G-Shock ‘CasiOak’ GA-2110SU-9AER :
It has been a while since I added a G-Shock to my collection and I was waiting for the GBD-H1000 (which is destined to be G-Shock’s next entry into the Smart Watch market), however that model has been delayed and the GA-2100 Series is making major waves in the watch market with the ‘Blackout’ (GA-2100-1A1ER) model sold out globally, and when sporadic stock does appear it disappears every bit as quickly.
Given the nickname ‘CasiOak’ the watch is generally accepted as a homage to the AP Royal Oak. However the CasiOak is priced at a bargain £99.90GBP and the Royal Oak ranges around the eye watering £30,000GBP mark.
From G-Shock.co.uk
The Casio G-Shock GA-2110SU-9AER Layered Bezel combines an impact-resistant design with street-credibility. The GA-2110SU-9AER features a carbon fiber reinforced Carbon core guard structure, luminescent indexes and indexes that resemble those of an analog clock, a separate display for days of the week, and a digital display for seconds and digital time. In the dark, the clock is easy to illuminate with the built-in bright LED. The wrist and body are made of lightweight polyurethane.
Unboxing and Initial Thoughts :
The packaging is as to be expected from Casio, because the watch itself is actually quite small (for a G-Shock) the tin is the smaller hexagonal version, and it is housed in the traditional black glossy branded cardboard box.
The contents are simply the giant multi language user manual, the warranty card and the watch.
So then there is the watch itself. The tech specs for the GA-2100 range are as follows :
| WATER RESISTANT | 200 Metres Water Resistant |
|---|---|
| ACCURACY | +/- 15 seconds per month |
| ALARM FUNCTION | 5 Daily Alarms: Each will sound every day at the time you set, Hourly time signal: The watch beeps every hour on the hour |
| AUTO CALENDAR | Once set, the automatic calendar always displays the correct date |
| BAND MATERIAL | Resin |
| BATTERY LIFE | Approximately 3 years |
| CASE MATERIAL | Carbon-Reinforced Resin Casing |
| CORE GUARD STRUCTURE | New Carbon Core Guard Structure |
| COUNTDOWN TIMER FUNCTION | Countdown Range: 24 hours, Measuring Unit: 1 second |
| DATE AND WEEKDAY DISPLAY | The current date and week day are displayed on the watch face |
| DATE DISPLAY | The current date is displayed on the watch face |
| DIMENSIONS | 48.5 x 45.4 x 11.8 mm |
| HAND SHIFT FUNCTION | With a push of a button, hands move away from the LCD to permit free visibility. |
| DISPLAY ILLUMINATION | Dual Illuminator: Separate illumination of the analogue and digital components ensures optimum readability in low light conditions., LED light, Selectable illumination duration (1.5 seconds or 3 seconds), With afterglow |
| ISO 200M WATER RESISTANT | Suitable for professional diving |
| LOW TEMPERATURE RESISTANT | -10 °C/ 14°F |
| MINERAL GLASS | Hard glass resists scratching |
| MUTE FUNCTION | The button tones on the mode button can be switched off for discreet operation. Pre-set alarm or timer functions remain active. |
| NEOBRITE | A luminous coating on the watch hands provides illumination in the dark. |
| SHOCK RESISTANT | Patented Hollow Core Guard Structure protects against impact and vibration |
| STOPWATCH FUNCTION | Measuring Capacity: 24 hours, Measuring Modes: Elapsed time, split time, Measuring Unit: 1/100 second (for the first 60 minutes) 1 second (after 60 minutes) |
| TOTAL WEIGHT | 51g |
| VIBRATION RESISTANT | Resistant against vibration from heavy duty operations |
| WORLD TIME | Displays the current time in major cities and specific areas around the world |
The most noticeable thing about this watch after the styling is the size. At a mere 11.8mm high it will fit under a shirt, suit, motorcycle glove and anything in between. The 45mm case diameter may sound large but the octagon cut really helps cut down on the perceived size.
Personally I don’t find a huge difference when worn in size between this and my Series 5 Apple Watch. In fact this watch is slightly slimmer than my Apple Watch as I have a RhinoShield on it.
Are there any bad points? Yes, one. The lume is terrible. There is a bright white light which illuminates the face from about the five o’clock position and it will mean you can read the time in the dark, just about. If you have any older G-Shocks that used the older yellow / orange style illumination – that’s the sort and standard (albeit the colour of the light is different) of illumination you will have with this watch.I t’s not great to be honest, but to be fair everything else about the watch is.
At £100 you will be hard pushed to find a better, more subtle and slimline G-Shock and if yellow isn’t for you fear not there is a full range of colours – just don’t hold your breath on finding a ‘Blackout’ variant any time soon.
In conclusion the GA-2100 range is an easy recommendation to make to add to your collection. Just accept it for what it is, the current ‘hot property’ that looks good and performs well – in the daylight.
