G-shock’s Latest Camo Series Bring Delight to G-Shock Military Fans

As a long-time owner of a Casio G-Shock, I have to say I’m pretty thrilled by the announcement that Casio is going to be releasing several new lines of camouflage watches. The G-Shock is already the best tough watch on the market for its price tag, but I’ve never really been a huge fan of the matte black and tan tones that previous lines have always come in.

Among G-Shock’s latest unveiling are 2 different camo series: GD6900CM and GD120CM. From the press release, it says “GD120CM is a new formidable case design with a 7-year battery that …. Its large case size (51.2mm) has all the same functionality as the GDX6900CM.”

Again, the latest release seems to confirm the accuracy of our G-Shock serial number decryption. Based on our decryption rule, the two series should only differ in their casing. GD6900CM employs G-shock 6900 casing, one of the most popular from brand. GD120CM, on the other hand, employs G-shock 120 casing which has been used for the XL line-up.

The GDX6900CM camo series (GDX6900CM-5 and GDX6900CM-8) boasts a sort of G-Shock military bent to them, with realistic urban and woodland camoflage patterns. GDX120CM series (GDX120CM-4, GDX120CM-5 and GDX120CM-8), on the other hand, is clearly designed as fashion statements, like the dark red tiger camo pattern.

My Take on the G-Shock Camo Series

So, first thing’s first: these look great. While there are two lines coming out, one in March and the other in April, they look pretty much identical, with the April line being slightly larger and less expensive (we’ll get to why in a little bit).

Like all of Casio’s newer watches, they have the option to switch to a black display with white number text, rather than the traditional digital watch tan/green with black coloration. Like most of their recent innovations, this is meant to play into the Casio G-Shock military aesthetic, as its apparently based off of United States Marines technology that’s easier to see at night.

To be honest, that’s not really necessary because of the built-in L.E.D. light feature, but it looks really modern and attention grabbing.

Casio hasn’t changed very much about the G-Shock’s technological base since their original release, and I don’t really blame them. When I purchase a new G-Shock (which hasn’t happened often, as they take a while to wear out) I’m looking for durability, and maybe a few bells and whistles.

There are two big differences this time around: on a minor note, Casio’s made both of these new lines lighter than their previous watches. That’s good news, because frankly my biggest problem with the older G-Shock watches is how heavy they felt on my wrist.

More importantly, the premium March line will feature a mind-boggling ten years minimum battery life, virtually insuring that it will survive until you drop it into a volcano.

That’s not as much of a joke as it might seem at first glance: all G-Shock watches are highly resistant to water, physical trauma, and even electric shocks, although I’m not sure how useful that last one is for most people. On a similar note, Casio’s watches aren’t meant for divers, and might suffer adverse affects past 200 Meters in depth… but you can definitely wear them in the pool (or if you’re forgetful like me, shower).

It’s also got the standard suite of G-Shock features, like alarms, satellite accuracy, and time zone options. While using them has gotten more intuitive over the years, I still recommend keeping your manual, as some of the commands you simply won’t be able to guess at without it.

I’m a fair bit nostalgic when it comes to the G-Shock, but with good reason. The best tough watch I ever owned was Casio’s first G-Shock model, and I’m really excited with what they’re now doing with the brand. Who knows? I might even switch out my old one with something in red tiger camo print…

Image credit: William Cho