Casio MTP4500D - a great chronograph watch nobody knows about

It is the lack of a specific feature that makes this watch great.

The Casio MTP4500D is a watch you've probably seen many times and never gave it a second look. Maybe you should.

There are two main problems with the majority of chronograph watches out there. Too big, too complicated.

If you look at the typical chronograph watches available, the first thing you're going to notice is that many are just plain huge, as in physically large. It's very typical to find them starting at a 45mm case diameter.

The next thing you notice is that many have a dial that's "too busy", but that's not the complication problem. The problem is the date complication specifically. Most chronograph watches have the date placed at a weird angle either at the 4 o'clock position or close to it. It just looks dopey. Others have them are the 3 o'clock position and others at 6 o'clock. But I'd argue no matter where the date complication is, having it at all is bad. The date simply doesn't need to be there on a watch of this type. You don't buy a chronograph watch to know the date but rather to know the time and for timing things.

Enter the Casio MTP4500D. This is different. It looks complicated, but is actually really easy to use.

1. No date. This is really nice because that makes the watch a true wear-and-go type. The only time you ever have to set this thing is when adjusting for Daylight Savings Time.

2. Larger numbers for the ones that matter on the subdials. The top subdial at 12 o'clock indicates how many minutes have passed after you start the chronograph. The 9 o'clock is how many hours have passed (up to 12) after you start the chronograph. The 6 o'clock subdial is a small seconds subdial for the current time. The bigger numbers on all these dials make them really easy to read even for a smaller case size.

3. This is a 42mm watch and not a gigantic 45mm or greater. The dial is also smaller due to the slide rule bezel (which is bidirectional), and that's nice because it doesn't make it look like you're wearing a pie plate on your wrist.

4. Screw-down case back. This is a quartz watch, but getting to the battery is easy with a cheap case back removal tool. Also, you will not mind this is quartz because of the small seconds subdial. The longer second hand is only used for the chronograph.

5. Fly-back chronograph seconds hand. When resetting the chronograph, the hand sweeps back to the 12 instead of just clicking back. Looks cool. Also, side note on resetting this should you need to do it: If that hand ends up not resetting back to the 12, that's an easy fix. Pull out the crown, then press the start pusher. You'll see the chronograph seconds hand advance. Keep pressing it until it's back to 12, then push the crown back in, done. Now the chronograph seconds hand will reset back to 12 like it's supposed to. Many chronograph watches usually have the seconds hand reset in this fashion.

It's not exactly easy to find an affordable, good looking no-date chronograph watch

The ridiculously expensive way to get a no-date chronograph is, of course, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona. No date on that. But I doubt you're ready to spend $13,500 to get one.

One of the very few companies that offers no-date affordable chronograph watches is Fossil with the Townsman and Grant models. Invicta is another, and I'll talk about that in a moment.

The Fossil offerings do look more elegant, but the Casio is more functional because of the slide rule bezel. Even if you use none of the mathematical stuff, you can use it easily as a second timer, literally meaning you get 2 timers in 1 with the MTP4500D.

Do I have a problem with a date complication? No. But a chronograph looks so much better without one.

For example, take the Invicta Speedway. That's a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona homage watch, and firmly in the affordable range. It's the right size, looks great, and I even like the name of it. But that date complication at the 4:30 o'clock position looks so tacky. If the Speedway didn't have that date complication, I'd seriously consider getting one.

However, look at the Invicta 1768 model. That's a "diver chronograph", which is weird, but no date on those. A little on the large side at 43mm, and it looks pretty darned good. But, again, large.

When you browse what else is out there and compare that to the Casio MTP4500D, that's when you realize how good the Casio actually is. It's got that just-right blend of usefulness, convenience a proper look for a chrono watch.

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Published 2021 Apr 27