Japanese watch brands first came to worldwide prominence four decades ago thanks to their mastery of quartz movements, a development that threatened the centuries-old mechanical watches of Switzerland. Today, those Swiss timepieces have morphed into a desirable luxury item while quartz and digital watches retain widespread popularity thanks to their efficiency, accuracy and lower cost.

Japan’s venerable Seiko, born in 1881, is perhaps the best known for its horological breakthroughs, the most recent being its hybrid spring drive mechanism. But the junior in the ranks, Casio, has racked up a surprising number of firsts in its 50 years as a watch manufacturer, and enjoys a street cred that uber brands would envy. Unlike Seiko or fellow Japanese watch powerhouse Citizen, Casio has a background rooted in tinkering, not horology.