Watch Q&A - Help please.

[Rux]

Hi all.

So I ordered a new G Shock but cancelled the order as I felt I rushed it and didn't put too much thought into it.

When I buy things, I rarely/hate doing impulse buying and like to do as much research as possible because I hate having to buy something twice or thrice. Hence I'm on my 3rd LM before I settled and ordering my 5th EDC bag. If I would've just bought the original expensive bag I had my eyes on originally, I could've saved myself a lot of grief.

On that note, I'm in the market for a new watch!

Budget: ~$100 give or take a few bucks.
Requirements: TOUGH! I beat the crap out of watches, even in my off time. I gave up on metal watches a long time ago for every day wear as I'm just not watch friendly. I plan to have a nice steel one eventually for special occasions, etc. but for now I'm looking to pick up a good solid watch that can take a licking and keep on ticking. Which brings me to the G Shock line.

I originally ordered a solar powered watch, but got worried as to the longevity of it. I know it will last a long time, but some watch batteries can last the better part of a decade if not longer.

I work in a time oriented business. Accuracy is key. Due to this, I'd prefer digital as I keep timelogs right down to the exact second however I do love the look of a sexy analog watch.

All black/mostly black preferably and no loud colors. Size of the watch itself doesn't really matter, I would even say I like bigger. I am a big guy at 6'6" and 270 pounds. A large/oversized watch will not look odd on me in any way shape or form. Alarms, GOOD light for dark conditions and a stop watch. The fancy dials of most are pretty but any watch I've had multiple dials on, I've never known what they were for/how to use them/didn't use them.

I was eyeballing a Mudman 9300-1 but chickened out at the last second. I started really thinking that while a compass would come in handy for my outdoor activities, the eye is so small, why not just use an actual compass I'd bring with me anyway?

http://www.amazon.com/Casio-GA100-1A1-Black-Resin-Quartz/dp/B003WPUU0U/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1404135763&sr=8-2&keywords=g+shock

http://www.amazon.com/G-Shock-X-Large-Combination-Watch--Military-Black/dp/B007RU5B46/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1404135791&sr=8-4&keywords=g+shock

http://www.amazon.com/Casio-G9300-1-G-Shock-Resistant-Multi-Function/dp/B0058W91N2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404135833&sr=8-1&keywords=g+shock+mudman+9300

http://www.amazon.com/Casio-Shock-Mudman-Solar-G9300GB-1/dp/B005JTJZ9Y/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1404135847&sr=8-3&keywords=g+shock+mudman+9300

http://www.amazon.com/Casio-GW7900B-1-G-Shock-Solar-Sport/dp/B00309HQPK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1404135973&sr=8-2&keywords=g+shock+7900



I really like the look of these in particular in their respective categories, digital and analog. The black 7900 looks nice, but what do all those dials/wave bands do? The Gold/Black 9300 Mudman I thought was really sexy but a bit out of my price point. I'm leery on negative display and solar power as I have no experience with either.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Experience with atomic clock sync? Experience with solar powered? How much exposure is necessary to maintain good battery life? Am I going to have to go out of my way to charge it? I do spend time in the sun on recreational activities but those are planned events, not daily. Especially with this summer heat. Will some exposure from my daily driving be sufficient? I love to use alarms and the backlight. Am I better off getting a battery powered? As I've read these are hard on solar powered watch batteries.

All help is appreciated. 

[bmot]

I think you'll like the one I have, too: the AWG-101, for the following reasons:


- You stated accuracy is important. This watch has the 'atomic' feature, getting updated every day by radio signals to you nearest atomic clock.


- It has the dial you find pretty, but also a digital second-counter so you don't loose accuracy on that.


- plenty of other functions to play around with 


- It's a solar one, I've never seen it go below the "hi" battery level, even if it was in my room for days that I didn't wear it (I have multiple watches) and by mistake lay it face down on my desk. It has a standby like mode, which saves a lot of energy, and as soon as you press one button it wakes up again.


I haven't had it long enough to say anything about battery life.


Lowtech should be here soon enough to throw loads of G-shock information at you


http://www.casio.com/products/archive/Watches/G-Shock/AWG101-1A/

[Rux]

Oh, I do like the look of that one! I didn't realize the analog watches still had second timers on them. SWEET! That opens up a lot more possibilities.

The watch you show however is listed as unavailable on Amazon. Was it special edition or not available in the USA?

[Aloha]

Doggoneit, I typed out a response but it got deleted. 

Ok so,
Budget........  Many G shocks to fit your price range ( give or take )
Accuracy....... Atomic is very accurate and self adjusts whereever you might find yourself in the world.
Tough.......   It's a G shock  .  I've seen videos of people trying to kill one



Battery life on Solar.....  This is hard to measure since honestly you just never know.  I have one that is going on roughly 10 years with moderate usage.  They will recharge using the weakest light from Sun or otherwise.  If you are a heavy user of functions then Solar is great because the watch is always charging.  I believe because of this you get stable power and you dont have to worry about conserving battery.  Its like having a laptop plugged in while using it ( Kinda ).  There is a Solar rechargeable battery in the Solar watches that have a pretty high capacity.  They are also more expensive vs standard G Shock battery but IMO well worth it.

Digital/Analogue....... Why choose when there are some great Ana/Digi models out.  I dont know if there is a purely Analogue G Shock avail. 

[bmot]

Oh, I do like the look of that one! I didn't realize the analog watches still had second timers on them. SWEET! That opens up a lot more possibilities.

The watch you show however is listed as unavailable on Amazon. Was it special edition or not available in the USA?

I really don't know, I bought mine from Lowtech, second hand or something :p (still looking good of course  ) Might very well be discontinued even, but I'm sure there are others like it


And yes, as Aloha said, there's quite a lot of "ana/digi" G-shocks, combining the look of analog with the functions of digital. I'm quite sure there's some full analog ones, too, but I don't know too much about it

[lowtech]

The watch Bmot refers to has been discontinued last fall IIRC. It has been replaced by an updated version which has teh benefit that it moves the analog hands out of teh way when you use teh digitalö functions. It is called AWG-M 100 now, i think.

http://watchshock.com/archive/Casio/G-Shock/AWG-xxx/Casio_G-Shock_AWG-M100B-1A/

I can add more G-shock info later, if need be.

[Zed]

Not worth asking me as only like one model ,well style as stuck with it since 83   

[bmot]

The watch Bmot refers to has been discontinued last fall IIRC. It has been replaced by an updated version which has teh benefit that it moves the analog hands out of teh way when you use teh digitalö functions. It is called AWG-M 100 now, i think.

http://watchshock.com/arc...sio_G-Shock_AWG-M100B-1A/

I can add more G-shock info later, if need be.

 

[lowtech]

Ouch!
What Did I do wrong

:-) Did i make you want another one?

[bmot]

Ouch!
What Did I do wrong

:-) Did i make you want another one?

Maybe... *grumbles*

And even one that's pretty much the same!!

[Rux]

I've spent the last hour looking at pictures/watching videos and still cant decide. This is going to be tougher than I thought. A lot of the analog watches I find attractive have crap backlights. Arghh! 

[lowtech]

It is discontinued, but I really do like the GW-2500.
Analog, digital functions, LCD lit comparatively well in the dark, not too big.

http://watchshock.com/archive/Casio/G-Shock/GW-2xxx/GW-2500B-1A/

I sold mine and miss it so much that I am browsing eBay for a bargain from time to time...

It has an all analog sibling, too:

http://watchshock.com/archive/Casio/G-Shock/GW-2xxx/GW-2000-1A/

Comes in black IP coated and with negative display, too - Or with metal bracelet.

If an Aviator out of the Premium line is more down your alley, I have a GW-4000 to offer.



Solar, Multiband atonic reception, domed crystal, tough Movement...

Or maybe a tad cheaper: AQS 810 S mod:





Open to trades or sales on both (and a few more, honestly)

Bmot, I am sorry for tempting you, but I was in your Situation more than once.
Honestly, I don´t know how many G-Shocks I own atm.
The wife would not approve.
They are scattered around in ddifferent places.  Need work, straps or batteries, will get modded, teh ones with solar are in a box with glass lid, then there are teh ones for sale and the rest... 

[bmot]

Bmot, I am sorry for tempting you, but I was in your Situation more than once.
Honestly, I don´t know how many G-Shocks I own atm.
The wife would not approve.
They are scattered around in ddifferent places.  Need work, straps or batteries, will get modded, teh ones with solar are in a box with glass lid, then there are teh ones for sale and the rest...

Don't worry about that, I'm quite used to that behaviour by now


And, that's the way to go, right? As long as you don't know exact numbers, it's not necessarily lying if you say "I'm not sure, not -that- many"

[sawman]

Plenty of nice examples being suggested so far but you really can't go wrong with a simple DW-5600. They have all the basic features you could need and are quite a bit cheaper.

[detron]

I have 4 G-shocks, and two are atomic (both are solar) and 2 that are not.

the ones that are not atomic are off about 10 seconds a month.  with that said,  I love G-shocks,  they can handle normal life (which ALWAYS ruined my other watch faces at a minimum) and there are loads of G-Shock test videos, run over by car, run through dishwasher, hit with baseball bats, frozen in a block of ice,

etc etc

I love my Rangeman,  but that is a little out of budget,  but if you try a G-Shock and like it and decide you need anotherone with EDC funtions too,  check this out

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,50793.msg855388.html#msg855388

[sawman]

Here's my DW-5600:

[detron]

I also like the GD-350,  it has a vibration alarm, that I like since I "feel" the alarm, and it does not disturb others.
mine has a negative display  (REALLY COOL)  and is around $80











this watch is very,...  very...   ahhh,  very BATMAN!!

[lowtech]

I agree taht, if we are only looking for cheap and reliable, a DW-5600 (battery powered) G-5600 (solar powered) or GWM-5610 (solar-atomic) will be an excellent choice, but the OP was lookimng for "sexy analog" with added functions, IIRC.

I do wear a GWM-5600 (predecessor to teh 5610) as my EDC watch.

DW-5600 (need to get another one...)

[detron]

I know budget kills this one,  BUT

large compass (analog watch hand as needle)

it is analog and digital

triple sensor,

super sexy



.

.

but $500

[lowtech]

...but about the size of a Hockey puck. Too bad.

[detron]

...but about the size of a Hockey puck. Too bad.

probably,  oh well, I do not need it anyway, 

[dmanuel]

Again, out of your budget but I have been loving my one Pro Trek Tough Solar. I'm not a big fan of rubber straps, since they usually make my wrist too hot, but this one is do able for me. It's the only Casio I own, and probably the only one I will own since I hate rubber straps. Heck, even my Suunto just sits in a drawer because of it.