel time or distance based on speed.
The dial of the ECB-900 is covered with tough mineral glass.
Suitable for recreational surfing, swimming, snorkeling, sailing and water sports.
Stainless Steel.
ECB-900BL-2A comes with a genuine leather band in a very nice Navy Blue while the other ECB-900 models come with a stainless steel band and one-touch 3-fold clasp.
The ECB-900 is Solar Powered and this is always a nice feature to have in a watch that is water resistant since the original sealing of the watch case is kept intact, as long as there is no need for a battery replacement.
There’s LED light for the face and LED backlight for the digital display and you can configure them both to illuminate for 1.5 seconds or 3.0 seconds.
Full Auto LED light, Super Illuminator and Afterglow.
This option allows you to connect ECB-900 with your smartphone.
What you do is you download the required app for iOS or Android, configure the Bluetooth settings and pair the watch with your phone.
Mobile Link then opens up to a number of useful features and one of them is Auto Time Adjustment.
ECB-900 will attempt to connect with your phone 4 times a day and adjust your watch’s time settings automatically.
You can also initiate this procedure manually.
Another great feature is the ability to send lap times (up to 200 records) that are stored in the watch memory, as well as other data, to your phone for viewing with EDIFICE Connected.
A simple yet useful feature is Phone Finder. If you can’t find your phone, press a button on your watch and a tone is triggered on the phone.
39 time zones + Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) + Automatic Daylight Saving Time, which can be switched on/off.
The stopwatch function in this watch has an accuracy down to a thousandth of a second for the first 60 minutes.
After 60 minutes and up to 24 hours, the stopwatch will measure with an accuracy of a tenth of a second.
There’s two measure modes, Elapsed Time and Lap Time.
The memory bank will store up to 200 measurement Lap Times and up to 400 Speed data per hour.
The timer’s measuring unit is 1/10 second and the countdown range is 24 hours.
The 5 alarms can be set to 3 modes: Daily, 1 time and Schedule.
If switched on, this function will cause the watch to beep every hour on the hour.
This is a really cool feature allowing you to move the hands out of the way to provide an unobstructed view of digital display contents.
Is it time to expose the watch to sunlight or even the light from a lamp? The Battery Level Indikator will let you know.
Including leap years and DST up to year 2099.
Choose 24-hour format (also known as Military Time) or 12-hour format.
You have the option to turn on a tone signal that sounds when you push a button.
When the watch is left in the dark, the display goes blank and hands stop to save power.
Analog: 3 hands (hour, minute, second, 1 dial (speed indicator).
Digital: Hour, minute, second, pm, month, date, day.
±15 seconds per month. This equals to a maximum deviation of ½ second per day, even without using the Auto Time Adjustment function.
From the moment the battery is fully recharged, the watch will operate for approx. 6 months with normal use without exposure to light.
In comparison, the battery will deliver sufficient power to keep the watch going for about 19 months if stored in total darkness with the Power Save Function on after full charge.
51.5 x 48 x 13.9 mm.
163 g.
White.
Conclusion
In my opinion, the Casio Edifice ECB-900 model is one of the absolute best of all the Edifice models today.
You get everything you would want from a traditional chronograph watch and then some more.
And this ‘some more’ is not trivial at all as it includes some very important specs, first and foremost high Accuracy, better Battery Life and 100 m Water Resistance.
In addition, Casio opens up to a whole new world of possibilities through Bluetooth connectivity.
On top of all these superb features, this watch looks great too.
Classic, yet with a modern twist.
Although Casio Edifice ECB-900 is capable of exchanging data with your iPhone or Android phone, it’s not a smartwatch per definition, it’s just a very smart watch.
An excellent choice.
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