Casio G-Shock GA100-1A2

One of the interesting things about watch enthusiasts is the fondness that so many of them have for the humble Casio G-SHOCK. Inexpensive, tough, and coming in a seemingly endless number of models, almost every watchnerd I’ve met seems to have owned one at some point.

I can’t say that they are the type of watch I’d wear, but here is one, the GA100-1A2, that aesthetically at least, looks slightly more attractive to me, by virtue of it also having an analog, component, rather than being purely digital.

This is a large watch. At 55mm x 51mm x 17mm, it is not for the small of wrist. This is a photo of it on a 7.5 inch wrist.

So what functions does this quartz analog/ digital watch have? Well, it's almost a case of what it doesn’t have, but here is a list of its functions and specifications :

*Magnetic resistance

*LED light (auto light, afterglow)

*Auto light switch, selectable illumination duration, afterglow

*World timer : 29 time zones (48 cities) with coordinated universal time, daylight saving setting, home city / world time city swapping

*1/1000-second stopwatch (total of 100 hours)

*Measuring modes: Elapsed time, lap time, split time

*Speed measurement function (MAX1998unit / h, unit 2unit / h)

*Mach indicator (speed exceeding 1225 units / hour)

*Countdown timer

*5 independent daily alarms (4 one-time alarms and 1 snooze alarm)

*Hourly time signal

*Digital calendar to 2099.

*12/24-hour format

*Accuracy: ±15 seconds per month

*Approx. battery life: 2 years on CR1220

*Waterproof to 200m

It is made from stainless steel and plastic, with a screwed-in back and resin strap. At a mere 70g, this watch is extremely light, which makes it quite wearable in spite of its size.

If you take a look at this link, you’ll see that G-Shocks are pretty tough beasts. If you wish to replicate these tests, I’d love to hear your results.

There are very robust watches that are made of more expensive materials, such as Sinn’s tegimented steel watches, but if you’re looking for a casual, low maintenance, durable and inexpensive watch that you don’t have to worry about, especially if you want multiple functionality (this model has rather more functions than most), Casio’s G-SHOCKs are well worth considering.

One of the interesting things about the G-SHOCKs is that the range is so wide that they appeal to everyone from those who want a sturdy accurate watch purely for functional purposes, to geeks, to those who buy multiples of the simpler more colourful models as fashion items.

For more information about the origins of the G-SHOCK, and about its design and shock resistance, go to the dedicated G-SHOCK website here. If you want to see the other colour variants of the GA100, you can find them here.

[AP]