

15 of the Best Calculator Watches in the MarketĪs times have changed, the calculator watch is no longer as popular as it used to be. Special, vintage calculator watch variants from brands like Casio and Timex can even fetch a premium price on the second-hand market. Fast forward to today, and the calculator watch is now more of a collector’s item. Modern-day advancements such as the smartwatch and other such technological inventions simply replaced the calculator watch in mainstream consciousness. In the 1990s, the demand for calculator watches started to decline with the introduction of cheap mobile phones and personal digital agents (PDAs) that could carry out similar functions. These kinds of calculator watches became a must-have for anyone who needed something more techie. Additionally, the Databank calculator watch was also able to store appointments, addresses, names, and phone numbers, making it very convenient indeed.

One notable feature of the Casio calculator watch was that it came with sizable buttons that wearers could easily press without needing a ball-point stylus. During that time, Casio ushered in a vast line of extremely affordable, plastic-cased calculator watches, such as the Casio C-80 and the Databank. It would not be until the 1980s that the calculator watch became a true hit. As HP’s first venture into the horological realm, the HP-01 failed to bring the calculator watch into the mainstream. But even with its numerous outstanding features, the HP-01’s hefty price of $2,500 USD to $3,200 USD was just way too much for the average consumer. On top of that, it was the brand’s first algebraic calculator. It was equipped with a calendar that could display any day of the week between the years 1900 to 2099 and an exclusive stopwatch. Apart from being HP’s only watch, it could also make mathematical calculations based on time, date, and time intervals. The HP-01 was a unique digital watch for several reasons. They called this piece the Hewlett-Packard HP-01. Being made entirely out of 18K solid gold, this digital Hamilton Pulsar watch sold for around $4,000 USD.Ī year after the release of the Pulsar Time Computer Calculator 901, Hewlett-Packard, more commonly known as HP in the information technology industry, unveiled a calculator watch of their own known. This model had buttons that were so small, the wearer could only access the calculator by using the stylus that came with the watch. One of the earliest calculator watch models to reach the market was Hamilton‘s Pulsar Time Computer Calculator 901, which was launched in 1975. The calculator watch first made an appearance in the 1970s - three years after the birth of the LED wristwatch. Although the calculator watch looks a tad different from other digital watch variants, they function in relatively the same way, outside of the calculator complication. Calculator watches typically use quartz movements, making them highly accurate while requiring little maintenance. Some calculator watch models like Casio’s CFX-400 and Citizen’s 49-9421 can perform more advanced mathematics functions, such as trigonometry and scientific calculations. Its case composition is made up of a relatively large, rectangular watch face containing small buttons that resemble the design of a calculator, albeit on your wrist.Ī calculator watch is capable of doing basic arithmetic functions such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division and can either operate up to 6-digit, 8-digit, or 10-digit numbers. In the most basic sense, a calculator watch is a digital timepiece equipped with a built-in calculator. If you are seeking a handy digital timepiece that comes with a sleek retro look and a useful calculator, stick around as we look at the 15 best calculator watches on the market today. Fortunately enough, there are a number of brands that still offer this casual yet cool gadget. There are many versions of the digital watch, but one type that truly screams vintage class is the iconic calculator watch. Apart from having some added complications like alarms and timers, digital watches were affordable, unique, and most importantly, reliable. At the time, digital wristwatches were considered some of the most high-tech pieces of horology you could possibly find. Before the invention of smartwatches loaded with features and apps for all kinds of purposes, we had digital wristwatches.
