I’m sure you’ve heard of Casio G-Shock watches, and if not, you have probably at least seen them in person or in movies. These watches are claimed to be nearly indestructible and are often considered to be the toughest and most resilient watches on the market.
G-Shock watches are shock-resistant, waterproof, and there’s an almost dizzying variety of features. Prices range from $40 to you spent how much?! on a digital watch.
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A lot of people consider G-Shocks to be the best sports and EDC watches available at affordable prices, but are they as well suited for jobsite use as well? What are your thoughts?
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I bought my first G-Shock almost 12 years ago, but misplaced it when its battery died maybe 4-5 years later. I’m set to purchase a Mudman in a couple of days, but if anyone can suggest something better for the $$, I’m all ears!
JRod
I first bought one of these around 1990, I beleive it was called a 5900 or 6900. I was 14 and saved my money to purchase it at Kmart – $65. Seemed like a thousand to me at the time. Had the thing for 1 month, when it was “lifted” from my locker during basketball practice. It had 6 or so different alarms that I had set to coincide with the school bell. A few days after it disappeared, I heard the alarm going off with the bell as I walked down the hall. Long story short, I found the kid who stole, could tell it was my watch, but his absentee dad covered for him and claimed he had bought it. Never did get it back.
2 years ago, something reminded me of the watch and I found the “updated version” on Amazon, the GW-6900. Amazing the style has not changed much in 20 years.
I wear mine everywhere and love that I don’t have to take it off, regardless of what I’m doing. I’m a lawyer by trade, but I also have 10 acres I must maintain. This watch holds up to mower repair, wood chopping and metal grinding.
Blair
I was given one as a Christmas gift about 10 years ago, and aside from replacing the battery a month, or so ago, have pretty much worn it everyday, through some really rough activities. If it were to break for some reason, I would certainly buy another to replace it, but it seems the only way I will be able to upgrade to a newer model is to somehow lose it….lol, it is a serious watch, with true ruggedness.
Kevin
I got one of the first generation GShocks back in the 80s. I must have been in 4th grade or so and saw a commercial of a hockey player slap shooting the watch into a hockey net, I was in awe. I thought it was the coolest thing ever and asked for it for Christmas that year.
It broke a couple of years later in middle school and I replaced it with a slimmer, lighter Timex Ironman and never looked back.
The Ironman became my everyday watch for years all through middle school,high school, college, work, etc , it was extremely useful for timing speeches, exams, cooking, commutes, etc.
Then a couple of years ago I lost mine and when I went to replace it I found out Timex no longer makes the standard classic 2 button Ironman anymore, why they chose to no longer make the classic model that they made for decades is beyond me.
Now I just use my phone.
Blair
After looking at the Amazon site, I found that the one I have is still made! It’s the DW9052, very little difference in the one I still have, and the Casio site states the expected battery life to be two years, guess I must have had super cells to last as long as they did.
I can certainly recommend this watch , (and I saw some others I wouldn’t mind having), if you are looking for a durable timepiece.
Stan
I have a similar version from Casio but it has no battery. It charges itslef via sunlight through the watch face. It also automatically updates the time everyday by radio signal which is the reason I bought it. Overall a very cool watch but it’s a little big for everyday wear.
Mac
Love my G-Shocks! Went through far too many watches that just couldn’t take a pounding (more than 1/year). I figured it was a disposable item, $20-$30. A friend recommended spending a few extra bucks and getting a G-Shock. In the past I resisted due to cost, and thought I’d bust them too. Got a cheaper one as a birthday gift. That was almost 10 years ago. It’s had a new battery, that’s about it. I have three now.
I doubt you will be disappointed, and yes, they are nearly perfect for the jobsite.
Nick
Get a DW5600 for a job site. That way its not banging around on everything especially in tight spaces.
You can also get the miltary style DW5600MS-1.
Be aware though, G-Shocks are in high demand so prices are going to be upwards. Their factory was flooded last late year so some models are becoming hard to find, thus the price is going up. I hear around May they are going to be back to normal.
W.L.
I like the looks of a G-Shock watch, but the cases are generally too thick for my uses. Too thick to fit under the cuff of a coat, or constantly banging it into things at work or around the home. Also, all the features end up being wasted on me. The alarms, timers, chronographs, calendars, etc. don’t get used.
The watch on my wrist is usually some sort of Seiko automatic. They’re rugged, simple, elegant, and right in line price range-wise with the Casio G-shock range. I wear a Seiko “Spork” (Model #SRP043K1) pretty much all the time and really enjoy it’s accuracy, style, and heft.
tenno
Hai,
Dude the pic watch shown is among the best watch
Ultimate EDC g shock watch(my opinion only)
The reasone y is it got tempreture reading compas n ultimately it solar powered it go green watch save on battery n your green
Vonn Punzalan
In my honest opinion, I just bought (02/22/2017) the toughest watch in the world- GW5000! Right off the bat, this Casio watch is insanely accurate! Compared to my other watches, I’d say that this is totally magnificent in its accuracy – being already programmed to sync with the atomic clocks all over the world, wow! Also, I like the power reserve display (L-M-H), paralleling my other automatic diver (Orient Pro WV0101EL) w/c gives me ample time to swing it back and forth to re-wind, or in this case expose to sunlight for re-charging. The old tough solar (G2310) I had back in my military days, still is working… 16 years and counting, all original untouched, incredible! My police son, John uses it now as his daily beater! This new one may outlast me; based on my genetics I’m probably good for another 13 years or so?! Reading the manual, there’s a lot of info and features that this Japan-made, classic designed Casio makes available for u. Pleasant, convenient stuff that other watches cannot touch. If you buy this same and ever get discombobulated as to time, date, and place – just look at your watch, presto! I have family in the Philippines, friends in Italy and Australia; can call them at a not-so-inconvenient time thanks to its world time feature. The combination resin-metal bracelet is beyond exceptional, light but very durable construction. Magnetism was never an issue with my old G-shock, so does this and my Sinn 757 DIAPAL, I bought from Germany.
My brother, Orval is a G-shock collector from the classics to the newest models. His Audemars Piguet RO he showed me this past Christmas was as big as his Casio Glide, but nowhere near as indestructible, or so he says. My other brothers, Ted (DeepSea) and Bokjoi (Daytona), are Rolex connoisseurs (the latter having just added a Patek Phillippe ref. 5205G to his stable), but both swear by their utilitarian Casio square digitals as an everyday carry watch. To say that we are a Casio family, is an understatement!
PLUSSES: 200+m ISO certified, world time, atomic sync, solar, timer, awesome bracelet (possibly the best Casio has ever put in its watches!), 10 months reserve power, etc…
MINUSES: None or maybe one – at night the light duration is very quick, short 2 seconds? It would be nice to have a lume like my Seikos, staying long and very bright. Not a ding on this watch but I have to hold the button longer to see the time in dark places?!
Overall, this Casio is the perfect watch for me, my personal holy-grail…YEAH!! This is the ultimate timing machine… not BMW, but the Ferrari or Porsche of all watches!!! Personally, despite my house safe-hoarding fine Rolexes (Explorer II and Perpetual-date), Omegas (2 Seamasters and a Constellation), Sinn (chrono), Seiko (Kinetic and Monster divers), Orient (Pro-Sat-Diver), and old Casios (digital, calculator, edifice), this latest Casio acquisition will be my go-to watch, apocalypse or not, it is that GOOD!!!!!!!
Bill N
Hear, Hear…….nothing beats a GShock. And there are so many variations on price and function, you can never go wrong. Believe it!
Whit
I don’t remember how many of the G-Shock watches I’ve had or how many batteries and bands I have replaced. My current watch is the DW-5600E which is not one of their larger watches. I am waiting for a replacement band keeper at the moment. I had two of these but one got water in it and the other the face broke so I combined the two to get one working watch. I was stationed on an island in the pacific for 16 months and used my G-Shock while scuba diving. Mind you it was not the dive watch. Several months after returning to the mainland I was taking a bath and noticed it had water in it. I’m looking at the new watches and the features mine doesn’t have. I like the solar feature with a battery that is said to last 10 years. I also like the atomic time keeping and compass but to get both I’ll have to spend close to $200. I would like to try one on as well to check the size. If anyone has experience with the compass I’m curious how accurate it is.