G-Shock Dresses Up Its ‘CasiOak’ in All Black. It’s Never Looked Better

In the past seven years, we’ve seen G-Shock’s 2100 line in just about every colorway imaginable. And yet, the all-black variants continue to set themselves apart from the pack by adroitly nailing the balance of toughness and versatility that’s made the watch range so desirable among collectors.

However, the Japanese watchmaker’s latest stealthy take on the “CasiOak” model might be arguably the sleekest we’ve ever seen.

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Subtle refinement

Finally landing in the United States, the 2100 Luxe Black takes the classic octagonal-bezeled streetwear favorite and actually revises the design a bit. This isn’t a new generation of the CasiOak, per se, but more of a spin-off intended for dressier occasions. 

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Casio

For starters, the timepiece is given a matte black dial finish that’s notably darker than possibly any 2100 before it. According to the brand, its textured surface “suppresses reflections and absorbs light.” The analog display is also paired with a reverse LCD digital display in the corner to match the black motif.

Rather than just altering the colorway and calling it a day, G-Shock also redesigned the handset ever so slightly. The hour and minute hands feature slimmer, more extended proportions. The hour markers have been revised as well, with a new PVD treatment called “circular metallic evaporation,” which helps them achieve deeper, richer tones.

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“Each dial element has been individually reconsidered to express the essential qualities of a product designed for long-term appreciation,” says the watchmaker. As such, the indices are now sharper and higher in contrast for legibility, too.

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The varieties

Four references are available upon launch: two resin-based models (GA2100LXB-1A and GA2100LXB-1A9) and two stainless steel-based models (GM2100LXB-1A and GM2100LXB-1A9). Within the all-black cases, the 1A variants feature subtle silver accents, while the 1A9 variants are accented in gold. The resin-based 1A9 especially advances the coloring with gold hour markers as well.

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Aside from their materials, the major difference between the two styles is their size. The GA2100 models stretch 45.4mm across while the GM2100 models are 44.4mm across.

All four models ship with bio-based resin straps. However, the ones for the steel references are stamped with a texture that continues the one from the dial.

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Your standard 2100 features are all accounted for here, like the stopwatch, the countdown timer, the world time function, daily alarms and the full auto-calendar. It’s also shock resistant and water resistant to 200m, as per usual.

Availability and pricing

Available now from G-Shock’s website, the 2100 Luxe Black is priced at $145 for the resin models and $260 for the steel models.

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G-Shock 2100 Luxe Black

• Starts at $145

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