The Casio CMK-100TC-1A is a field watch: titanium case, black dial, black cloth strap, sapphire crystal and a Japanese automatic movement. It's the entry model of the CMK-100 series, which Casio announced on 29th October 2026, and the first automatic in the main Casio line.
At 299 EUR, it's the cheapest way I know to get titanium, sapphire, a screw-down crown and 100 m in a watch from a big brand. Most field watches at that price are steel with mineral glass.
299 EUR
Specs
| Reference | CMK-100TC-1A |
| Case | Titanium, ion plating (IP) and titanium carbide (TiC) coating |
| Size | 38 mm diameter, 44.7 mm lug to lug, 11.4 mm thick |
| Weight | 55 g |
| Crystal | Sapphire |
| Crown, case back | Screw-down knurled crown, screw-down solid titanium case back |
| Water resistance | 100 m (10 bar) |
| Movement | Made-in-Japan automatic, hand winding, hacking seconds |
| Beat, jewels | 21,600 vph, 21 jewels |
| Power reserve | About 42 hours |
| Accuracy | -20 to +40 s a day |
| Dial | Black, stamped texture, silver hands, date at 3 |
| Lume | Hands, indices and numerals, numerals in raised layers |
| Strap | Black nylon cloth, pin buckle, fits a 145 to 215 mm wrist |
| Price | 299 EUR in Germany, $320 in the US |
Casio doesn't name the calibre. The press reads it as a Miyota 8215, and the numbers fit: 21 jewels, 21,600 vph, 42 hours, the same rate tolerance. The case back says "Japan Mov't" and "Cased in China", with module number 5766. Casio doesn't publish the lug width.
The dial and the lume
The dial is the best part. A stamped texture gives the black a matte, grainy finish, so it never looks flat in daylight. The 12, 6 and 9 are big, and Casio prints them in several layers of lume, so they stand up from the dial like applied numerals.
The hands, the indices and the numerals all glow green. The date window has its own lume marker beside it.
The look is a field watch with a twist. The flat-top bezel is wide and the case is compact, so the numerals recall Bell & Ross and Panerai more than a Hamilton Khaki. Some forum readers find the bezel too thick.
The case
The titanium is coated twice, with ion plating and titanium carbide, for scratch resistance. The crown is knurled on the sides for grip, and both the crown and the solid case back screw down. That's what gets it to 100 m.
The photo shows the bracelet model. The TC-1A has the same case and back.
38 mm wide, 44.7 mm lug to lug and 11.4 mm thick: it wears small and sits flat. At 55 g with the cloth strap, it's one of the lightest automatics around.
TC-1A or another CMK-100?
The series has 5 references. All share the case, the movement, the sapphire and the 100 m.
| Reference | Case | Dial | Strap | US price | DE price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CMK-100TC-1A | Titanium | Black | Black cloth | $320 | 299 EUR |
| CMK-100TCC-8A | Grey IP titanium | Grey | Grey cloth | $350 | - |
| CMK-100TL-1A | Titanium | Black | Black Tuscan leather | $350 | 319 EUR |
| CMK-100TCL-5A | Bronze-tone IP | Brown | Brown Tuscan leather | $375 | - |
| CMK-100TD-1A | Titanium | Black | Titanium bracelet, fold clasp | $440 | 399 EUR |
- TL-1A, +20 EUR: the same watch on vegetable-tanned leather from Tuscany, with gold-tone hands and numerals. 54 g. Dressier, less of a tool.
- TD-1A, +100 EUR: the titanium bracelet. It looks the most finished, but it nearly doubles the weight to 98 g.
- TCC-8A and TCL-5A: coloured cases, US only so far.
The TC-1A is the purest version: the plainest dial, the lightest strap, the lowest price. A cloth strap is also easy to swap.
Background
Casio built its name on quartz and digital: the F-91W, the G-Shock, the Casio Vintage line. Mechanical watches came late. The first was the Edifice EFK-100 in 2025, an Edifice-branded automatic on a Seiko NH35. The CMK-100 brings the automatic to the main Casio line, with a new case and better materials. Germany got the TC-1A, TL-1A and TD-1A at the end of October 2026. The US launch is on 19th November 2026.
How it compares
| Watch | Case, size | Crystal | Power reserve | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casio CMK-100TC-1A | Titanium, 38 x 11.4 mm | Sapphire | 42 h | 299 EUR |
| Seiko 5 Sports SRPG27 | Steel, 39.4 x 13.2 mm | Hardlex | 41 h | About 300 EUR |
| Hamilton Khaki Field Titanium | Titanium, 42 x 11.45 mm | Sapphire | 80 h | 1,395 EUR |
The prices are list prices from my notes on each watch. Links: Seiko 5 Sports, Hamilton Khaki Field.
- Against the Seiko 5 field: same price, but the Casio is lighter, 1.8 mm thinner, and has sapphire and a screw-down crown. The Seiko has the longer track record and many more dial options.
- Against the Hamilton: the Hamilton has 80 hours, a Swiss movement and a name in field watches, at 4x to 5x the price. The Casio is the smaller watch.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Titanium and sapphire at 299 EUR.
- 55 g: you forget it's on.
- 38 mm with a 44.7 mm lug to lug: wears small, fits most wrists.
- Screw-down crown and case back, 100 m: a real tool watch.
- Hacking and hand winding, so setting it to the second is easy.
- Legible day and night.
Cons
- -20 to +40 s a day. A 30-euro Casio quartz keeps better time.
- 42 hours: off the wrist for a weekend, it stops.
- A cloth strap on a pin buckle is the most basic option of the 5.
- No published lug width, which makes buying a strap harder.
- Coated titanium resists scratches, but a deep scratch through the coating is hard to polish out.
Who it's for
- A first mechanical watch. Big-brand automatic, titanium and sapphire, at the price of a Seiko 5.
- A beater. Light, 100 m, legible. Good for travel, sport, the garden.
- Smaller wrists. 38 mm and 11.4 mm sit flat. The Hamilton and most Seiko field watches wear larger.
It suits a NATO strap too, once the lug width is confirmed: see NATO Straps.
Verdict
The CMK-100TC-1A is the best spec-per-euro field watch of 2026 so far. Titanium, sapphire and a screw-down case usually cost 2x to 3x more. The movement is the trade-off: accuracy and power reserve are entry level. Of the 5 references, it's the one I'd buy: the leather adds little, and the bracelet adds 100 EUR and 43 g.
Further reading
The official product page:
The series page, with all 5 references:
The launch article with the US prices and the Edifice EFK-100 history:
German prices and availability:
- see Seiko 5 SRPG27, the Seiko 5 field at the same price
- see Hamilton Khaki Field Titanium Auto, the titanium field watch at 4x the price