Paving the way to the Spa.

In a somewhat bizarre twist on innovation, Casio has unveiled a new design to solve a problem: The CPP-002, a watch designed for use in the sauna. This particular piece has been created with the ability to withstand high temperatures and high humidity levels, offering a solution to those many - or perhaps few -, who wish to track their exact time in sauna session therapies.

The use of phones or traditional watches in a sauna is not recommended due to possible damage to the devices, resulting in an incorrect perception of time while inside a sauna, and generating distractions under the motto: “how long have I been in here?”.

A solution for a niche

Faced with this problem, Casio has decided to create this product. However, the creation is in a crowdfunding campaign on Makuake, a Japanese fundraising site, which started on December 2 and should be active for the next 3 months. Fortunately, the initial quota of 1,500,000 yen (almost $10,000 USD) on the site was already exorbitantly surpassed in just a few days, reaching 20,194,250 yen (more than $130,000 USD) thanks to more than 2 thousand supporters.

Each piece costs around $64 USD (campaign price), which makes it a not so expensive product, especially in the world of watch enthusiasts, however, we will have to wait to know its official retail price.

Can I wear it as a normal watch?

The watch is not exclusively for use in saunas, as it has different modes of use, allowing it to be converted from an everyday watch to a sauna mode. It comes equipped with an expandable band, similar to the bands used in gym lockers, all in an ultra-lightweight design. It also has a 12-minute timer, as a recommendation of “stay” time in a sauna session; and you can choose the color between 3 available models:

• CPP-002-OR: A vibrant orange and black design.
• CPP-002-BK: A classic all-black variant.
  
• CPP-002-BU: A black and light blue model, created in collaboration with the sauna search website Sauna Ikitai.

The product joins Casio's catalog of peculiar inventions, such as its watches with calculator, the G-shock with pulse meter (through a meter on its top) or its watch rings, imitating the traditional design on a smaller scale.

There is still no official launch date, but seeing the positive results of their campaign, we will probably see the production and sale of the accessory during the next few months.