INTRODUCTION

   Although the market is filled with a large number of watch manufacturers and has been for many decades only one of them has really been with me since my early days in junior high (i think the same applies for many people judging solely from the people i know) and that's none other than the Japanese CASIO and their famous G-Shock watches. I still remember the bulky rugged design of the G-Shock watches and their quite unique features such as temperature reading, world time and that green backlight that made them stand out in the dark. Back then however (roughly 20 years ago) CASIO didn't really have the variety and features/technology they have now in their G-Shock line and they certainly didn't have that many quality bracelet watches like they do now with their somewhat new, impressive and quite successful Edifice line. However since to date i haven't had the opportunity to use one of their new Edifice watches (btw my 1994 G-Shock still works) we decided to check one of their latest best sellers the EF-558D-1AVEF.

   Casio was founded in 1957 with the development of a revolutionary calculator. Casio’s small, fast calculator greatly increased office efficiency, and before long people had their own personal calculators. Thanks to this technology, it is easy now for anyone to perform calculations, leaving people free to concentrate on creative thinking. Over the years, Casio has developed many other groundbreaking products. Our watches became critical tools for planning and living daily life. Our electronic dictionaries provide a wealth of knowledge in a tiny package. Our electronic musical instruments deliver the joy of playing music for people of all skill levels, and our digital cameras make it easy to turn the excitement of the moment into a precious memory. All of these developments supported people's intellectual creativity, and that is the essence of how we see Casio's role in the world.

   The Edifice EF-558D-1AVEF may not be amongst the top models in the Edifice line (it's actually placed somewhere in between) but it still packs quite a few impressive features so aside just telling you the time/day/date it can also be used as a chronograph, tachymeter and as a stop watch. Specs-wise the entire EF-558D line comes with Japanese Quartz movement, scratch-resistant mineral glass, 10 Bar/100m water resistance and is entirely made by stainless steel. However it's the design of the watch that really steals the show and i really can't describe it so although you all can see the above picture let's take a close look and see exactly what i mean.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The EF-558D-1AVEF arrived inside a small blue box with the Edifice and CASIO logos at the top while at the bottom a small sticker contains the exact model number (the EF-558D line has 4 different ones), barcode and serial number.

Both the watch and the pillow beneath it are placed inside a small plastic bag.

Inside the box aside the EF-558D-1AVEF you will also find a warranty card, user's guide, booklet on correct dispose of electrical devices and a registration paper.

THE EDIFICE EF-558D-1AVEF

At first glance the EF-558D-1AVEF is really stunning although the stainless steel used is extremely polished.

The EF-558D features a somewhat large case with a diameter of 49mm. As you can see the watch has 3 dials, one for timekeeping seconds, one for stopwatch hours (CASIO calls it retrograde but it looks very modern to me) and one for stopwatch minutes. For all of you wondering yes you can see the time quite well in the dark thanks to the luminous material used.

As always i wore the watch to see just how large it is compared to the others we have reviewed in the past (my wrist is 18cm thick).

The Edifice logo is stamped on the screw lock crown. The EF-558D has two buttons for the Chronograph/Tachymeter and Stop Watch functions.

We mentioned earlier that the 14mm thick stainless steel band is a bit over polished which in the end is not a bad thing since it makes the watch look and feel a lot more expensive.

The Edifice logo is also stamped on the buckle.

Two stickers verifying that you have purchased a genuine CASIO are placed at the rear (here we also see the assembled in China, stainless steel, water resistance and Japanese quartz movement pitches).

CONCLUSION

   The CASIO Edifice ED-558D is without doubt one of the prettiest watches i have ever used in my life featuring an impressive level of detail and many useful features so in a way i still can't believe the price tag that CASIO is making it available for in the market since they obviously have nothing to be jealous about from other manufacturers. Another thing i really think is great is that the EF-558 is currently available in 4 different color combinations (as seen above), black (EF-558D-1AVEF), white/bronze (EF-558D-7AVEF), black/gold (EF-558SG-1AVEF) and white/blue (EF-558D-2AVEF). The only slight issue the EF-558 line has is the life of the battery which under normal use lasts around 5 years and the fact that they may lose 20s every month (4m every year). Of course these can’t be considered to be drawbacks but when compared to other Edifice models that wear CASIOs 10 year’s battery or are solar powered and others which are radio controlled and offer precision time they just might be enough to direct potential buyers to the more expensive models by CASIO.

   Price was one of the many things i liked about CASIO back in the day and i am happy to report that even now that hasn't change especially since currently you can purchase the Edifice EF-558-1AVEF (all of the available models cost roughly the same) for a price tag of USD140 inside the USA (unfortunately AMAZON doesn't have this watch in stock) and for 100Euros inside the EU (Purchase Directly from Amazon.co.uk). Well that's all, not much else to say really about the Edifice EF-558D line of watches by CASIO. The build quality is very good, they look great, feel a lot more expensive and offer quite a few features that most people can actually use. True some other Edifice models may offer more features but that doesn't change the fact that the EF-558D is a great watch at a price tag which is just way too low and that's why we are giving it our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Design
- Chronograph/Tachymeter/Stop Watch
- Retrograde Dial
- Scratch-Resistant Mineral Glass
- Japanese Quartz Movement
- 10 Bar/100m Water Resistant
- Stainless Steel
- Large Case
- Price

CONS

- Current Availability in the USA