What is the best-selling watch in the world?
What is the best-selling watch in the world? The answer surprises every time: it's not a Rolex, not an Apple Watch, not even a Seiko. It is a digital watch for 12 euros, launched in 1991, which has sold more than 150 million copies. The Casio F-91W is the best-selling watch in history — and its reign shows no signs of waning.
What is the best-selling watch in the world? The Casio F-91W — more than 150 million copies sold since 1991, at less than 15 euros each. Neither a Rolex, nor an Apple Watch: a Japanese digital watch launched more than thirty years ago, still in production, still in the lead.
The Casio F-91W: figures and data
The F-91W was launched in 1991 by Casio, a Japanese manufacturer founded in 1946. In more than thirty years of uninterrupted production, it has become the most widely distributed timepiece in the history of watchmaking — all categories combined.
- Introductory price: around 9 dollars in the United States in 1991, stable at 12-15 euros today in Europe.
- Battery: Battery life of 7 years under normal use — one of the best longevity on the market.
- Weight: 21 grams case and bracelet included, one of the lightest on the market.
- Water resistance: 30 meters — enough for daily use and in the rain.
- Movement: Casio W-59 quartz module, accuracy ±15 seconds per month.
- Dimensions: 38.2 × 33.2 × 8.5 mm — unisex size worn by both children and adults.
Why is the F-91W the best-selling watch in the world?
Three structural reasons explain this record.
The price. At less than 15 euros, the F-91W is accessible in all global markets — including low-middle income countries where it is often the first watch purchased. No mechanical watch, no smartwatch, can compete in this field.
Durability.** Generations of users report maintenance-free lifespans of 10 to 20 years. The resin casing absorbs shock, the battery lasts 7 years, the quartz module operates in extreme conditions of temperature and humidity.
The universality of design. The F-91W is worn by schoolchildren, military personnel, astronauts, heads of state and artists. Its minimalist design from 1991 has hardly aged — which today makes it as much a retro accessory as a timekeeping tool.
To remember: The F-91W has been carried into space by NASA astronauts, used by special forces in several militaries, and carried by figures as diverse as Barack Obama and members of punk rock bands. Its cultural transversality is unparalleled in world watchmaking.
Ranking of the best-selling watches in the world
Exact sales figures are rarely published by brands. The estimates below compile available data — analyst reports, informal communications and sector market studies.
| Watch | Category | Estimated cumulative sales | Indicative price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casio F-91W | Digital | 150 million+ | 12-15 € |
| Casio G-Shock DW-5600 | Sports/digital | 100 million+ | 80-120 € |
| Swatch (all references) | Analog quartz | 500 million+ (group) | 80-200 € |
| Apple Watch (all series) | Connected | 250 million+ since 2015 | 299-799 € |
| Seiko 5 (all references) | Entry-level automatic | 50 million+ estimated | 150-400 € |
| Rolex Submariner | Automatic luxury | ~1 million/year (annual production) | 9 000-15 000 € |
The F-91W versus the Apple Watch: two visions of watchmaking
The Apple Watch is the best-selling watch in value since 2019 — Apple exceeds the watch turnover of all of Switzerland combined. In volume, it does not compete with the F-91W: around 50 million units sold per year compared to Casio production which is difficult to quantify but estimated at several tens of millions of units per year for the F-91W alone.
The two watches meet radically different needs. The Apple Watch requires daily charging, a compatible iPhone and an implicit subscription to the Apple ecosystem. The F-91W operates for 7 years without intervention. In a global market that includes areas with weak electrical infrastructure, the F-91W retains an irreducible structural advantage.
The F-91W in popular culture
Few watches have generated so many documented stories for a 12 euro object:
- NASA: several astronauts have taken their personal F-91W on space missions, as an emergency watch or daily use in weightlessness.
- Special Forces: documented in the equipment of soldiers of several armies, notably for its discretion and its resistance to extreme conditions.
- Hip-hop and punk culture: worn by artists from the 1990s to the 2020s as a symbol of non-conformism in the face of luxury watches.
- Barack Obama: photographed several times with an F-91W on his wrist during his presidency.
F-91W vs automatic watches: which watch for which use?
The F-91W is a digital quartz watch — it does not have a mechanical movement and does not need to be wound. On the opposite end of the spectrum are automatic watches, whose movement is maintained by the movements of the wrist or by an watch winder.
The two categories are not aimed at the same audience:
- Casio F-91W — absolute time measurement tool, accuracy ±15 seconds/month, zero maintenance, affordable price.
- Automatic watch — mechanical object, precision ±5 to 15 seconds/day, maintenance every 5 to 7 years, heritage value.
For collectors with several automatic watches, a automatic watch winder keeps movements running between ports — notably avoiding the tedious resetting of complications such as the perpetual calendar or the moon phase.
FAQ
What is the best-selling watch in the world in 2024?
The Casio F-91W remains the best-selling watch in cumulative volume. In annual sales by value, the Apple Watch has dominated since 2019. In annual volume, estimates still place the F-91W and other Casio models at the top of the global market.
How many copies of the Casio F-91W have been sold?
Casio does not release official figures. Industry estimates place cumulative sales since 1991 at more than 150 million units, making it the most widely distributed individual watch in history.
Is the Rolex Submariner the best-selling luxury watch?
The Submariner is regularly cited as the best-selling automatic luxury watch — around 1 million units per year according to estimates by watch market analysts. It remains very far behind the F-91W in volume, but constitutes the absolute benchmark in the accessible luxury segment.
Is the Casio F-91W a good watch?
For its purpose — reading time accurately in all conditions, maintenance-free, at minimal cost — yes. Its quartz precision (±15 seconds per month) is higher than that of a mechanical movement not chronometer certified. Its durability over 10 to 20 years is documented by thousands of users.
Why is the Casio F-91W so popular?
Three factors: universal price (accessible in all global markets), exceptional durability (7-year battery, resin case), and timeless design that has survived three decades without aging. Its cultural transversality — from primary school to special forces — is unparalleled in the watch industry.
What is the difference between the Casio F-91W and the G-Shock?
The G-Shock is the reinforced and sporty version of the Casio concept: shock-absorbing resin case, water resistance up to 200 meters, additional functions (stopwatch, multiple alarm, compass depending on the model). The F-91W is more compact, lighter and less expensive. Both share a reliable Casio quartz movement and exceptional battery life.
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Written by Bastien Jaffre
Founder of Rotation Horlogère, expert in automatic winding and high-end watch accessories. For several years, he has supported watch enthusiasts in the choice of their watch winders and boxes, with a rigorous approach focused on technique and quality.
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