Casio’s gorgeous new Arabic-dial watches are already out, but good luck getting your hands on one

It looks like Casio’s first watch with an Arabic dial may not get a true global release after all. When the MTP-E735AR lineup first dropped on Casio’s international website in early September, we speculated that it would likely launch in Japan first before making its way to global markets. That’s how things usually go with new Casio releases, but not this time.

As it turns out, the MTP-E735AR series is exclusive to the Middle East and African markets. The watches went on sale in the region in late September and appear to be sold out everywhere at the time of writing.

That’s a shame, because these are some seriously good-looking watches for the money. Casio’s official Middle East website lists each model for AED 383.25 (~$104). For that, you get a stainless-steel dress watch with an intricate arabesque pattern covering the dial, complete with sweeping geometric flourishes and raised Eastern Arabic numerals. It’s a welcome departure from the usual minimalist dress-watch aesthetic, and gives the collection a character all its own.

Casio’s Arabic-dial watches have plenty going for them

There are five colorways to choose from, ranging from understated black (MTP-E735AR-1AV) and deep blue (MTP-E735AR-2A2V) to ice blue (MTP-E735AR-2A1V), vibrant turquoise (MTP-E735AR-2A3V), and silver with contrasting blue accents (MTP-E735AR-7AV).

All five are identical in terms of dimensions and features, with each timepiece measuring  37.5mm across and just 8.4mm thick, with an integrated stainless-steel bracelet that lends the watch a decidedly more premium feel.

There's a day-date display at three o’clock, with the day of the week available in either Arabic or English. Timekeeping is handled by a quartz movement with up to 3 years of battery life, while 50 meters of water resistance should offer peace of mind against water splashes.

Good luck getting your hands on one

A few UAE-based retailers offer international shipping, which would ordinarily make importing one of these beauties a fairly straightforward affair. However, the entire MTP-E735AR collection is currently out of stock at every major retailer. PSB Watches and Mona Watch have listed the lineup at around $86 and $110 per watch, respectively, but neither of them currently has any of the models available to buy. For now, you’ll have to keep your fingers crossed for a restock.

View Casio MTP-B145D-2A2V on Amazon

Kristen Spradlin - Tech Writer - 340 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2024

Kristen is a technology writer based in Toronto. He's primarily interested in smartphone hardware, Android, Apple ecosystem, audio gear, and the intersection of technology and climate change. His first smartphone was the HTC Dream, and while he regards himself as an Android loyalist, he doesn’t mind using an iPhone as a secondary phone. When he’s not scouring his RSS feed for the latest tech news, you’ll likely find him glued to his Kindle Paperwhite reading his favorite non-fiction titles. He has also traveled extensively, having visited Australia, England, Nepal, and India.