Casio has been on a subtle roll lately, quietly refreshing familiar designs with premium touches at highly accessible prices. Their latest update brings textured dials to two long-standing favorites: the Edifice EFR‑S108DE and the MTP‑1302DA. While both watches have seen several iterations over the years, this new direction adds a welcome dose of modern dial detail, continuing Casio’s trend of giving its budget-friendly lineup a more refined edge.

Let’s take a closer look at these two releases—one a sleek, sapphire-equipped steel sport watch, and the other a dressy daily wearer with Datejust vibes—and see how these familiar silhouettes feel entirely new again.

A Sleek Edifice with Unexpected Sophistication

The EFR-S108DE has always been a standout in the Edifice lineup, thanks to its slim case, integrated bracelet, and refined look. This new 2025 update enhances that reputation with a series of dial variants, all featuring subtle textures that play beautifully with light. Available in green, charcoal grey, and an icy pale blue, the finishes vary from sunray to brushed metallic, giving each version a slightly different personality while keeping the layout clean and minimalist. The textured dial treatment adds visual depth without sacrificing the legibility that makes this line so wearable.

Measuring just under 40mm across and under 8mm thick, this Edifice is impressively thin for a sports-style watch, and sits extremely flat on the wrist. Despite the modest dimensions, the flat octagonal bezel and sharp lug profile give it a bit of wrist presence—enough to feel sporty without overstepping into “bold” territory. The integrated stainless steel bracelet adds to the sleekness, with solid end links and a one-touch clasp that contributes to a unified, cohesive feel.

Where this model really surprises is in its material quality. A sapphire crystal protects the dial, a rare find in this price range, paired with a full stainless steel case and 100 meters of water resistance. Add in a dependable quartz movement with a three-year battery life and ±20 seconds/month accuracy, and you have a timepiece that’s about as worry-free as it gets.

Casio hasn’t included any chronograph subdials or busy markings here, and that’s a good thing. With only a date window at 3 o’clock and simple baton indices, the dial is open enough to let the texture speak for itself. This is the kind of piece that looks sharp both with a blazer and at the beach—versatile, mature, and practical.

Based on pricing for the previous generation, the new textured-dial version of the EFR‑S108DE is expected to retail for around $150. It’s a small bump for the visual upgrade, but still an exceptional value considering the build quality and sapphire glass.

A Classic Casio Gets a Matte Dial Makeover

While the Edifice leans sporty, the MTP-1302DA keeps things dressy and compact. The 2025 refresh introduces several new dial finishes across the model line, including navy, light blue, green, and white. These dial options all feature a lightly textured surface, replacing the more basic polished look of previous generations and giving the watch a modernized, elevated character. The classic fluted bezel and date-at-three layout remain unchanged, which keeps the model rooted in that timeless, Datejust-inspired aesthetic, but the dial updates help it feel fresh and current.

This model keeps things compact, with a 38.5mm case width and 9.4mm thickness. It’s slightly smaller than the Edifice on the wrist, and thanks to its light weight and curved lugs, it wears even slimmer than the numbers suggest. The case itself is made from brass, ion-plated to mimic stainless steel, while the bracelet uses folded steel links with a triple-fold clasp.

A mineral crystal covers the dial, and water resistance is rated at 50 meters—enough for everyday use, though not meant for swimming. Still, considering the $60 price, these compromises are understandable. Inside, the watch runs on a simple quartz movement with the same ±20 seconds/month accuracy and three-year battery as its Edifice cousin. The date window sits neatly at 3 o’clock, keeping with the familiar three-hand layout that makes the MTP-1302DA feel immediately wearable for just about anyone.

Where this release shines is in how it elevates a classic form. The dial texture adds depth and sophistication, creating a more premium visual effect while keeping everything familiar and legible. If the standard polished look of this model felt a little flat or dated in previous versions, the new textures bring it squarely into 2025’s aesthetic trends.

Which One’s Right for You?

Both of these new Casios offer great value and surprisingly refined aesthetics, but they’re tailored to slightly different tastes. If you want a sportier watch that still fits mosts occasions, feels premium thanks to its sapphire crystal and steel construction, and wears thin under a cuff, the Edifice EFR‑S108DE is a no-brainer. It’s one of the few sub-$150 watches that genuinely looks and feels like something twice its price.

If you’re after something more traditional—maybe a gift, a secondary watch, or your first entry into analog pieces—the MTP‑1302DA brings excellent style in a smaller, lighter, and extremely affordable package.

Final Thoughts

Casio’s latest textured-dial additions prove once again why the brand commands so much respect across the budget watch space. These aren’t revolutionary redesigns—but they don’t need to be. Instead, they’re smart refinements of already successful models, enhanced with just enough detail to make them feel new again.

Both the EFR‑S108DE and MTP‑1302DA are expected to hit shelves by the end of July 2025. If you’re after clean design, wearable sizing, and surprising dial finishes under $150, they’re well worth keeping an eye on.

Casio Edifice EFR-S108DE – Specs

• References: EFR-S108DE-2AV (light blue), EFR-S108DE-3AV (green), EFR-S108DE-8AV (grey)
• Diameter: 39.9mm
• Lug-to-lug: 44.8mm
• Thickness: 7.8mm
• Movement: Quartz (Casio module 5359)
• Power Reserve: ~3 years (SR916SW battery)
• Accuracy: ±20 seconds/month
• Water Resistance: 100m
• Bracelet: Stainless steel with one-touch 3-fold clasp
• Caseback: Solid stainless steel, screw-down
• Crystal: Sapphire
• Price: ~$150
• Release: July–August 2025

Casio MTP-1302DA – Specs

• References: MTP-1302DA-2A1V (blue), MTP-1302DA-2A2V (light blue), MTP-1302DA-3AV (green), MTP-1302DA-7AV (white)
• Diameter: 38.5mm
• Lug-to-lug: 44.2mm
• Thickness: 9.2mm
• Movement: Quartz (Casio module 1330)
• Power Reserve: ~3 years (SR626SW battery)
• Accuracy: ±20 seconds/month
• Water Resistance: 50m
• Bracelet: Stainless steel with triple-fold clasp
• Caseback: Solid, snap-on
• Crystal: Mineral
• Price: ~$60
• Release: July 2025