A G-Shock knows nothing of ostentation. It doesn’t care about the distinction of its wearer. It's remarkably unfussy. There's something about a G-Shock that goes against the core principles of purist watch obsessives: It works off a small circuit board, it's made from tech-forward materials, and it was born in 1983, centuries after the era when the first watchmakers started writing the history of the mechanical timepiece.
And yet, the G-Shock GA2100 1-A-1 is perhaps the single G-Shock that's most likely to convert people who don’t generally embrace the line of rugged watches.. And it does that all for $99.00.
Historically, Casio has indulged in the frequent introduction of new G-Shock models. Since Kikuo Ibe introduced the hard-wearing watch to the world, the range of models has grown dramatically, with certain models spawning sub-followings within the larger G-Shock world, but the GA2100 1-A-1 has found popularity with folks beyond the typical G-Shock fanbase.
So how does this sub-$100 watch manage to charm like the best of them? To start, it's the thinnest G-Shock currently in production. The case is 11.8mm tall, and even more, it wraps around the wrist in a way that makes it feel even thinner. Its plastic case is practically weightless if you're used to wearing an even a modestly proportioned 316L case. By design, the strap is angled down so that there's little room at any point between the 48.5mm case and the watch. There’s something else notable about the case, and that's the Carbon Core Guard tech that's incorporated. The case is constructed with a thin layer of carbon fiber in order to bolster its strength so the overall amount of material used in the case can be decreased, without sacrificing any sort of material strength. The Carbon Core Guard doesn't change the feeling on the wrist, but it does inspire a sense of confidence that the watch would be fine even if it were run over by a car. There’s a reason why G-Shocks are often worn by military and law enforcement personnel. (...)
And what's more, it’s still very much an analog piece in that it features a traditional dial layout. Casio, king of digital timekeeping, is still fighting the good fight when it comes to keeping analog alive with the GA2100 1-A-1. Sort of. There is a digital display on the southeast quadrant of the dial, and that's where you can cycle through all the aforementioned functions. And of course it lights up by pressing the clearly labeled "light" button at 2 o'clock. There’s even an analog day indicator at 9 o'clock.
And if a basic Royal Oak retails at $20,400, that means that a G-Shock would be 0.5% the cost at $99. Talk about a value proposition! Not to mention with the GA2100 1-A-1 you get a series of complications like a perpetual calendar, chronograph, chiming alarm, worldtimer, and great lume to boot. Oh yeah, it also runs well within COSC specs. And servicing costs? Don't even worry about it. You can take it off, throw it at a brick wall, and it will run just the same.
And yet, the G-Shock GA2100 1-A-1 is perhaps the single G-Shock that's most likely to convert people who don’t generally embrace the line of rugged watches.. And it does that all for $99.00.
Historically, Casio has indulged in the frequent introduction of new G-Shock models. Since Kikuo Ibe introduced the hard-wearing watch to the world, the range of models has grown dramatically, with certain models spawning sub-followings within the larger G-Shock world, but the GA2100 1-A-1 has found popularity with folks beyond the typical G-Shock fanbase.
So how does this sub-$100 watch manage to charm like the best of them? To start, it's the thinnest G-Shock currently in production. The case is 11.8mm tall, and even more, it wraps around the wrist in a way that makes it feel even thinner. Its plastic case is practically weightless if you're used to wearing an even a modestly proportioned 316L case. By design, the strap is angled down so that there's little room at any point between the 48.5mm case and the watch. There’s something else notable about the case, and that's the Carbon Core Guard tech that's incorporated. The case is constructed with a thin layer of carbon fiber in order to bolster its strength so the overall amount of material used in the case can be decreased, without sacrificing any sort of material strength. The Carbon Core Guard doesn't change the feeling on the wrist, but it does inspire a sense of confidence that the watch would be fine even if it were run over by a car. There’s a reason why G-Shocks are often worn by military and law enforcement personnel. (...)And what's more, it’s still very much an analog piece in that it features a traditional dial layout. Casio, king of digital timekeeping, is still fighting the good fight when it comes to keeping analog alive with the GA2100 1-A-1. Sort of. There is a digital display on the southeast quadrant of the dial, and that's where you can cycle through all the aforementioned functions. And of course it lights up by pressing the clearly labeled "light" button at 2 o'clock. There’s even an analog day indicator at 9 o'clock.
And if a basic Royal Oak retails at $20,400, that means that a G-Shock would be 0.5% the cost at $99. Talk about a value proposition! Not to mention with the GA2100 1-A-1 you get a series of complications like a perpetual calendar, chronograph, chiming alarm, worldtimer, and great lume to boot. Oh yeah, it also runs well within COSC specs. And servicing costs? Don't even worry about it. You can take it off, throw it at a brick wall, and it will run just the same.
by Cole Pennington, Bloomberg | Read more:
Image: Hodinkee
