The Rolex Submariner Date with the green bezel, reference 126610LV, picked up the nickname “Starbucks” almost the day it launched in 2020. It also picked up a price tag well into five figures and a waiting list measured in years. Casio looked at all of that and said: what if we just make the green part available to everyone?
Enter the Casio MDV-107 in green, the MDV-107-1A3. A 200-metre quartz dive watch with a unidirectional bezel, screw-down crown and screw-lock case back, for around ninety bucks. Watch the video above for the hands-on look, then read on for the full breakdown.
Why the green dial works
The MDV-107 comes in several colourways, but the green dial is the one people talk about. It is a deep, rich green that shifts with the light, darker at the edges and brighter in the centre, and it gives the watch a character the black and blue versions do not quite match. The “Starbucks” nickname is a nod to the green-bezel Rolex, and while nobody is confusing a $90 Casio for a $10,000 Rolex, the colour connection is obvious and fun.
The dial layout is classic dive watch: large applied hour markers, broad hands with luminous fill, and a date window at 3 o’clock. Legibility is excellent, which is exactly what you want from a watch built for the water. The aluminium bezel insert has a 60-minute scale and rotates in one direction only, as a proper dive bezel should, so you can time your dive without accidentally adding minutes.
Real dive watch credentials
This is where the MDV-107 separates itself from fashion watches that just look the part. The 200-metre water resistance rating is backed up by a screw-down crown and a screw-lock case back, the same sealing approach used on serious dive watches. Casio rates it for actual marine use, not just splashes.
The case is stainless steel, measuring 49.5 x 44.2 x 12.1 mm lug to lug. That sounds large on paper, but the short lug-to-lug distance means it wears smaller than the numbers suggest, and the resin strap version reviewed here weighs just 92 grams. It is a substantial watch without being a burden, and the resin strap keeps it comfortable in heat and water where a bracelet would get sticky.
Inside is Casio module 2784, a quartz movement rated to plus or minus 20 seconds per month, running on a single SR626SW cell good for about three years. No servicing, no winding, no regulation. You set it and forget it.
Full specifications (verified)
Model: Casio MDV-107-1A3 (green dial, resin strap). Module 2784. Case: Stainless steel, 49.5 x 44.2 x 12.1 mm. Weight: 92 g on resin strap. Water resistance: 200 metres. Crown: Screw-down. Case back: Screw-lock. Bezel: Unidirectional (anti-reverse) with 60-minute scale. Glass: Mineral. Movement: Quartz, 3 hands with date display. Accuracy: +/-20 seconds per month. Battery: SR626SW, approx. 3-year life. Band: Resin. Also available on stainless bracelet as the MDV-107D series.
What it is like to wear
At 92 grams on the resin strap, the MDV-107 is easy to wear all day. The case has enough wrist presence to feel like a proper tool watch, but the weight stays out of the way. The resin strap is soft out of the box and handles sweat and pool water without complaint, which is the whole point of a watch like this.
The green dial is the star. Indoors it reads as a deep forest green; in sunlight it brightens up and shows off the sunburst finish. It pairs well with basically everything, from a t-shirt to a button-down, because green at this depth acts almost like a neutral. The lume on the hands and markers is decent, enough to read the time in the dark, though it will not match a Seiko or a Citizen in brightness.
MDV-107 vs the competition
Under $100, the MDV-107’s main rivals are the Timex Expedition Scout, various Invicta Pro Divers, and Casio’s own digital lineup. The Invicta is the closest direct competitor on paper, but the Casio wins on brand trust, build consistency, and the fact that you can walk into almost any watch shop on earth and get the battery changed. The Timex is cheaper and lighter but only rated to 100 metres with a push-pull crown, which is a different league of water sealing.
Step up to $200 or $300 and you meet the Citizen Promaster and Seiko 5 Sports, which add automatic movements and better lume. They are better watches. They are also two to three times the price. The MDV-107’s argument is simple: 90 percent of the dive watch experience for under a hundred dollars.
The verdict
The Casio MDV-107 in green is one of the easiest recommendations in affordable watches. Real 200-metre rating, screw-down crown, unidirectional bezel, a dial colour with genuine personality, and a price around $90. It does everything a casual dive watch needs to do and asks for nothing in return except a battery every three years.
If you want the green “Starbucks” look without the five-figure commitment, this is it. Check the current Casio MDV-107 price on Amazon, where it is listed in multiple colourways including the green.
Bottom line: the best sub-$100 dive watch Casio makes, and the green dial is the one to get. See it on Amazon here.