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Designer Notes Subject 11
GW-B5600
There are literally hundreds of variations for the 5600 series of G-Shock watches. It has become a point of contention for G-Shock Enthusiasts. "Which 5600 should i own?", "Which is the best?", "Which has the most features?" and so on. The GW-B5600 will try and answer that question once and for all.
Materials
The GWB5600 is made from the signature resin/rubber compound that is both flexible and robust. This material is the stuff of legends. You can subject this watch to all sorts of punishment and abuse and it will still tell you the time without missing a single beat. The case back is also made of stainless steel like that of any 5600. But instead of stamped out metal, this one is milled out. The common drawback of stamped steel is the lack of definition on the details. The GWB5600 is a definite step up in quality since milling steel produces much clearer markings and sharper edges. it's not too sharp though to the point of harming your skin. In fact, it wears rather comfortably. The buckle however is not the same buckle to that of the dw5600. It is slightly narrower similar to older 5600 models. The most fragile material would probably be the mineral crystal. It will scratch up with any sharp edge and it will show signs of wear through the years but it wont shatter like sapphire. This glass will stand the test of time. There will show some glare but nothing too harsh that you could not see the time.
Features
Although the dial displays the typical G-Shock Square layout, its the way it delivers it that truly makes this version a level or two above the grand-daddy 5600. First off, this sports the 3461 module. This module has the tough solar feature so you practically don’t need to replace the battery nor place it on a dock to charge. This is a clear advantage over the Apple Watch for example which needs to be docked at a daily basis. Versus the DW5600 which houses the 3229 the multiband 6 adds a layer of accuracy by tapping onto the 6 atomic clocks around the world. Paired with the tough solar technology, you don’t have to worry about this watch running out of juice with these features turned on. This also powers the low power Bluetooth function that updates the many different time zones and personal settings you preconfigured using the g shock app in your phone. The watch features the usual complications from the 5600 line such as the timer, stopwatch and day date complications. Theres also a snooze alarm and hourly signal. The world timer also is very handy when traveling. There is an additional refinement that you can notice compared to the basic 5600 modules, the LED backlight. When waking the light, it gradually fades in and out. This is a very neat feature that you can only see on the higher end g-shock squares. Its a welcome treat especially to those that were so used to seeing the LED light of the other 5600 modules.
Wearability
Amazingly, this G-SHOCK square wears better than the dw5600. At first, it was hard to understand what was different. Upon closer examination, the strap has an extra bend that further hugs the curves of your wrist. The watch is light weight at 53g. The dimensions are also sleeve friendly. Under jackets and sweaters, this watch would slip in easily.
VS Apple Watch
The Apple Watch is the top digital watch in the market right now. How will the gwb5600 compare against apples wrist device? The apple watch of course can infinitely do more with the apps available to it. but for what the gwb5600 has, it can do efficiently and reliably. We're not saying this apple series 2 is not reliable, but when you do need to charge the apple watch everyday, it does require changing your daily routine to keep using the apple watch. The GWB5600 with its tough solar technology, you can just leave it on your wrist and you dont need to worry about it losing charge. The display of course is another issue. the GWB5600's display is always on compared to the apple watch series 2. Not until the series 5 that the apple watch gained an always on watch face.
Value Proposition
This watch retails at $130. It positions itself nicely in the middle of the G-Shock square line's price range. This same module is found on the higher end g-shock squares that most wont be willing to pay for and mostly reserved only for the avid fans. For those who want to have the connectivity with their phone and additional accuracy thats absent with the basic 5600, you only need to skip a couple of cups of coffee and you can have this definite upgrade. We should call it the Goldilocks of G-Shock Squares. Its not too cheap, it’s not too fancy, its just right. This might just be, The perfect G-Shock Square.
4 июл 2020
