The Casio GMWB5000D-1 is a tribute to the original 1983 G-SHOCK but it’s equipped with all the bells and whistles to make it the perfect companion for the Digital Age. Here’s what you need to know.
Classic vibes and today’s technology come together in the all-metal Casio GMWB5000D-1, an evolution of the original G-SHOCK that set the standard for the digital adventure watch back in 1983. It was tough as nails during the Cold War era, and today’s GMWB5000D-1 takes on the Digital Age with smartphone integration via Bluetooth, automatic time zone and Atomic Clock alignment and a solar charged battery. The handsome brushed and polished stainless steel case will resist water up to 200 meters and, of course, is totally shock resistant, making it a thoroughly rugged companion for the most rugged of globetrotters.
In a world increasingly full of less-than-stylish tech-focused watches, the GMWB5000D-1 will never let on that you’re wearing a high-tech, modern device. Instead, this watch is a wrist-worn conversation starter, a good-looking curiosity and a subtle style statement. The case is a big part of this story, with its brushed and polished stainless steel surfaces gleaming, and the bracelet — which is also a tribute to that on the original G-SHOCK — elegantly hugging your wrist with its meticulously finished links.
Though it hides its technology well, the GMWB5000D-1 is a true wolf in sheep’s clothing. The LCD display is a super-twisted nematic unit, or STN, which require less power than standard LCDs. Lighting for the LCD is provided via a rear-mounted Super-Luminator, which is bright and, like the screen itself, highly efficient. These features make the solar charged battery strong enough to offer over a month of power when fully charged, giving the watch virtually limitless power in the dark and freeing you from the hassles of a dead battery. Not changing the battery also means the case seals will never go through unnecessary stresses that can cause leakage of the 200-meter rated case. Those seals are held in place by a black DLC coated solid caseback with enough specifications listed to make the rear view surprisingly compelling.
As a Bluetooth® Connected watch, you can adjust the watch features on your phone via the G-SHOCK Connected app. You’ll also get the most accurate timekeeping known to humankind. The GMWB5000D-1 calibrates itself to the world’s six main Atomic Clock broadcasting points (when available, based on your location), and the number of cities and time zones and daylight-savings regimens available is exhaustive; but you don’t have to think about any of that, as the watch sets it all automatically, automatically approximately 4 times a day via Bluetooth by connecting to the G-SHOCK Connected app. Your calendar will stay on target until the year 2099, accounting for leap-years with no user input.
The five onboard alarms (including one snooze alarm) will be a great friend when you’re looking to stash your phone away at night, and the stopwatch, which will split your timings down to 1/100th of a second (provided you stay under one hour of timing), will provide an entertaining blur of digital numbers. Stopwatch functions include elapsed time, split-time (good for laps and intervals), 1st-2nd place times (dual-split), and a countdown timer with a maximum length of 24 hours.
All of that may sound complicated, but the GMWB5000D-1 is a cinch to operate from its four side-mounted buttons, all of which are labeled clearly on the watch face itself. If you remember the 1980s and owned a Casio then, you’ll recall how intuitive these buttons are, but G-SHOCK has gone further by providing a quick tone-on/off toggle, which makes shutting off an embarrassing alarm super easy (during wedding vows, anyone?).
When connected to your smartphone, the Casio G-SHOCK Connected app will provide all the mod-cons, but if you can’t be bothered with that, or see the GMWB5000D-1 as a panacea to the constant contact of your smartphone, it’ll operate just like a vintage digital G-SHOCK… only better.
Buy Now: $500