I’ve owned two G-Shocks over the past few years, one was a 5600 variant, and the other was a 5610, both with a negative display. Which is one of the reasons I think I ended up selling both watches in the end. Whilst I liked the stealthy look of a black G-Shock with a negative display, the reality is they’re harder to read. The other reason was that, even though I know both watches were very tough, they were too light for me, and therefore they felt a bit cheap. I know that it’s a fallacy to equate weight with quality, but nonetheless, there’s something reassuring about a watch with a bit of heft to it. 

After these two brief flirtations with G-Shock, I thought that it just wasn’t a brand for me. But, a few months ago I came across the GW-5000U, a G-Shock model that seemed to fix the problems I’d had with other G-Shocks. The GW-5000 is the direct descendant of the first ever G-Shock, the DW-5000C, and in 2021 the model received an upgrade with a new module, which is denoted by the addition of the U to the model number. It’s also not a model that’s actually available in the UK, and I had to do a bit of hunting to source one from a retailer in Europe for around £200-250. 

What Separates The 5000 From The 5610? 

As you can see it’s pretty much the same classic square G-Shock design you get with the 5610, but there are a couple of minor differences. The main difference is that the GW-5000U features a steel inner core, with a screw-down case back, whereas the 5610 only has a plastic core with a steel back plate held down by four screws. This means that the GW-5000U is considerably heavier than the 5610, weighing 74g compared to 52g. The strap on the GW-5000U is also softer, which further helps it to feel more premium than the 5610. Lastly, not that it really matters, but the GW-5000U is made in Japan, and the 5610 is produced in Thailand. 

How The Casio G-Shock GW-5000U Wears

On the face of things, the GW-5000U sounds rather large, with a 43mm wide case, a 49mm length, and a thickness of 13.5mm. However, the iconic square G-Shock case is surprisingly wearable. Sure, it’s got a strong presence on my skinny 6.25-inch wrist, but it doesn’t overwhelm it. Plus, as I just mentioned, it has a high-quality polyurethane band that makes the watch very comfortable to wear. 

Of course, in addition to its wearability, the GW-5000U is also as durable as you’d expect from anything bearing the G-Shock name. In addition to its renowned shock protection, the watch is water resistant to 200m and charges off solar power. This last feature is a must-have in my book, as it eliminates the minor inconvenience of having your watch unexpectedly stop every couple of years when the battery runs out. 

The Legibility Of The Casio G-Shock GW-5000U

For legibility in the dark, the GW-5000U has a white LED backlight. This is activated by pressing the top-right button, but there’s also a neat function where if you look at the watch in the dark the watch automatically senses the movement of your wrist and switches the light on. You’re also able to adjust the length of time the light is on to either 1.5 or 3 seconds.  I know that there are those who will miss the classic electro-luminescent backlight seen on the older generations of G-Shock, but personally, I think the LED light provides excellent contrast and legibility, so it’s not a bad upgrade in my opinion. 

Speaking of legibility, the latest modules feature the clearest display seen on a G-Shock Square yet, but that doesn’t stop the GW-5000U from suffering from the same problem all digital watches have, and that’s the viewing angle for the display. By which I mean, that you can’t read the display from a wide angle, and that you need to look at it square on for it to be at its most crisp. This is the one area where I think an analogue watch has an advantage, as it’s much easier to tell the time from an oblique angle. It’s a minor point in the grand scheme of things, but one that I think is worth noting if legibility is your main concern. 

A bigger problem for me is that the GW-5000U uses a mineral crystal. Whilst the model isn’t at a price point where I expect a watch to always have a sapphire crystal, it’s an upgrade I really wish Casio would make to this model. Though the raised case of the G-Shock does offer some protection to the crystal, mineral crystal simply scratches too easily. In fact, I even managed to foolishly scratch it whilst filming outside for this review. 

You Can Never Have Too Many Features

Just like the latest 5610 model, the GW-M5610U, the GW-5000U is equipped with Casio’s 3495 module, which has more features than you can shake a stick at. I won’t list every little feature the module has, simply because I don’t want this review to just be me listing specs and features. However, to give you a broad outline of what the watch can do in addition to telling the time, it has:

• Radio-controlled timekeeping
• A day/date indicator
• World time in 48 cities across 31 time zones
• A stopwatch
• A countdown timer
• Up to five alarms
• A power-saving mode

Given that the watch can do so much, it’s pretty hard to argue that this isn’t the perfect choice of watch to take with you into the great outdoors. In fact, the only reason I can come up with to not choose a G-Shock is that I can’t connect with it on the same emotional level as an analogue watch. And that’s because there’s a certain old-fashioned charm to using a mechanical watch as a tool that really appeals to me. Perhaps it’s because they’re a reminder of a “golden age” of tool watches when the first iterations of iconic watches like the Submariner or Speedmaster were made to actually be used in adverse conditions, rather than to don the wrists of desk jockeys like myself. 

However, whilst I think it’s important to embrace those emotional connections with our watches, I think it’s also important to remember to pick the right tool for the job. Because, whilst I’ll always be attracted to the romantic idea of taking my mechanical tool watches out on an adventure, the simple fact is that this G-Shock is a much more practical and affordable watch to take on those trips. 

Final Thoughts

So, if you’re after a proper beater watch, you know that you can’t go wrong with a G-Shock. Though whether or not you should choose this GW-5000U is another matter. Because, whilst it’s a great watch, it will cost you in the region of £250, which is significantly more than a new 5610, which can be bought for around £100. Given that both models use the same module, it really comes down to whether or not you’re willing to pay 2.5 times more for the small improvements the GW-5000U offers over the 5610. Personally, I’d say, that if you’re after a G-Shock purely for its functionality, then stick with the 5610. The GW-5000U is more for those after a slightly nicer G-Shock square simply for its own sake. 

But whilst the GW-5000U might be a debatable value proposition at best, it’s still a very nice G-Shock, with a classic, understated design paired with a rock-solid build. Which is why it will remain my go-to beater for a long time yet.

You can read more about the GW-5000U, and the history of G-Shock, on the G-Shock website here.

The post I Finally Found The Best G-Shock For Me! – The Casio G-Shock GW-5000U appeared first on 12&60.

That’s where the new G-Steel range comes into play, with a steel construction and carbon core guard structure. You thought standard G-Shocks are tough? This is on a whole other level.

On top of that, it’s got many tricks up its sleeve: solar power, 200m WR, bluetooth connectivity, dual time, timer, stopwatch, alarm.

Costing £349, the price may come as a bit of a (G-)shock, but it’s certainly a lot of watch. Let’s check it out.

Buy it here: https://tidd.ly/3qgWVgQ

G-Shock G-Steel GST-B100 Video Review

The post G-Shock G-Steel GST-B100 Watch Review appeared first on 12&60.

The MDV-106 is also referred to as the marlin, due to that fish appearing on the dial and caseback. It’s widely available at under £65 / $60, and I’ve seen other watch enthusiasts share it going for a pretty ridiculous $35 in places such as Walmart.

The main thing going for it is that it’s a solid, dependable, trustworthy diving watch. Let’s take a closer look to see if it lives up to its hype.

The specs

• Dimensions: 44mm diameter x 12mm height x 49mm lug to lug
• Weight: 92g
• Water resistance rating: 20ATM / 200m
• Movement: Casio 2784 Module
• Lug width: 22mm
• Warranty: 1 year
• Price: varies; $60 / £65
• Buy here: https://amzn.to/2jMJ0RX

The video review

The case

I’ll be honest, the case isn’t the most exciting, but I suppose throughout this review we need to keep in mind the price. The majority of the case is polished, which is an interesting choice: the side and bottom are, with a brushed top. As this is supposedly a functional diving watch I was expecting more to be brushed to avoid obvious and easy scratches.

The shape is very much a standard barrel, with a bevelled edge on the top shoulders. It’s an interesting choice that the sides of the case are fully polished – as this is a watch built for purpose, to be used in the water, it’s going to get knocked about. Perhaps a brushed finish would be better for the sake of longevity; as it’s not going to take long for scratches to take over. The top and bottom of the case are brushed, with reasonably defined lines where the finishes meet.

The crown is very plain – no markings exist on it at all. It’s screw-in, with a reasonably smooth thread. The grip is fine to use, but nothing outstanding. I guess they have to cut corners somewhere.

The fact the Duro has a mineral crystal can perhaps be seen as a negative. To be honest, it’s unrealistic to expect a sapphire crystal on a watch under £100, so I’m ok with it. Whilst it doesn’t appear to have any sort of anti-reflective coating, it provides a clear view of the dial.

The 120 click bezel is easy to rotate, however, it does have a small amount of wiggle and backwards play. The toothed outside edge provides a suitable grip allowing me to use it. Being polished, it catches the eye due to the array of angles associated with the teeth. The bezel insert is made of aluminium, with printed markings and a lume pip at 12 located within a trapezoid.

The screw-in caseback is brushed, with a polished bevelled edge around the outside. In the centre, a marlin fish is engraved, with some other specifics surrounding and below it. All the markings are done to a deep and accurate level.

The dial

A standout characteristic of the Duro’s dial is no doubt the sunray finish to it. Completely unexpected, and not something I had previously noticed on photos, it’s a beautiful dark charcoal grey intermingling with deep blacks.

The printwork is delicate and functional. Casio is printed in the centre of the top half, and the marlin returns on the bottom half of the dial above “WR 200”. The marlin artwork is very tasteful and is even of cult status due to its graceful design and recognisability. When Casio uses a marlin, it is a grade classification and signifies it has at least 200m water resistance and is suitable for diving.

There’s a subtle minute track on the rehaut which frames the dial.

The date window at 3 is just large enough for the black numerals on the white wheel to be legible. There’s a bevelled edge which helps soften the transition, and a printed white outer border.

The applied hour markers have a polished border and are filled with lume. They’re not the deepest, but they do catch the light effectively and make the dial stand out whilst working in tandem with the sunburst backdrop.

The hands are reasonably straight forward: the hour hand is an arrow with a border to separate the head. The minute hand is a pointed baton; both are pitched. The lume filled centres don’t extend for their entirety; they have a metal counterweight. I’ve found the hands to be perfectly legible, if not a tiny bit small visually.

The lume is pretty decent for the price. It glows green and is certainly above average for watches costing a few times the Duro.

The strap

I’ll be completely honest, the black resin band the Duro comes with is plain, boring, and does the watch no favours. Hence why I immediately switched it out for one of my two-piece NATO straps, which is so much more comfortable and looks much better.

The resin strap is useful still, but personally, I’d only use it for actual swimming or diving. It’s comfortable enough but is very long so you end up having a long tail end. The tang buckle is also disappointingly plain, being polished steel and not having any markings or detail at all.

At least with a standard 22mm lug width, you’ll be able to find plenty of options.

The movement

The movement is a Casio 2784 module. The SR626 battery should give you 3 years battery life, and the movement is easy enough to operate: unscrew the crown, pull out to the first step for date advancement, and the second step for time alteration. It has a hacking seconds hand so accurate setting is possible.

Another thing the Casio Duro is well known for is the accuracy of the seconds hand. Believe it or not, it’s quite often you see seconds hands not hitting the markers bang on. This Duro is indeed very accurate although not quite perfect.

Final comments

When I first opened the box (which is a small cardboard box with a plastic watch stand within), I wasn’t overly blown away by the Casio Duro. Whilst I’m still not blown away by it, I’ve realised that it doesn’t aim to impress. It’s all about being a solid no-frills diver. Designed and built to be used. Diving.

Yes, there are other options available at the same price range. Parnis immediately springs to mind; however – would you trust a Parnis enough to actually go diving with? Most probably not – I certainly wouldn’t. So in reality, the Duro is the cheapest, most trustworthy diver available. And that’s where it comes into its own. I’d wholeheartedly trust this watch underwater. I’d trust this watch to keep ticking whilst I use it for jobs that would most likely end with it getting bashed up.

There are countless examples of Casio Duros being used, nay abused, to within an inch of its life – and they just keep on going. As long as you’re not expecting it to replace all your watches in your watch box, you can’t go wrong with adding this to your collection.

The post Casio Duro MDV-106 Watch Review appeared first on 12&60.

Originally released in 1991, it’s not changed at all in its lifespan and was one of the worlds first mass-produced digital watches.

It’ll cost you less than £10 / $15. So the question is, should everyone own one?

Video review

The specs

• Dimensions: 34mm diameter x 8.5mm height x 38mm lug to lug
• Weight: 20g
• Water resistance rating: 3ATM / 30m (splash resistant)
• Movement: Casio’s in-house digital module 593
• Lug width: 18mm
• Warranty: 2 years
• Price: £7-£10 / ~$9-$13
• Buy here: https://amzn.to/2T8IVUA

The case

Let’s start off by saying it’s not the most fashionable – but that’s not its aim. It’s incredibly comfortable – you barely notice it’s perched on the wrist. This is mainly thanks to the ridiculously light weight of 20g and petite dimensions.

The case is made of resin, with an angular approach to a rectangular shape; almost cushion like. The pushers are easy to use and are small steel cylinders.

On the front is a shatter-resistant acrylic “window lens” – aka the crystal. Whilst it may be shatter resistant, it’s not scratch resistant – as mine has a bit of a battle scar by the bottom right pusher. The lens provides exceptional clarity to the LCD screen, which is perfectly visible from every angle, even in direct sunlight.

The caseback is steel and is secured by 4 screws. It has some details stamped into the centre.

The dial

The “dial” isn’t really one as such; but rather an LCD display. You’ve got to love it – it’s clear, crisp, and has everything you need at a glance: time (obviously), day and date. The electrodes of the LCD are super sharp, even under a macro lens.

The display is always easy to read, even in direct sunlight.

The backlight isn’t the best – it’s basically a weak green LED which shines across the dial from one side.

The strap

The strap is made of resin and is very soft and comfortable. There’s some horizontal linear detailing at the top, by the lugs, as well as a channel on the opposite end. The thin nature of the strap makes it a key factor of why the F-91W is supremely easy to wear.

The buckle is plastic, with the Casio logo deeply embossed into the top bar. It’s easy to use, however it could be liable to break due to the material. If anything’s likely to break, it’s this – but if it does, at least it’s cheap enough to buy another one.

The movement

If you’ve not played the game as a child (or adult) where you try to get the stopwatch as low as possible (if you got less than a 10th of a second then you’re a ninja), or dead on 1 second (again, ninja) then you’ve not lived. Period.

A couple of other funky things to be aware of (believe it or not there are fakes of this watch out there): 1. press all the buttons together to display all the digits and 2. hold the bottom right button for 5 seconds for it to read “Casio”.

There’s a 7-year battery life stated, but reports suggest it’s more like 10. It’s powered by another classic: the CR2016 battery. Easy to source.

Functions include a stopwatch up to an hour, a daily alarm, and a beep function on the hour.

Final comments

So should you own one? Whilst it’s not to be used as a fashion piece (unless you’re a hipster), if you do any sort of physical exercise (which you should, I asked your doctor), then yes, without a doubt. It’s just so perfect for being lightweight, comfortable, durable, and crazy cheap. Really, due to the price, there’s no excuse not to. It’s perfect for DIY, walking, the gym, or any exercise.

It’s a watch that is instantly recognisable – apart from perhaps the Rolex Submariner, it’s got to be one of the most well-known timepieces. And as for me, I’m over the moon to own such a classic; which will be there for me whenever I need it.

The post Casio F-91W Watch Review appeared first on 12&60.

The specs

• Case dimensions: 52.4mm diameter x 50mm lug to lug x 17.7mm height
• Weight: 71g
• Crystal: mineral
• Movement: 3200 module
• Water resistance: 200m
• Special features:
  • EL backlight
  • Solar powered
  • Shock resistance
  • Radio signal reception
  • Moon phase indicator
  • Tide indicator
  • Worldtime 
  • Stopwatch
  • Timer
  • 5 daily alarms

The case

It’s a G-Shock: they’re well known for being incredibly hard wearing and shock resistant. The case is a pretty manly and angular design, and is well moulded.

What is it made of? Whilst it looks like plastic, it is not – it in fact Urethane resin. This is not brittle like plastic. It won’t crack or break under impact and shock loading; and it has outstanding abrasion and impact resistance for long life.

One of the main features of G-Shocks is how the cases are made with a hollow construction and cushioning to protect the module. The G stands for Gravitational, so their main focus is being able to withstand drops. They go through a lot of testing, check out the website to watch the videos of these tests: drop, piston, hammer, vibration, water and ice tests.

The watch is quite light at 71g. Obviously this is due to the fact that it’s a digital watch made of resin. I believe the only steel is the frame of the case, caseback and the buckle. When you first hold or wear it, it can feel a little lightweight, but you soon come to appreciate how well put together this watch is despite that.

The top of the case features 4 cool screws in the corners of the bezel. I assume they actually do something and hold the case together and are not just an aesthetic touch.

The markings in the bezel area are set into the plastic and filled with a light grey paint to make them readable. The moulding is pretty neat and accurate; there’s no sloppiness anywhere.

The pushers have a knurled grip and provide decent feedback when pushed. The bottom right pusher is a little different in that it provides out more and has vertical channels for even better grip, because this is the primary button for features like the stopwatch and timer.

The watch has a mineral crystal. Obviously a hardlex or sapphire crystal would be preferable but it’s well protected against knocks by the protruding bezel area. 

The brushed stainless steel caseback is secured by screws hidden underneath the wrist moulds, with various watch details / specifics and the logo engraved into it.

The 200m water resistance means that it’s perfectly capable of anything a normal person like you and I could throw at it; even scuba diving.

The dial

This model (I think) is the cooler looking of the two with the negative display – the background of the panels are all black, with lighter digits. Some may find its a bit harder to read though – but that’s why the illumination is invaluable.

The illumination provides a bright green glow when you press the G button on the front. You can set the length of time it displays and also automatic activation when you raise your wrist.

The dial is all digital of course. Some may be put off with that straight away. But don’t forget, this is a functional watch. The entire dial is a solar cell (apart from the LCDs), and you can see a subtle blue tint to it when the light hits it right.

The bottom LCD is the primary display, with the time and running stopwatch or timer etc. The top panel contains supplementary information; such as the date, world time zone, a description of what mode you’re in etc. Between these panels are the Moonphase / tide / running seconds indicators.

There’s also a few discreet indicators dotted around, such as battery level, RC indicator, mute, auto illumination, and alarm.

The strap

Like the case, the strap is made of Urethane resin. This could easily be rubber but Urethane resin is more abrasion, sunlight and weather resistant. It also seems pretty resilient to oils as I accidentally got some sun cream on it and it wiped off pretty easily. Besides, this also means the case and strap match up perfectly.

The strap is very soft on the skin, if you have it sized correctly you can wear it all day. It’s not that breathable though, and you find you get a bit of a sweaty wrist.

The strap has a plain matte finish as per the case, no detailing or patterning on the top. 

The strap and case do not have conventional lugs. The strap is secured into the lugs with screws either side, incorporating the wrist moulds. The section of strap that is connected is just the centre section, almost like a tab that is inserted into the lug.

The strap has a very plain polished tang buckle. This is quite disappointing considering the price of the watch. The Casio logo is engraved on the bottom – I think it would be better on the top to show some sort of detailing. 

The movement

The “movement” within the Casio G-Shock GW-7900B-1ER is their 3200 module. Not a “movement” at all, as it’s completely digital and has no moving parts. In fact, this is the first digital watch I’ve ever reviewed here on WIAA. 

The module is protected from shocks by being suspended within the case from a few points, as if it’s floating on air. It has a 9 months battery life from full charge without any more exposure to light.

So it’s long lasting in terms of battery, hard wearing (can take a knock) and accurately sets itself regularly so will always be set correctly. 

The competition

What else is like a G-Shock? There’s the Timex Ironman range but they just don’t have the same requirements. Citizen have some lovely alternatives but they’re too expensive.

Final comments

The Casio G-Shock GW-7900B-1ER has proved to be perfect for travelling (I took it to France immediately after buying it hence the pictures). It’s also perfect for a beater watch and for setting all your other watches to thanks to the radio setting. I’m very happy with it – it will become a very active part of my collection for a long time. 

The post Casio G-Shock GW-7900B-1ER Watch Review appeared first on 12&60.