Should G-Shock be part of a watch enthusiast's collection?
In my early days as a self-proclaimed watch enthusiast, I quickly came to focus exclusively on mechanical watches, considering quartz ones less interesting. Time has passed, and I now wear a digital, quartz watch. How did this happen?
Reminiscence.
If someone asked me what my first watch was, I would say "Festina". I remember that little quartz watch well, playing with its rotating bezel, which hasn't really changed to this day. Now that I'm writing these lines, though, I realise I was wrong.
My very first watch was a Casio. I don't know what became of it. Did I sell it? No. Did I lose it? Maybe. All I know is that I no longer have it, and that's a shame.
After a quick search, I found back the model I wore as a child. I remember loving the colors: blue, red, white and gold that made this watch sporty. More than the aesthetics, I remember how I felt with this Casio on my wrist: some pride. Subconsciously, I knew that it was an ideal partner for all adventures, those of a ten year old child at least. I also felt pride because I was wearing a "grown-up" watch.
Back to the Origin.
As I said earlier, once I fell in love with mechanical watches, I no longer planned to buy a quartz watch again, because I thought I had moved up a level. It was a rather reductive view, which I've thankfully let go of. Above all, given my history with the Casio W-64, it meant ignoring the origin of my passion.
A few years ago, however, came the desire to wear a watch without fear of mistreating it, a watch with no pretension other than being used for what it was built for. I was unconsciously drawn to Casio's "rugged" brand: G-Shock. I worried the watches would be too big for my wrist, but I discovered the Origin range, the smallest yet equally reliable line, and in particular the DW-5600BB-1ER.
The DW-5600BB-1ER has plenty of useful features: the time, of course, a stopwatch, a timer that can restart automatically (really handy for training sessions, for instance), a daily alarm (time setting only) or an alarm for a specific day and time (month, day and time), and an automatic calendar! When you use the timer or stopwatch, you can still read the time, as the watch shows it at the top of the screen. Some might see this as a gimmick. On the contrary, it's very convenient: you don't need to go back to the main screen and lose sight of the stopwatch or timer to check the time.
Each time you press a button, except the backlight one, a tiny sound can be heard, which becomes higher-pitched when you return to the time display. It reminds me of playing with the buttons on my Casio W-64. The pushers are well protected by the shape of the case, some would say too well protected. I have to admit it can be quite tricky to use them, in particular the reset button (top left), which sits more deeply in the case. Short nails are not recommended!
Like many G-Shock watches, the DW-5600BB-1ER is made of resin. This resin is one of the many things that make the watch tough. The resin strap is designed so that the watch can stand up on its own. Above all, it protects the case back in case of a fall.
Thanks to its resin body, the DW-5600BB-1ER is also light, so light that you very quickly forget it's on your wrist. Its low weight lets it balance almost anywhere.
According to G-Shock, the mineral glass is tough and scratch-resistant, perhaps not quite as resistant as sapphire. Even so, the glass on my DW-5600BB-1ER is as clean as new, thanks to the fact that it sits deep enough in the case. If you're still worried about it, you can fit "bull bars" over it. I don't have these, but I'll admit they add even more character. The glass has no anti-reflective coating, so photographing this watch is a challenge!
As you may notice, the dial is black and all the information is white, or bright if you prefer. Usually it's the other way round. This quirk makes the DW-5600BB-1ER easier to wear, more dressy, dare I say.
The DW-5600BB-1ER has more than just features to offer. It also has a great story to tell.
An affordable piece of history.
Buying a G-Shock is a far cry from buying a mechanical watch from a century-old Swiss manufacture. For less than a hundred euros, though, you can wear a watch with a fairly unique history.
In the early 1980s, Mr Kikuo Ibe, a leading watch designer at Casio, destroyed the watch his father had given him by dropping it on the ground. Not wanting to go through that again, he set up a project team of just three members with the goal of building an indestructible watch. The Triple 10 concept was born. They wanted to create a watch able to survive a fall from 10 metres, withstand 10 bars of pressure and run for 10 years. Despite many tests, Mr Ibe and his team struggled to reach their goal.
Legend has it that the shock-resistant system was born as he watched children playing in a park. Mr Ibe noticed that the inner workings of a bouncing rubber ball stay completely unaffected by impact. This observation led his team to develop a watch with a hollow design, in which the inner module is held in place as if floating.
Since then, G-Shock has developed many demanding reliability tests. The brand has filmed plenty of convincing and entertaining experiments. You can see G-Shock watches handle shocks and vibrations, crushing, deep dives and even a 44 km free fall from the stratosphere.
Tested and approved.
I tested my watch in various situations, far more humble ones, of course. This watch is comfortable everywhere. You can wear it in an urban, sporty setting, at a skate park for instance.
With the DW-5600BB, you can hike through the forest, over muddy terrain. It has no fear of heavy rain or immersion, thanks to its 200 metres of water resistance.
In 2019, I had the chance to go sledging on the shores of Lake Tegernsee, at Rottach-Egern, in southern Germany. Make no mistake about "sledging": in Germany, it's taken as seriously as skiing. It has dedicated runs. It's fast, technical and sometimes quite scary. On those icy, risky slopes, my G-Shock did the job.
After two years of ownership, I really trust my G-Shock, and I'm not the only one. The brand can boast of being flight-qualified for NASA space travel with its DW-5600C/E, DW-5900, DW-6600 and DW-6900 models.
G-Shock is approved by many armed forces and police units, thanks to its toughness but also its many functions. Among its many collaborations, G-Shock worked with the British Army to build a watch that could accompany soldiers in the most difficult conditions. This partnership gave rise to the impressive GG-B100BA-1AER.
Yes, it should.
Through this experience, I learned that what matters is what a watch can bring to its wearer: design, functionality, emotion, memories and pleasure.
A quartz watch, and a G-Shock in particular, can provide all of this. So yes, a G-Shock can have a place in any watch enthusiast's collection.
This is especially true of the DW-5600BB-1ER, one of the most versatile G-Shock watches, even if you might struggle to pair it with a suit or a dress. If you're looking for a humble but credible watch, one with a history of its own and approved by many demanding professions, then visit a G-Shock boutique.
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