Worn & Wound
The Casio MW-43: The First Analog Pathfinder with a Navigational Party Trick Up Its Sleeve
When I read Devin Pennypacker’s article in January about the W.O.E. Submersible Wrist Compass, it really got me thinking about the connections between wristwatches and compasses. Both physical tools––and both debatably archaic because of rapid advancements in technology––there’s a certain allure to owning and utilizing these tactile devices instead of the applications on a smartphone. What better way to demonstrate the relationship between watches and compasses than combining them into one piece? The Casio MW-43 is a watch like no other, and its combination of timekeeping and navigation make it a unique piece of horology that deserves far more attention. The MW-43 and Pathfinder’s Seemingly Undocumented History Very little information exists about the MW-43’s creation and, surprisingly, the origins of the Pathfinder branding. The first ever triple sensor watch model, the Casio ATC-1100, was released in 1994. The first Casio Pro Trek-branded timepiece, the DPX-500, was launched in 1995. The first Pathfinder models were produced in 1995 and include (but may not be limited to) the SPF-50, SPF-10, PAT-30, ALT-6300, and PAT-600. Both the aforementioned ATC-1100 and DPX-500 are virtually identical apart from cosmetic colorway differences, and this design would later be reused under the Pathfinder branding as the PRT-40 in 1996. This complicated chronology has caused a bit of confusion within the collecting community, but I hope this explanation will help to rem...
