What I Learned About G-Shocks

This article is a transcript of a video that you can watch by clicking the thumbnail below. Hence, certain statements may not make sense in this text form, and watching the video instead is recommended.

Intro

Is it a surprise that the two things I have a craze about today are both battle-tested in space? This was meant to be. Just as it happened to me with ThinkPads, which is starting from knowing nothing about them and then eventually getting to know them a little too closely, I’ve also learned a lot about G-Shocks, and here I’ll discuss twelve of such things that I learned in the last couple of months.

What I Learned

1. Different Sizes: Not all G-Shocks are the same, and some are clearly not made for smaller wrists. It isn’t necessarily dependent on how huge the watch looks, but its a combination of the dimensions, along with several other design factors that let even the chunkiest of watches fit like a glove on slender wrists.
2. Parallels with non-G-Shocks: Many G-Shock models have non-G-Shock equivalents from other Casio lineups like the ProTrek series. This means that you can get a similar product with reduced toughness for a lower price, but with very similar features.
3. Colors: If a particular model doesn’t appeal to you, you may be able to find that one variant or colorway that would feel just right, and eventually change the way you feel about that particular model.
4. Module numbers: Casio also identifies its watches through module numbers, which are at times reused across watches. This means that two different-looking G-Shocks could use the same modules, and hence come with the same exact user’s manual.
5. Tiers: Not all G-Shocks are the same. There are regular G-Shocks that are tougher than your normal watch, but the ones from the Master of G Collection are even tougher. Collections like MTG and MRG are into luxury and cost the most money. You will often see the same model being sold as a regular G-Shock and also as an MRG model with several upgrades in material, finish, and more.
6. Features vary: Certain G-Shocks are pretty basic in terms of the features they offer, while others are feature-packed and try to achieve all in a single package. There are watches in between these two extremes that are designed for a very particular kind of user, for example, Mudman for mud resistance, Frogman for diving, Gulfman for fishermen and other marine workers, and GravityMaster for pilots. Apart from standard G-Shock features, all these watches also come with features focused on the specific kind of use they’re made for.
7. Reset method: All G-Shocks I’ve seen come with a reset switch underneath the back cover. This is needed after a battery replacement, and is pretty simple to perform with a pair of tweezers by shorting the “AC” contact with the positive terminal of the battery for a few seconds.
8. Can be modded: Many G-Shocks also support aftermarket mods that can let you customize your G-Shock to your taste and give you a sense of personalization.
9. Analog and digital: Some G-Shocks are entirely digital, some are all analog, and there are the rest that are a combination of both. The third category works pretty much like a digital watch, with the analog hands being driven in accordance to the digital elements.
10. Innovation hasn't stagnated: To an outsider, it may look like G-Shocks have been the same since they were introduced in 1983. That obviously isn’t true, and Casio has been introducing new technology and design changes incrementally over the years, just as other brands do to their products. For example, we’ve seen several improvements like the display technology, backlighting, battery power efficiency, weight, shock-resistance, sensor accuracy, etc.
11. One can settle with only one G-Shock: Though many would talk about that one G-Shock that would suffice for all your needs, for example, the GWM-5610, this is often not the case in reality. Most G-Shock owners end up having a collection, each for different uses and occasions.
12. G-Shocks are like ThinkPads of watches: I found G-Shocks to be the closest equivalent of ThinkPads, not only in the world of wristwatches, but also across tools in general. These things are abundant in terms of choices, are very reliable, offer great value for money, and allow the user to fix or replace parts if needed.