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Anyone familiar with the Speidel Digital?

28K views 80 replies 26 participants last post by  Deity42  
#1 ·
I'm looking for one more digital watch to add to my small collection- I'm selling a Casio A500 steel (I don't like it as much as the gold model i already own), an A168 (not a fan of the EL light on it), and an A158 (it's the gold face one- it just sits in my watch box).

I was going to just get the standard A158 but came across the Speidel digital. It looks like it's a real metal case, but details are lacking...

Does anyone know the lug width? Where are they getting their modules from?
Any info would be greatly appreciated!
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#3 ·
New. Currently on sale- marked down to $75 from $100. According to the description, the body is stainless steel and the crystal is mineral glass. I just tried adding the 10%off code and it worked, dropping it down to $67.50 + free shipping. I’ve been going back and forth between either a Casio a158 or b640 but I’m genuinely interested in this Speidel... I just can’t find any real world reviews/opinions on it.
 
#9 ·
The differentiator is the steel case where most casios of this type are just plastic coated in what amounts to silver spray paint. That being said, I'd be willing to bet the Speidel houses the same module found in this casio that I bought for $25. Taste is subjective but I prefer the look of the casio. Not sure I'd be willing to pay $75 for the SS upgrade.
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#12 · (Edited)
The Speidel arrived today so I'll share my thoughts! Since it's so hard to find any hands-on discussion about the watch, I'll compare it to the Casio A168.

There are no real surprises... it is indeed a simple modern digital watch with a steel case. The Speidel's module is pretty much a Casio clone which has the same layout and features as the A168. It has a very bright blue EL backlight with "afterglow" as Casio calls it, and I think it's nicer than having to hold down the button on the A168. If you didn't like it on the A168 though, I don't think you'd like this any better. The vertical viewing angle is not quite as good as the A168 (you start seeing the "background" characters on the display more easily), but the Speidel's digits are much darker and clearer than the Casio in person. I tried the "secret" Casio button combo which activates a screen test on this module. The alarm is a bit quieter than the A168, I'd say it's more like a G-Shock.

The case has a nice weight and seems to be machined and brushed pretty well without any sharp edges, I can't really fault anything about it. Never having to worry about scraping or gouging an angular chromed plastic case is a huge upside for me. The caseback is a friction fit. Tapping on the crystal does feel like mineral rather than plastic but I suspect it's pretty thin. The light button is a bit stiff but everything works and there's no wiggle anywhere. Size is pretty much perfect for my taste, bigger than the A168 but still easy to forget it's there. The bracelet is 20mm at the lugs tapering quickly to 18 and looks way nicer in person than the stock photos and is very comfortable. I actually really like it and haven't had any hair pulling yet. The "M/L" size I ordered fit my ~7.25" wrist without adjusting.

The biggest knock against the Speidel is that the module seems to be sitting a bit too far down in the case which reveals a black line at the top of the screen. It's really hard to notice in daylight to be fair, and I think you may even be able to see it in the stock photo. I wonder if it's possible to adjust it with a toothpick or something but I don't really want to take the back off just yet. More official water resistance would be nice too.

Overall, I think this watch is definitely worth a look and is notable for being such a rare example of a steel cased, utilitarian, currently produced digital watch. I really don't understand why this type of watch hasn't been reintroduced more, I think something like a steel Casio Marlin reissue would sell given some marketing. This watch could also use some more marketing among people like us... it's extremely obscure as it is. So, if finding a watch like that without taking a risk on vintage is your unicorn, I think you could definitely be happy with this one.



Here are some quick photos, let me know if I can answer anything else about it. I tried to get an EL photo to show the little black line but am having a hard time getting my phone's camera to focus enough to make it visible. You can kind of see it next to the A168.
 
#27 ·
Fun little knock around watch- swapped the bracelet with the strap off the Todd Snyder Milano (these are the only 20mm lug width watches I own.
I must admit that I am amused that you bought a watch for roughly the price of a watch bracelet, branded by one of the world's most famous brands for watch bracelets, and then immediately swapped the bracelet for a strap from another watch. :LOL:(y) Only on Watchuseek!

(and it looks great)
 
#22 ·
My black variant arrived today. Initial impressions...

Smaller than expected, which is a good thing in my opinion. Will measure later, but the dimensions seem spot on.

The finish on the watch looks very nice. It's a matte, almost gun-metal finish.

The alarm is not very audible, but the EL illumination is very nice and bright!

The bracelet looks good, but what I planned all along was a single piece mil strap. With the 20mm lugs, it works very well. And there is just enough clearance to keep the strap in place.

Very impressed for a mere $25. I wouldn't wait if you want one. May not be more to come.

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#36 ·
The module is made by a Chinese company called Baojie. It is model # BJ3716A. Apparently they are a major supplier of modules and have been around for 20 years.

As expected, it is a very basic module. Their specs show the accuracy at +/- 90 seconds per month, but that's rather doubtful. In my opinion, it will probably be closer to the typical +/- 30. We'll see.

Battery is a CR2016 with an estimated 2 year battery life.

The manual with specs can be found here:
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