Digital rights: The six coolest G-Shocks of 2021 (so far…)
Thor SvaboeG-Shocks have become an integral part of pop culture and are a testament to Casio reinventing the essence of digital cool, year after year. Fashions may ebb and flow, but they still come up on top, and 2021 has once again been a year for strong hits. Hell, I’ve even bought two of them myself!
In our circle of nerdy wristwatchdom, the G-Shock is the one piece of digital wristporn that can be worn to a GTG while bringing a leather watch roll of vintage Heuer chronographs. The respect extends to the three parallel camps of watchfans, the die-hard horological aficionados, the hot drop fashion-conscious, and the people just wanting a bullet-proof everyday timekeeper. As if that wasn’t enough, this year Casio also dipped their toes in the hot market for GPS and sports-tracking wearables inhabited by the likes of Garmin.
Casio GMWB5000-RD-4
This was cool enough for me to forget my age, and prove that the O.G square 5000-series has a life of its own, just as fresh in the metal as it was in resin in the eighties. This shape never gets old. The IP-plating is supposedly red, but has a chameleonic quality making it flash of purple in the sun, while turning a dark burgundy at night. And boy does it it cheer me up, even at about 160 grams feeling much weightier than a normal G-Shock Square. The Bluetooth, solar-powered case of the GMWB5000RD-4, is a stocky 43.2mm-wide by 12.9mm-thick and has a lug-to-lug distance of 49.6mm. Oh, and for the DIY dads out there, bracelet sizing with the G-Shock mini-push pins between the links is a doddle. It just feels right, and the simple linked bracelet has no right to feel as comfortable as it does. Around $600 USD this is a sure-fire way to add a pop of sharp colour to your life.
G-Shock CasiOak Jellfish Rainbow, IFLW x The Dial Artist
The “Casioak” is a big hit, and for almost two years has been a staple beater for many a watch lover, with its slimmer than usual case and cool ironic looks. There is now a huge spectrum of these Oak-a-likes including a new metal cased model that might take the irony a bit too far, but the special editions by The Dial Artist for retailer IFL Watches are the coolest of the lot. From the start with the Galaxy they sell out within minutes, and the latest version based on the jelly-clear GA2100 is a guaranteed way to stay uplifted through the summer, as it has freshness by the bucketload. Price: €549
KITH x G-Shock GM-6900 Rainbow
This spring Casio released this colourful nugget of what? Even after a few months I’m still trying to work out what the hell the KITH for G-Shock GM-6900 Rainbow looks like. A heat shield burnished from re-entry that’s fallen off a Space Shuttle? Gold plating gone chemically wrong? A petrified oil slick? No matter what, it is drop-dead gorgeous, and no matter if the 6900-series is too big for my puny twigs, I’d love to buy it if it hadn’t sold out in like 3 seconds.. There’s a hypnotizing symmetry in the rainbow flash of the case, with a petrol blue (petrified oil slick then) dial and KITH-logoed light button at 6. All the useful and not so useful brilliant functionality of any G-Shock is well and truly present, but on its jelly strap, this is a street-cool accessory, don’t pretend you’re buying it as a sports watch with a stop watch for your running laps.. First sold for $400, this will unfortunately now have multiplied on the pre-owned market I’m afraid.
Casio G-Shock MRGB2000BS3A Hana-Basara
G-Shocks closing in on $10,000 USD, yes that is a thing. And not through pre-owned limited collab hype, no this is factory original, but on an entirely different level altogether. From the top tier of all G’s, the MR-G collection comes this multicoloured metallurgical marvel. The Hana-Basara name comes from a particular type of Samurai armor, and from its tough exterior we get the vibe, and yes it has got to do with the words ostentatious and the Sanskrit word for diamond. So as I am feeling the touch of the Basara Busho, warlords that were battle-ready peacocks, this new MR-G is an assault to the senses. The analog, Tough Solar and radio controlled time is shown on a dial that is breathtaking, and requires serious recalibration for those of you used to a bashed-up $100 G. In a myriad of levels and finishes, with gold, metallic red and dark green in the mix, the dial does a good job battling the case and bracelet for attention. At 49.8mm wide with a 16.9mm height, this ain’t for the shy ones out there, but I love the sheer flex of it all. The bezel is made of Cobarion, a cobalt-chrome alloy no less. At four times the hardness of titanium it is ultra tough and rather glossy in appearance. This Hana-Basara bezel is done by craftsman Kazuhito Komatsu, the alloy presenting a challenge to work with that needed his gemstone cutting techniques. The bracelet is a very dark shade of green, and with the richness of the bronze-golden hue of the AIP plated titanium case, no wonder the 400 pieces are already selling out, even at $8,000 USD
Casio G-Shock GSW-H1000
Can the Casio G-Shock GSW-H1000 cause an upset in the smartwatch market this year? For me, living in Norway where most of my mates are very outdoorsy (you try telling them you don’t like skiing), I’m already seeing a scary decline in mechanical watches. Everyday at the office for many translates to a naked wrist or an Apple Watch, then a Garmin, Polar or Samsung “wearable” for that afternoon run or bike ride. In other words, a growing number of people are already open to the functionality of a smartwatch. For those who still resist, the physical inertia of working from home means that we also need to get active or at least try to avoid the onset of complete muscular atrophy. So the logic of a smartwatch makes increasing sense. But while many watch enthusiasts feel the temptation, they’re not moved by the products offer. One brand, however, makes large, cool digital sports watches that still have the respect of the watch community – Casio G-Shock. Powered by Wear OS by Google, the Casio G-Shock GSW-H1000 is a proper no compromise smartwatch. As a G-Shock it comes with the recognisable battle-proof exterior and design language you’ll see on the arm of everyone from schoolkids to Navy Seal snipers. As a G-Shock it comes with a 200m depth rating and the notion that should you get run over by a tank, only the watch would survive. But now your G-Shock can also spur you on, whether scaling that cliff, doing an ultramarathon like our Nick (massive kudos), or simply counting your steps OUT of the house. Price: $699 USD
G-Shock Full Metal GMWB5000-TER
Why two 5000-series in metal in this list? Well, LOOK AT IT! In the same basic design of my own red-purple metal GMWB5000-RD-4, but madly coloured, ultra-strong and light, very light. Seriously, what is this rainbow-coloured witchcraft? This is still a vaguely recognizable square G, with the odd but comfortable short-lugged case, rounded octagonal brushed “bezel” and crown-guard like protrusions so familiar. Yet this polished, multi hued wonder is $1,700 USD, and made of Super-TIX 20AFG. Huh? Well, it’s a titanium alloy four times (!) as tough as normal titanium and that required six years of research. With a comparable hardness to steel this would be cool even in a single colour, but no. With its dazzling gold case, and a bracelet resplendent in blue, grey, black, red and gold, it is a sight to behold. All of it is mirror-polished, creating a mad theatre of colours should it accidentally (yeah, right) pop out of your cuff and catch a ray of light. A step too far for the humble square-G? Nah, I think it’s just another step in the right, and very exuberant direction of Casio, and a great buy at $1,700 USD