These Casio are a dream come true for me. Someday I'll save money for them. In Russia, such watches are very expensive for an ordinary worker. We have very popular Skmei 1628, this is an analogue of good quality. Thanks for the review. Peace and goodness to you!
Hopefully these watches become attainable in your location soon. I'm glad there's some alternatives available to you though - if you enjoy them then all is good! Thanks for watching my video and commenting. Peace and goodness over to your side of the world, too.
I own Casios and also the Skmei 1628. The Skmei is a far better watch than it should be at that price. I think I got it for slightly under $10. Incredible backlight. In terms of function, no different from the base model 5600E. And a very comfortable silicone strap.
I'm not sure i would ever buy a watch by a Chinese manufacturer. There is this less popular Indian brand that is big in the middle East called "Titan". Very high quality for the price, worth a try.
Back in the early '70s while living in Japan, I purchased my first CASIO watch. It looked like the current DW-5600. It was called the "Mariner" and I wore it during my military service, college, and beyond. It finally died, and I've purchased numerous more expensive watches, e.g., Seiko, Citizen; but when CASIO released the DW-5600, I bought it. It's been my favorite everyday wear watch for the last 20+ years. I've had to replace the band (always get the genuine CASIO G-Shock watchband; and not a knockoff) and the battery at least twice or more times. I always take it to a watch repair shop to have the battery replaced because I want the shop to pressure test it to see if the gasket needs replacing since I use it for swimming, kayaking, and surfing. I finally realized that the cost of the replacing the watch band and battery is MORE expensive than buying a new one. ONE HINT: When the backlight goes dim or doesn't light, that's your first and most obvious clue that you need to replace the battery. Everything else will work except the backlight.
When you buy a new one you could get the GW5610 instead then you'll never need to worry about changing the battery again because it is charged by solar power.
I came to the G-shcok party late in life, and had a time wading through the hundreds of different models to find the one that worked best for me. Settled on the GW-M5610U and haven't regretted it. For me, a couple extra bucks for solar and multi-band made sense, but the higher tiers had such dementing returns that it wasn't worth it.
The 5610 with solar and multiband is the perfect time telling tool. Never needs charging, never needs setting and because it's so tough, never needs fixing! Perfection!
I am just about to order my first G-Shock; I don't need most of the modern features, but I do need a robust gym-watch to replace my old Timex. There is nothing like the feeling of horror you get when you realize that the metal shackles on the Triceps machine are about to crush the plastic crystal on your Omega Speedy Pro! --Old Guy
I have too much stuff needing to be charged, so G Shock will never be obsolete. All the stuff on smart watches sound nice but I've never been one to keep track of my pulse or any of that while working out or riding. Aside from health stuff, the rest in on my phone. I have the GW5600 which is solar powered which means not only do I not worry about charging, but I don't need batteries either. I suppose in about 20 years there'll be solar smart watches and I bet G Shock will be the first with those.
Bought my first one a couple of years ago…the 5610. Its simply a tough, reliable GADA watch that I’ll never get rid of. I have several,watches, and I use the 5610 to set all of the automatics when needed. I also just bought a Casioak GA-B2100 that is another GADA watch. You just can’t beat these G-Shocks!!
Well said - you can't beat the versatility of these and no reason to not have one in the collection. I do the same thing and set my automatics from my G-Shock. The source of truth! Thanks for the comment and for watching.
My first G-Shock was a 1998 DW-9350 Raysman. The watch module is brilliant, working perfectly after 26 years. Unfortunately, the same could not be said of its resin bezel and strap. They crumbled away after 4 years and Casio never provided spares. I now have a collection of G-Shock squares including a number of GMW-B5000 stainless steels, a GW-5000U-1JF and my everyday cheapy, the G-5600UE. The GW-5000U-1JF is my favorite as it looks like the closest thing to the original DW-5000C with its resin bezel, strap and stainless-steel inner core. It's made for the JDM and Euro markets. There's no need for me to use anything else, other than G-Shock digitals.
Got a dw5000c? (the one in speed, screw case back, reminder indicator, shit light) in 1991 when i was a kid, loved that thing and it lasted ages, eventually the rubber parts fell apart and the battery died in about 2002. Had a few watches since then. Got a dw5600e (everything i loved about my first one plus the illuminator backlight) in 2012 and just changed the battery and bezel this month, should last me another decade or so.
Had the OG back in the mid 80s- purchased with grass cutting and paper route money. No idea what happened to that watch but I sure wish I still had it.
The G-Shock and other watches like it are still relevant to the people like me who believe a watch is just that... a watch.... something that I can look at to see what time it is or what the date is if I forget.... I don't need my watch to give me health tips, look at text messages, answer phone calls, or anything else... that's why I have a smart phone, iPhone to be exact... That either does or can do pretty much anything I want it to.... I have the classic G-Shock along with many other Cassio including my favorite the GD - 350... even the basics functions that they have I don't particularly use, but it's nice that they are there if I need them... I personally don't need my watch to give me any other information except the time and date... So your observation of the G-Shock and other watches being obsolete is strictly your opinion, and not necessarily those of everybody else, including myself.... Simply put, what may not work for you Ken and still does work for others
You've got a lead into an interesting topic. First watch was a Seiko matic lady diver. Mechanical watches gave way to quartz gave way to wrist computers (smart watches). Smart watches need frequent recharging - no real need to elaborate. Watch collecting includes nerdy hobbists to investment speculators. In a consumer society watches rapidly evolved from utilitarian tool to status symbols indicating tribal memberships. In the post GFC/repo crisis world I'm inclined to be seen in a g-shock gw-5000U. Smart watches take tracking devices to the next level.
I'm glad you highlighted that topic. I have a video planned to explore this topic a little more. Great observation on how broad the watch collecting hobby is - it's somehow very niche but universal at the same time and captures a lot of different types of people. Thanks for watching my video and taking the time to contribute a great comment.
Great video man. As a seventeen year old kiwi infantryman I went down and got the flash modern G-SHOCK circa 2012 military insert all that rubbish here. Did me well, for a few years. Two weeks into a deployment to Iraq and the heat fried the fucking bastard... Not even fourteen days for a 650 NZD watch. SO jumped on amazon... the DW-5600E was the only one I could get. I was hesitant. I am on my second " post army " DW-5600e, its pristine even after half a decade of welding. A fine watch for something that works..... always. Admittedly it was used for purpose... but that dim green back light ? Brilliant.
I'm thinking of getting a g shock. I have a Garmin Fenix for sport, but i wear it so rarely. It takes some work to get it correctly configured. I don't want to get notifications on it. If i take it outside Bluetooth range of my phone it sometimes won't reconnect. I found recently that i hadn't worn it in six months. Now I've just bought a casio 800. It's really small and light and just tells the time :) maybe I'll look into a 5610u at some stage.
Can i charge tough solar one in direct sunlight, will heat impact the watch and for how long i will charge in direct bright sunlight for full battery charge
$150 Australian? Woah man.. That's a eye-popping price. We have something called "Wal-mart" in the USA and they are sold there for $40. Even that is too high and can be found cheaper. I bought a new GMWB5000D-1 years ago for $300. You really should take a look at the silver metal g-shock square. I have the silver/gold/wine-red/matte black and the silver gets the most time on the wrist. Get someone in the US to buy it for you or something. You can look at the GMWB5000D-1 and know that it is 100% the modern submariner. This is what Rolex WISHES it had. Can you imagine how Rolex would be gloating if they invented multiband 6. That sucks you can't use multiband 6. You are in Australia so i take back everything i just said. Cheers.
$150 Australian? Ouch… they sell regularly here in the USA for $50, I just got one on sale for $29. Nice watch, classic style, terrible buttons though. I still wanted one just because of nostalgia. I also just bought a Casio Royale for only $20 and I am loving that even more than my 5600. All that said, I also have several automatic watches, my favorite is my Tissot Gentleman. But my daily wear, and gym watch is my Apple watch. You just can’t beat the functionality.
Woot hooked you up, eh? So, i've been curious. What functions on your apple watch make it a must-have? I already have a phone in my pocket. I don't care about heart rate sensors. I've been struggling with this. The last thing i need is a mini phone on my wrist... Know what i mean? Sometimes i wish i could drop kick my phone into the nether realm to never buzz at me again. Especially when the AI robot voice says something like, 'The number is 0.8" and you gotta wonder what you just said to make it respond like that .. OR .. i don't own a dog but my friend does and after leaving his house i get dog food commercials.. Crap like that isn't cool and we should be aware of how we are allowing a recorded microphone in our phones take a data photograph of our daily life. Not cool, right?
@@wastedaga1n I’ve seen the G-Shock show up on Woot a few times recently, but I actually got it on Amazon for $30. For some reason there are two listings for the same watch on Amazon now. Both are at $49.99 right now, but the newer one dropped to $30 just for a day a couple times last month. I checked with Casio why there are two listings. Apparently it is the same watch, same model, but a different release year. That’s why there are two different listings for it. As for the Apple Watch, I could go on and on, but one small but wonderful thing is, there is no better watch in the dark. I don’t care how much like you have or if your Casio has a backlight, the display on the Apple Watch at night is unparalleled. I do use it for fitness tracking. Steps, calories, movement, etc. But if that isn’t for you, set that aside. Checking weather, without my phone is nice. Timers and stop watch are FAR better than any Casio. World time is amazing. I track multiple cities for work. Being able to see a text or call on your wrist without having to reach in your pocket, pull out your phone, etc. Is also helpful. It actually makes those notifications LESS distracting. I have only used it as a phone a few times, each time was when I couldn’t reach my phone for some reason, that can be SUPER helpful in a pinch. No better watch for alarms. They are unlimited and can vibrate. I love sports, I love being able to get alerts on my watch, I can see a quick score without having to look at my phone. I often use it to control music. Skip, pause, or even see who the artist is without having to look at my phone. Anything you could ask Siri or Google on your phone, you can do on your wrist instead. I almost NEVER use it to reply to texts, but I love being able to see a text at a glance on my wrist and not have to open my phone. Those are my main uses. I honestly don’t find it more distracting, I find it helps reduce distractions because I don’t have to open my phone nearly as often. There are countless more features I never use, but those are my favorites.
this is the sort of watch review that should be watched by many more. proper long term review instead of the usual lazy "review format" done by the rest of the watch youtubers, they all say the same shit (history, dimensions, functions etc). they dont even use the watch. keep it up mate! good job.
Thanks for the comment and glad you appreciated that aspect of the review as that's something I was hoping I could bring to the table. Make reviews with the info / perspective that I'd like to know!
Personally bought the solar powered version of casio G-Shock DW 5600 watch... Utterly disappointed with brand Casio G-Shock! Just after 3 or 4 months of normal usage ( No swimming, No Diving, No Extreme water Sports, No Surfing) it developed fog and water vapour inside the glass disrupting the time view. I went to the Casio Service centre but the service center people bluntly told me that there was no option for replacement. They also shamelessly told me that their watches are water resistant and not water proof. They said they never claim that their watches are water proof in their advertising also. They simply changed some parts and dried the fog or water vapour inside AND after a few months the fog and water vapour inside the glass RETURNED. What a Waste. 👎 Had it been the case of putting the watch under extreme conditions , it is understandable, but the refusal to replace the watch under normal conditions seemed callous and unprofessional on part of Casio. Utterly disappointed by such a big brand LIKE CASIO AND G-SHOCK with big & HOLLOW claims! 😒
Smartwatches have planned obsolescence, constantly need to be charged manually and aren't nearly as tough as G-Shocks. G-Shocks are better at being "watches".
I believe it was the year 1987 when the 5600 line was first introduced, not 91. There is the classic 91W watch, but this one was from 87 I’m pretty sure. You can tell the difference between the old ones and the new ones from the bottom right of the screen. There will usually be a symbol of some sort like yours has. The old 91 has a U under there and I don’t know what your symbol is, but I can tell yours is legit. Edit: Yup! 1983 they had an epic commercial where hockey players allegedly hit it with the hockey stick. (I highly highly doubt that they really did hit it with the hockey stick lol. I’m really terrible at hockey and I bet I could break the crap out of it) 😂
I've had a lot of Casio watch including telememo 100 etc and last watch was smartwatch and I hated it the most due to charging it and finally it broke yay! What a relief and looking for non charging watch I came across G-Shock 5600ue 1dr solar charging got it immediately enjoying it for last couple of weeks no charging cable 😂 don't know how long internal battery would last on normal usage
The G-9000-3V Mudman is my first G-Shock. Currently, my favourite G-Shock is the G-6900-1D (Tough Solar Round). I do not own a "Smart" Watch and do not intend to purchase one in the future, of course that the same thing I said about digital watches.
Casio watches simply better, period. Way cheaper, so many cool models, no charging every night, tough. Also, are not obsolete after 5 years like smart watches when you can no longer update because processor on smart watch is too old and too slow.
Military aint wearing a Garmin into extreme conditions buddy,they wear a damn g-shock for a very good reason! because that garmin will crap out while the g-ahock hasnt even broken a sweat
Hey man! I'm interested in buying my 1st G-shock (My 1st REAL watch for that matter), and can't decide betwwen the Ga-2100, and the DW-5600, could you please make a video comparing the two, or just run through the differences in this video, choosing what u would pick as a 1st time buyer? thanks!
Hi - funny you should ask! Next video in the pipeline is the 2100 vs 5600, which I'm hoping to pull together this weekend. Thanks for the question as I'll be sure to include a first time buyer's perspective in the video.
I think it's both. "Conventional" watches never really got (meaningfully) more accurate, tough, feature rich or affordable after this. There's smartwatches now, but I do see them more as a piece of tech. Thanks for watching and the comment!
I have no interest in fitness capabilities, and smartwatches like the apple just seem bland and boring to me. G-shocks have the perfect retro-futuristic cool factor, in addition to great quality and robust functionality.
How does the g shock make an ISO certified, imperative piece of diving equipment, for obvious reasons obsolete? G shock doesn't have an elapsed time uni directional bezel. They are even polar opposites in category. That's like saying LED light bulbs have made recliner chairs obsolete. G shock have made military issue field watches obsolete for purpose, and for good reason. They're tough, reliable, and legible. A diver ain't going strap on g shock.
Thanks for pointing that out. I think the G-Shock replaced the role, for an everyday person, that a dive watch used to play as a rugged all-rounder. Completely agree that they are designed for different purposes, they just have a lot of overlap for the everyday person. In saying that, even dive watches aren't really relied on for diving anymore (given dive computers...)
I have the DW 5600. My battery lasted 30+ years. I got it way back in 91 and the battery died in 2023. How ever I was cleaning the bezel and band. The bezel just broke apart. So where do I get a exact fit bezel?
Fake and misleading advertising. Lies. Reality is that I bought Casio G-Shock G5600 E solar powered. Too Bad. But it is really bad at water resistance. After purchasing Within 3 or 4 months of normal usage NO EXTREME SPORTS, NO SWIMMING, NO DIVING, it had fog and water vapour inside obstructing the time view. Too bad. It did not have any good quality water proofing mechanism. It's having water droplets again inside the glass even after repair from Casio service center. The service center person shamelessly told me that the casio G-Shock watches are water resistant and not water proof. My Foot. Really Disappointed with Casio G-Shock. Pathetic quality.
