 "A smart timepiece")
I f you travel frequently between different time zones, setting your watch to the right time is a constant chore. But imagine if this function was automated - you reached a destination and bingo. Your watch gets automatically set to the the local time.
There are watches that fulfil this function; but you usually splurge on such timepieces if you're a connoisseur or it matches with your yacht, which is docked at your own island.
For the rest of us, there's Casio's range of "smart" Edifice watches. I had the ECB-500-DC-1A (Rs 24,995 for the black model) for review. My first reaction was: "Wow, this looks like a Rado." At least the black metal bracelet and the chunky case seemed dead ringers. The watch looks smart, classy and solid, if you, like me, love large multi-function timepieces.
First, I had to set the time, and therein I faced my first hurdle. Twist and turn the crown all I could (of course, without breaking it), the time I just couldn't set. I'm no Luddite, but I did forego my standard practice of reading the operating instructions. On reading the instructions, I found you had to pair the watch over Bluetooth to set the time. Now, my Xiaomi Redmi 2 didn't have Bluetooth 4.0, so I had to pair it with my Apple iPod Touch, after downloading the app.
Once the time was set on the app (the watch supports time in 300 cities and has an automatic calendar), you can as well not carry the device around. Most other functions can be controlled using the buttons. Using the app, you can set alarms and the countdown timer. But here's the best bit that I liked: with a gentle tap on the crown (or any other button you want), you can locate your phone - it starts beeping.
The analogue dial houses three recessed sub-dials. The radium-tipped hands glow in the dark, so you can actually opt not to use the built-in light if you so want. Another nifty feature allows you to tap a button to sweep the hand off a sub-dial, in case you need to read some information off it.
The Edifice has all the regular functions a multifunction watch has - stopwatch, countdown timer, alarms, world time - and also dual time display. A very useful feature if you're abroad and want to call home at the right time.
All that is fine, but why do you need to pair the watch with a phone just to set the time, my wife asked. Well, here's why I think it makes a lot of sense: a mobile phone can automatically set its date and time from the local network. Now, the watch synchronises the time with the paired device at a given time of the day - thus updating the time as the phone updates it.
The watch comes with a rechargeable battery that claims to be charged by not only sunlight but by artificial light as well. It also claims to conserve battery when in the dark. In the two weeks I used the watch, not once did it run out of charge.
The watch also presents you with a number of options to display the time - three hands, two hands and digital. That said, if you're looking for a smartwatch, you couldn't be further from the truth. No, the watch doesn't sync with your Google or Apple accounts, doesn't display notifications and definitely doesn't count steps walked or calories burnt. And thankfully, you don't need to connect it to a USB port to charge.
On the other hand, it does need a smartphone to set the time or update it, so it isn't exactly a "disconnected" watch. The Casio Edifice ECB-500, thus, meets you halfway. Its pedigree and appearance make it a classic sporty timepiece, yet its dependence on a mobile device puts it in a different bracket. My guess is, this watch suits those who love classic timepieces but would like the convenience of controlling it from their smartphone. Would I buy it? Yes, not the least because it looks like a Rado!
