The Casio Edifice EQB-600, a Bluetooth-Connected Watch for the Frequent Flyer

Since the advent of long-distance plane travel and the GMT-Master in the mid-1950s, the ability to track additional time zones has remained one of horology’s most popular and practical complications. Today, watch lovers have available to them numerous options for such a purpose, including mechanical, digital CBP (Cheap Black Plastic), and smart watches. Rather than focus on any of those, Casio has leveraged the fact that most of us own smart phones to develop the Edifice EQB-600, a Bluetooth-connected device aimed at time zone-hopping frequent flyers.

The Casio Edifice EQB-600 uses Bluetooth to tether to an iPhone or Android-based phone to set and track the two time zones available on the face of the watch. Smart phones maintain time by using their networks to access time servers positioned around the world. The EQB-600D uses this to sync time with a smartphone, which happens four times a day. The main handset references the home time, and the 12-hour sub dial between seven and eight shows the world time, the second time zone.

But before we get into the technical side of things, let’s get some specs out of the way. The EQB-600 is a big watch measuring 47.3mm wide, 13.3mm thick and 52mm lug-to-lug. Though on the larger side, one could imagine that if it were any smaller the sub-dials and surface visuals would be too small to be useful. As I wrote above, the molded dial features a sub-dial displaying an additional time zone via a 12-hour track, as well as a half-circle day-of-the-week display, a date window and a 3D globe dial (more on this one later). The case has a screw-down crown (boasting 100 meters of water resistance) and three pushers for engaging the different functions. The watch is solar powered and good through five months on a full charge, and the calendar is fully automatic through 2099. Accuracy is rated at ±15 seconds per month.

So how does it all work? Setting the time of the watch can be done via the crown as with any other watch, but using the accompanying app makes things much easier. The CASIO WATCH + app is available from the Apple Store and the Google Play Store (for testing, the Android version was used). Registering (connecting) the watch with the phone is a simple operation of opening the app, selecting the model type and then pressing the Bluetooth button at eight for one and a half seconds. The app will show the watch and allow you to sync the two. Once connected, the app shows your home and world times, which you can toggle through via the app or through the watch itself.

Tapping on the world time takes you to a map of the world. Here you can select from a database of 300 cities. This makes planning ahead for travel super easy. For example, if you know you’ll be traveling from New York City to Hong Kong, you would set the world time sub-dial to Hong Kong before you leave NYC. Once there, you can swap the two clocks by holding the button at two for three seconds.

The world time is also shown on the rotating, globe-shaped dial at three. The globe is designed to mimic the view as seen from above the North Pole. The ring around this dial is portioned in half: black on the top half, and silver on the lower half, representing night and day, respectively, with midnight (UTC +/- 0) always aligned with the upside-down triangle at 12. The globe rotates to keep the time correct throughout the day and the hand over the globe dial indicates the position of the world time. It’s all very cool, but frankly a bit hard to read at a glance. You have to really focus on the dial to take it all in.

Other features include a power saving mode that stops the hands from moving when the battery is low. The button at 4 o’clock activates the phone finder function, which uses Bluetooth to trigger your phone to sound an alarm so you can locate it wherever you left it. With all the pushers one would assume a chronograph is present but that is not the case on the EQB-600 model.

All in all, the Casio Edifice EQB-600 is an interesting modern blend of contemporary technology and classic timekeeping. The addition of an app for easy time setting makes it relatively novel, and the no-fuss solar powered movement is a great choice for a grab-and-go watch, especially for those who travel often or even work in a global environment. It may not appeal to all watch lovers—it is, after all, a chunk of a watch with some unique and potentially polarizing aesthetics. But if the design speaks to you, and the functionality is just what you’re looking for, the EQB-600 is worth a closer look.

The Casio Edifice EQB-600 retails for $400. To learn more, visit Casio.