Casio’s Classic $120 Watch Just Got a Matcha Makeover
Casio has never been one to shy away from working with others, but its latest might be one of its easier-to-wear. The Japanese watchmaker has teamed up with Café Kitsuné to make a limited edition of its classic AQ-230, giving the retro analog-digital watch a muted matcha-green makeover.
The result is the AQ-230ECK-3A , and unlike some of Casio's more outrageous collaborations, this one is fairly understated. The dial is in a subtle matcha green, with Café Kitsuné's signature fox logo sitting above the digital display. The branding is also on the caseback and clasp, and even the packaging is treated with the same mottled green.
A Little Matcha Goes a Long Way
The AQ-230 was an interesting-looking Casio even before Café Kitsuné got involved. It has old-school analog hour and minute hands with a small digital display, which is a slightly odd mix of old-school watchmaking and unmistakable Casio functionality.
The partnership doesn't tinker with that formula. It still has dual time, stopwatch, daily alarm, and calendar, and its compact 38.8mm case keeps the overall look fairly understated.
Then there's the color, arguably the star of the show. Matcha has become a big part of the café culture at Café Kitsuné, which has constructed a lot of its visual identity around its Franco-Japanese aesthetic. So the green dial just feels like a natural extension of the brand, not just a random color slapped on a watch for a collab.
It's a Lot Quieter Than Casio's Other Collabs
Which is what makes this one interesting next to Casio's ever more crowded collection of collaborations. The brand has made character, logo, and bold-color-covered watches for everyone from Stranger Things and Dragon Ball Z to Coca-Cola.
Its G-SHOCK collaborations , especially, tend to make their affiliations impossible to miss. Great if you want your watch to be a talking point, but not for everyone necessarily.
The Café Kitsuné version does the opposite. Unless someone knows what they're looking at, it's mostly just a particularly nice green Casio.
That's probably the idea. It feels more like a fashion accessory than a merchandise item.
At $120 in the U.S., this keeps it firmly in Casio territory, rather than becoming an expensive luxury collaboration. If you're a fan of the retro Casio look but want something a little more off-the-beaten-track, this might just be one of the brand's most convincing collaborations to date.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Sep 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the Gear section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
