This meant nothing short of creating a new standard-bearer for G-SHOCK, re-envisioned from the vintage point of the brand’s beginnings, now some 30 years after the AW500’s debut. G-SHOCK has always embraced the spirit of challenge in it’s untiring pursuit of the ultimate toughness. It was 1982 when the resolve to build a watch that would never break produced the very first G-SHOCK — the DW5000. Not much later, in 1989, the AW500 arrived, offering the same shock resistance but in an analog watch.
And perhaps that’s the most important factor of all in explaining the GA-2100’s success. Many of us harbour warm feelings towards the G-Shock because it is a watch we grew up with – possibly, even, the first watch we ever owned. So, a G-Shock that one can wear unironically whether you’re into watches, streetwear or – as is increasingly the case – both?
But there is certainly more scope to wear this in a business environment. The Rolex GMT-Master II is often seen as ideal “business attire” and yet it is no more baby g shock graceful than this model on the wrist (certainly not the modern versions, that’s for sure). So is this model a more “grown-up” version of the resin model?
The 45mm GA A1ER “Stealth” model has been designed to present a full blackout dial picture and the slightly smaller 43mm GMA-S2100-1AER which is also predominantly black but with polished rose gold indices and hands. Light, comfortable, very high eye appeal for the money, main hands surprisingly readable, other features not so much and I like how it doesn’t scream g shock protection G Shock in design, size and case wording. Those with narrower wrists don’t even think about the watch not fitting properly or seeming overly wide, which is a common issue with bigger G-Shock watches. Even though the display is bigger than the DW-5600, it wears similarly. It’s really an analog-digital version of the earlier DW-5600 with a few more functions.
This is a solid daily wear and the specs back that up. Select a color by clicking on a colored square located at the left to display all the watches matching that color. The all-black sombre elegance of the GA A1ER, the classic Casioak, pairs well even with a nice olive green shirt and tailored chinos. The hidden benefit of slim wrists, is the ability to get even quite chunky watches under a nice cuff and, for me, these types of style contrasts rule. OK, so the business meeting changed to another bloody Teams video chat , but no one knew, as the sharp shirt remained. To even consider a G-Shock with a shirt says much about the blacked-out versatility of this darkest reference, and while not exactly svelte, the lightweight build makes it a joy to wear.
The carbon-reinforced stainless steel GM-2100 case is 44.4mm wide, 11,8mm thick, and 49.3mm from lug-to-lug. Behind that mineral crystal, you will find an LED light, luminous hour and minute hands and markers, a pointer day indicator, and a digital screen. That digital screen features a 1/100 stopwatch function , a 12/24-hour display, a timer (up to 24-hours), a world timer function, an automatic calendar, and an alarm function . You can move the hands out of the way of the digital display with a simple push of a button. Delivered on a resin strap with a metal buckle, the watch is water-resistant to 200 meters and gives the impression of being so.