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Here's the Google Trends graph for "Casio tiffany blue" over the last five years. Yeah, this watch is super popular.

When you search for reviews online, it's no surprise why, either. Loads of reviewers, especially TikTokkers and YouTube shorts creators, are hyping the "Casio Tiffany" to the moon and back. Ok, not quite to the level of the MoonSwatch, but even so, almost all Casio retailers are still sold out of this model many months after release. As a result, marketplace sites like eBay and Chrono24 are still packed with numbskull resellers attempting to shift these for multiple times the RRP; in some cases, for northwards of £370 or almost 500 USD for one unit.

As you can probably guess, this watch isn't nearly worth those inflated figures. Nevertheless, is it worth joining one of the many pre-order lists for when this watch returns to stock at RRP? Surprisingly, I'm not sure that's such a foregone conclusion.

You see, this watch, the Casio MTP-1302PD, is actually one I've covered before, but in its alternative guise. Aha! Yeah, this is also the MTP-1302PD, just the grey version instead. I briefly showed this as an honorable mention back in my Top 20 Casio roundup over two years ago, where I said the following:

"For even less money, you can grab an MTP-1302, which looks even closer to the Rolex Datejust, featuring a fluted bezel and a similar handset. The tradeoff is plated-brass construction, which isn't as premium or durable as stainless steel."

Overall, I thought it was a nice-looking timepiece with a decent, sunburst dial, that was reasonably good value for money at the time. The crucial thing was I paid barely anything for it. In fact, historically, this watch has sold for around, or often well under £30 on Amazon over the last few years...that was, until recently.

With the hyping of the new turquoise 'Tiffany' version, as well as inflation, the other colors have also increased in price. By no stretch are these now super-expensive luxury watches. But, even at the original £45 price point, I'm not sure this is the killer deal many are claiming – and that's coming from me, a Casio fanboy.

Now, for many of you reading, I'm sure the still low £45 RRP will make quality a non-concern. If so, no worries. Nevertheless, I reckon you Casio fans could feel deflated when you receive it.

With Casio, we're used to getting the fun and friendly digitals for between a tenner and 40 quid; anything above that is usually a notable step up in quality.

This Casio Datejust doesn't quite follow that trend. It was built and designed to sell profitably for £30…and it shows.

I've read numerous reviews proclaiming how well-made this watch is…I think they're being way too lenient.

Casio Tiffany Review

Immediately out of the box, this one feels and looks cheaper than you'd think, especially compared to some of Casio's other offerings, such as the Edifice collection or the underrated MTD-1053 dive watch, which both start at similar prices on grey market sites like Amazon. The shiny dial on the grey version does somewhat redeem it, the same with certain other colors too, but for the most part, it's not far from your average grocery store watch, and it's not up to Casio's usual standards.

The bracelet feels light and jangly, though that's standard fare at this price. The more obvious issue is the main housing itself. You see, while some creators have said this is stainless steel or failed to mention the materials entirely, the MTP-1302 is actually constructed of low-grade chrome-plated brass.

Case Material

Now, for super-cheap watches, this is understandably the material of choice, as it costs less to use than steel. That said, Casios have traditionally been stainless steel at this price, which is where I think some have slipped up. While it looks like steel at first, it's more reflective and has a slightly different hue than a steel case or bracelet, which becomes more evident when side by side with a proper steel timepiece. At a glance, you probably won't notice the difference, but in terms of performance, chromed brass will scratch more easily because it's softer, and it's also more susceptible to corrosion; so eventually, the chromed layer will erode in a similar manner to bathroom fixtures.

In essence, while the case looks nice now, it probably won't after a couple of years of regular usage. Battering around your plastic F-91W makes sense, but this dressier watch will start to lose its inherent aesthetic function as the scratches and chips mount up.

Watch Dial

Up close, you'll see the details aren't far from the likes of MVMT or Daniel Wellington. The indexes are just barebone pieces of silver plastic, and the hands…well, they aren't much better. The lume is about as useful as a bar of soap in prison; when the lights go out, you're done for. That said, it is a dressier style piece, so that's not hugely important.

The turquoise blue dial is more tasteful than I expected. I've never tried a watch with this color before, and while its implementation here is very plain, I can understand why this tone is so popular. There's a distinctive, unisex appeal that isn't quite as garish as some other bright colors. As a whole, the Casio Datejust looks alright from a distance, but I do think the expensive lights and lenses we use make this look more premium than in person. It's fashionable, maybe, but it does look like a light blue £30 watch and nothing more.

Price

I don't want to be too harsh, though. At Ben's Watch Club, we've noticed that prices of even entry-level watches have been soaring since the pandemic, which inherently reduces your options if you're on a strict budget. For instance, while I'm not very impressed with this Casio, the other Rolex Datejust clones I could find at this price were also made of low-tier brass or zinc alloy. Some steel watches from Casio are available for under £50, but nothing with comparable styling.

I'm ill-equipped to judge how much of this is inflation and how much is "greedflation" from watch brands trying to capitalize on the market conditions to boost profits, but the same appears to be happening across the board with all affordable watchmakers, so it's more likely to be the former.

While the quality isn't ideal, it does have some redeeming qualities. Mineral glass, while far from remarkable, is the industry standard crystal and is better than the plastic you sometimes see at this price.

Movement and Bracelet

Another positive is the movement. The quartz inside here is surprisingly quiet, much quieter than similar Timex watches, which put your eardrums in danger! The hands are also fairly well aligned with the second markers on both versions, so it's good to see Casios QC department still on track.

While low quality, as you'd expect for this little money, the included bracelet at least has four micro-adjustment holes, to ensure you'll find a perfect fit. I'm sick of those clasps with fewer than three holes, which often relegates the whole bracelet to the trash unless you get lucky with the sizing.

The water resistance is decent too. 50m or 5 bar is a figure sometimes bragged about by fashion brands as being REVOLUTIONARY.

Dimensions

Confusingly, this is not a 44mm watch, as listed on many websites. That's actually a reference to the lug-to-lug measurement of this Casio Fakejust. In terms of width, it's a much more compact 38.3mm, with a thickness of just under 1cm (9.8mm), so if you're expecting a large watch in the mail, you will be quickly disappointed. If you've got a particularly huge wrist, this will look dwarfed. For most arms, this is a versatile size, which isn't far off the sizing of some of the real Rolex Datejust models, if that's the look you're targeting.

Final Thoughts

Basically, think twice before you buy this watch. It's not a scam watch; rather, an underwhelming one, which feels a little disposable by Casio standards. You absolutely should not be paying the insane scalper prices, and even at retail price, I wouldn't label it a bargain. By all means, you can grab one; just don't let the hype affect your expectations.

For a value rating at retail price, I'm going for a 6/10. At scalper prices, it's a 0! For a style rating, let's go for a reasonable 7.2/10.

So, what should you buy instead? Well, here are a few that I think might fit the bill.

If you want a straight-up Rolex clone, Pagani Design makes a bunch of them, including some in Tiffany-style turquoise blue. These are steel and automatic but consequently are more expensive. The best value alternatives I've seen are those from Accurist, who have a range of steel, smooth bezel alternatives in the same price bracket as the Casio on Amazon. However, I haven't seen any in the same Tiffany-like blue color.