And then the G-SHOCK GA-2100 series caught my eye – and fit my wrist. Thanks to its Carbon Core Guard architecture, the GA-2100 is the thinnest analog-digital G-SHOCK’s ever made. A new carbon core guard structure protects the module by enclosing it in a carbon case. The case is made of fine resin embedded with carbon fibers for outstanding strength and crack resistance. Not a small watch by any means, but it’s also significantly smaller than many popular G-Shocks, which measure closer to 50mm and have unusual geometry that can make them a tough wear.
Unfortunately, it does not have either, but given the price of this watch, the omission is appropriate. I’ve had experience with some of the affordable square-cased G-Shocks and one of my main complaints is that the buttons were hard to press, even with a fingernail. Casio has made the buttons on the CasiOak slightly longer, making them easy to press with the pad of your finger.
Dive watches and chronographs dominate his collection as he is a die hard tool watch fan. Will believes that you should wear a watch how you want to. The strap features a quick-release mechanism which I have not seen on a G-Shock before. It makes one wonder if Casio will be offering alternate straps for the CasiOak.
The strap is fit for purpose and it has a quick release, but it isn’t easy to find an alternative aftermarket strap for this model. The only gripe with these is that they kept the buttons silver – this is the only non-stealth aspect of the watch. The use of the Carbon Core Guard structure allows the GA-2100 to be the slimmest G-Shock of all current models. The height and width of the watch is considered mid-size, rather than the large size of most analog G-Shock watches, and the watch wears very light and comfortably. The GA-2100 is currently the lightest analog-digital G-Shock model at 51 grams.
Though the display is larger than a DW-5600, it wears very similarly, and I like to think of it as an analog-digital version of the DW-5600, but with a few more features. There is no doubt that the similarity has garnered the GA-2100 a lot of attention online, which gave it more publicity than other recent models. While it is definitely a distinctive bezel, it is a smaller and less obtrusive one than other G-Shock models. This gives the watch a more conservative look, while still retaining signature G-Shock elements with the case and band. The dial of the GA-2100 offers a refined style that isn’t too busy and looks both contemporary and timeless.
Starting with the bezel and we’re off to the best possible start. The octagon is a classic shape that works so well on a watch. My G history has been quite short, spanning maybe only a year and a half at best. The daily alarm reminds you about recurring events with an acoustic signal at the time you have set. This model has 5 independent alarms for flexible reminders of important appointments. The button tones for using the mode button can be turned off.