First thing is always the sweetest. Sensation and memory of our first kiss does not fade and last for a life time. First love is the one we would remember for life. In my case, the first watch that I received as childhood present is what sticks with me even after more than 25 years. It was a present given to me from my Grandfather. While it is no longer functioning today, I still keep it as a fond memory.
My first childhood watch happened to be a Casio Illuminator watch. Looking back in time, I did not realize it at the time but it was the first Casio Illuminator watch that have ever been released. If you are wondering what model my Casio Illuminator watch is, it is the DW-5600E-1V. It is a G-Shock but not a white G-Shock watch. Being a G-Shock watch it is, the watch lasted for much longer than the lifespan of my subsequent watches after that.
There are two things the watch that I love. The first feature of the DW5600E-1V that I love until today is the LED illumination. I remember at the time, none of my peers had a watch with such capability. You know what children do when they are the first to own something among their friends. Boasting. Yes, I boasted to all my friends and make them feel envious about it. I could still recall that one of my classmates went home crying at his parents, begging for them to buy the same watch that I had. You may think that having an LED watch today is no big deal, but think about it at the time. A watch with LED illumination was super cool and it really was something that only few privileged have access to.
For few months after receiving the gift, I still could not bear to be separated from my Casio Illuminator watch. Every night without fail, I would play with LED illumination. I no longer remember what I was imagining at the time, but it really was a land of imagination that only kids at that age will be able to come up with. Sometimes in the middle of the night, I would wake up just to light up the LED before going back to sleep again.
The next thing that I love about the DW5600E-1V is the digital information display. Again, digital watches were cool at the time when almost every other watch was analog. I can still vividly recall how I was fascinated by the beeping sound everytime the side button was pressed or when it struck the hour mark. It is funny how things have changed and watch technology has evolved. Digital watches are being sold as commodity these days. But back in those days, a watch with digital display and stopwatch functionality was very much a cool feature.