ReviewThe Everyday Superhero: Hands-On With The Casio G-Shock ‘Full Metal’

Let’s start this review with an interesting factoid: a G-Shock holds the Guinness World Record for being a watch that has had the heaviest vehicle driven over it. The officials drove a 24.97 tonne truck over the Casio G-Shock DW5600E-1. This is the first watch by any company that has been able to withstand this monumental challenge. 

The aura of toughness that blankets the entire line of G-Shock watches is by no means accidental. The core concept behind the creation of the G-Shock was that of an ‘unbreakable’ watch. This simple idea conceived by a Casio engineer, Kikuo Ibe, turned into two years of development, during which nearly 200 prototypes were created. The final design of the original G-Shock had 10 layers protecting the quartz timekeeping module. But its most crucial innovation was suspending the quartz mechanism in a free-floating state in a urethane foam cradle, with the outer buttons and LCD module attached with flexible cables. The final product was coined ‘G-Shock’, which stood for ‘gravitational shock’, and was conceived as a watch that would have a superhero-esque ‘triple 10’ resistance rating. This meant that it would have a battery life of 10 years, a water resistance of 10 bar (approximately 100m) and could survive a fall of 10ft.

Coming back to the watch at hand, a fleeting glance at the steel GMW-B5000 affirms a direct derivation from the original G-Shock, the DW-5000C. But instead of an outer case made of resin, this watch wears a ‘full metal jacket’. This raises eyebrows for obvious reasons. A huge part of the G-Shock’s high shock-absorption efficiency was due to its resin construction. Take that away and replace it with a rigid stainless steel shell, and one might be inclined to assume that there will be a lot more shock transferred to the quartz module on impact compared to its resin counterpart. But Casio puts that doubt to rest by assuring us that these all-metal G-Shocks undergo the same kind of testing as their resin siblings, and are just as durable too.

A fleeting glance at the steel GMW-B5000 affirms a direct derivation from the original G-Shock, the DW-5000C. But instead of an outer case made of resin, this watch wears a ‘full metal jacket’ | Photo: Abhinav Bhandari

On The Wrist

Measuring 49.3mm across, 43.2mm vertically and 13mm in thickness, the case is considerably smaller than most G-Shocks. And thanks to its all-metal construction, heavier too. The lugs descend dramatically from the case, and what it all leads to is a hefty watch that sits super comfortably on the wrist. The bracelet feels solid and secure but is plenty flexible at the same time. What really surprises, however, is the level of finishing that has gone into these all-metal timepieces. Now bear in mind, this is a watch that doesn’t even come close to the ₹50,000 mark. However, you still get a mix of a vertically-brushed bezel and a polished case, lugs, and links. Despite its edgy design, there are no sharp edges. The interplay between the brushed and polished surfaces lends it an air of sophistication, atypical of a G-Shock. If one had to nitpick, I’d say pressing any of the four buttons isn’t the most intuitive thing in the world. We found it to be slightly firm and in need of a bit of fiddling to activate.

The case of the GMW-B5000 D1 is considerably smaller than most G-Shocks. And thanks to its all-metal construction, heavier too | Photo: Abhinav Bhandari

₹29,995

Check Our Selling Price

The interplay between the brushed and polished surfaces lends it an air of sophistication, atypical of a G-Shock | Photo: Abhinav Bhandari

₹29,995

Check Our Selling Price

Tech-Talk

The dial of the watch is digital and is connected to a quartz movement. The watch uses a super-twisted nematic (STN) display, which offers excellent viewing angles. The projected text and numbers are crisp and highly legible. The watch also is equipped with what Casio calls a Super Illuminator LED, which is just the brand’s jargon for an LED backlight. It senses ambient light and actuates accordingly, ensuring an effortless time-telling experience in all situations.

Casio has thrown a lot of goodies with the quartz movement that the watch is powered by. For starters, it uses solar energy to replenish the battery, making the watch quite self-sufficient. And for ultra-precise timekeeping, the movement depends on calibration via radio synchronisation with the atomic clock. There’s also the option of Bluetooth connectivity with Casio’s G-Shock smartphone app. In brief, this very capable movement can tell the time in five different time zones simultaneously, track four different alarms, run a stopwatch, keep track of a countdown timer, and to top it all, can also help you find your connected phone if you’ve misplaced it somewhere in the vicinity. All of this sure does make this timepiece a rather heroic all-rounder!

This G-Shock is equipped with Casio's Bluetooth module, allowing for connectivity with a smartphone through the G-Shock app

Epilogue

I call the Casio G-Shock GMW-B5000 D1 ‘Full Metal’ the everyday superhero, not just because of only one powerful quality that it possesses. It is a combination of its unbreakable spirit in a stainless steel construction, with a movement offering endless functions that are somewhat overwhelming, and the fact that the watch is just unbelievably cool. This G-Shock can take a lifetime-worth of beatings, and still live on to tell its story in style. But what appeals to us the most is the relatively affordable price tag it carries, alongside its premium finishing and plethora of features. 

*Cue epic superhero intro music* 

In a world crowded with watches that just aren’t up to the task, the Casio G-shock GMW-B5000 D1 was born with extraordinary powers. Anyone who dons the timepiece on their wrist instantly transforms into an über-cool watch nerd with sheer class! 

What appeals to us the most is the relatively affordable price tag it carries, alongside its premium finishing and plethora of features | Photo: Abhinav Bhandari