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Best G-Shock Watch: The Legendary Timekeeper

Best Military Watch

The G-Shock watch is a staple in the time-keeping industry. Ever since it was introduced 30 years ago, it has earned a reputation as a durable, all-purpose watch for nearly any situation. In the old days, you could buy any watch with this name and it meant you were buying the best G-shock watch available.  

But things have changed.  Now there are so many options out there you can easily spend way too much money on junk. To find the best G-Shock watch, you need to spend hours and hours researching all the different options. And that’s exactly what we did. 

We applied our rigorous testing methodology to G-Shock watches and have determined the GW-1CR Master of G Digital Quartz Black Solar Watch to be the best G-Shock watch available on the market. It’s loaded with features such as a compass, thermometer, and barometer, and it also has atomic timekeeping, a solar powered battery and is resistant to shock, water and scratches. 

If you want a watch that is full of features, will last forever, looks great and doesn’t cost a fortune, check the latest price and get the GW-1CR Master of G Digital Quartz Black Solar Watch.

 

Why You Should Trust Us

As outdoors enthusiasts, we know how important having a reliable watch can be.

For example, when I was hiking in the Grand Canyon, it was extremely hot. I needed to keep a close eye on the time to avoid heat exhaustion or dehydration.  There were parts of the trail that were impossible to hike in the sun.  If I couldn’t make it before a certain time, I needed to stop and wait for the next day. Not doing so would have put me at serious risk of dehydration or heat exhaustion.

This is serious stuff, so we take it seriously. We aren’t going to recommend just any old watch. We recommend only the best, the stuff we would use.

But you don’t just need to take our word for it. To make sure we are recommending the best, we’ve spent hundreds of hours reading reviews, examining specifications and testing out those that met our criteria to find the best G-shock watch available on the market.

 

Why Use a G-Shock Watch

Because they are the best. There’s not much more to it. G-Shock is a brand made by Japanese watchmaker Casio, and it is impossible to beat it in terms of quality and durability.

G-Shock watches hit the market in 1983 when an engineer working at Casio decided to make a watch resistant to shock, water, and scratches. The idea was to make something that could last at least ten years.

What sets G-Shock watch apart from the competition is that the quartz timekeeping module is protected by 10 different layers, including a stainless steel case, a urethane rubber bumper, and a hardened mineral glass watch crystal.

Also, the timekeeping device “floats” in a foam cradle, making it even more resistant to shocks.

All of this protection means the watch can also be submerged into around 200m  (600ft) of water and survive being dropped from 10 meters (approximately 30 ft.)

Many G-Shock watches also come with a whole host of other features, such as a compass, thermometer, barometer (to measure pressure), alarms and much more.

With so many features and such a high level of quality, a G-Shock watch is ideal for virtually any outdoors situation. They can be a tad expensive, but you won’t have to buy another one until you want to, so it’s well worth it.

 

How We Conducted our Review: What Makes the Best G-Shock Watch

To try and weed through the various different options and find the best G-Shock watch, we carried out a detailed process combining thorough analysis and personal testing.

To trim the list down, we started by throwing out the options that had a history of bad reviews. Unfortunately, though, since G-Shock is such an awesome brand, there were very few of these. So, we set up a list of criteria and then went out and tossed out those that didn’t fit the bill. This got us to a much smaller list, and we tested these remaining few ourselves to try out things such as fit and feel.

Here are the criteria we used to trim down the list and find the best air rifle:

Digital vs. Analog

One of the first decisions you need to make when choosing a watch is if you want digital or analog. In the end, this is something that depends largely on what you like. There isn’t too much difference.

However, if you are unsure, we would recommend digital. This is largely because no clock hands means fewer parts to break. G-Shock watches are famously strong, but this doesn’t mean they are completely indestructible. Using a digital watch gives you just one small extra point in terms of durability.

Some people consider it easier to read a digital watch, and they are also considered to be more exact since you can get the time down to the second. Using an analog watch only requires a small adjustment, but this little difference is something to keep in mind.

Battery Type

The way your watch gets its power is a critical factor in deciding which one to buy. Traditional watches use small batteries placed in the back that will run out and need to be replaced after several months.

Nowadays, most G-Shock watches are solar powered. Your watch will be constantly receiving solar energy and recharging so that it runs all the time. Solar powered watches can last years and years.

Casio has developed a more advanced version of this, known as Tough Solar, which can make use of even the weakest sun rays. Not all G-Shock watches use this technology, but we consider it to be a feature well worth paying for as it ensures you will never be without your watch.

Atomic Timekeeping

The most important thing you want your watch to do is to be accurate. You don’t want to have any doubt in your mind it is telling the right time.

To solve this, many G-Shock watches come with a special feature known as atomic timekeeping. These watches come equipped with a small radio transmitter that receives a signal every twenty-four hours from a centralized source, allowing it to autocorrect each day, ensuring your watch is 100 percent accurate.

Traditionally, atomic timekeeping only worked in the region where you bought it. For example, the radio transmitter in the U.S. is in Fort Collins, Col., so if you are in Europe, this feature wouldn’t work. And if you bought your watch in Europe, it wouldn’t be able to pick up the Fort Collins signal.

However, manufacturers eventually realized it was silly to have different signals for different parts of the world, so they came up with something known as Multiband 6 Atomic Timekeeping.

This makes use of 6 different radio frequencies, two in Japan and one each in Fort Collins, China, the UK, and Germany. By using this technology, you can be sure your watch is perfectly accurate no matter where you are.

The one thing atomic timekeeping does not do, though, is adjust for time zone. These watches do not come with GPS tracking, yet, so they calibrate based on the time zone you set. However, if you travel, all you need to do is change the settings and you are good to go.

Special Features

The beauty of G-Shock watches, and the reason they are the best is that they are much more than watches.

Standard models come with a backlight, stopwatch, alarm clock, and world clock, to be able to keep track of multiple time zones.

More advanced models will include things such as a compass, barometer, and thermometer, and the most advanced models will include information about the tides or moon phases. There are also some versions specific to aviation that can measure wind and other relevant information.

The obvious thing to remember here is that the more features your watch has, the more expensive it will be. You’ll want to find a balance so that you can get a watch that performs above and beyond a traditional watch. But you probably don’t need some of the most advanced features. Getting them will cause you to spend more money than you probably need to.

For us, we draw the line at the compass, barometer, and thermometer. This information has come in handy in more than one situation. But the additional aviation-specific features are too much for us and not really worth the money. Of course, if you are a pilot, be our guest, but chances are these will be extras not worth the money.

Material

There isn’t too much to variation here, but it is worth mentioning. Most G-Shock watches are made of rubber, this is why they are so resistant to shock and water. However, there are some made of other materials, including some metal ones that are designed to have a more professional look.

Unless you are looking to wear your watch into work, stick with the rubber. It is more durable, easier to clean and often times more comfortable.

 

Testing Results

The first step in the testing process was to eliminate any option with less than three stars on Amazon.

However, there aren’t many of these, so the next step was to try and weed out those that didn’t meet our criteria.

After that, we had a list of about eight that we tested out to determine which is the best G-Shock watch on the market.

Elimination Round 1

To start trimming the list down, the first thing we did was look at features. As mentioned earlier, we think the best G-Shock watch comes with more than just the standard timekeeping features, as these can really come in handy.

So if it didn’t have a compass, a thermometer or barometer, we didn’t consider it to be sufficient. Some of those we threw out because of this are the G-Shock Classic Analog-Digital Watch, the GW2310FB-1CR G-Shock Shock Resistant Multifunction Watch, and the G-Shock GD-100-1B.

These have some great reviews and cost a little less than some of the other options. However, you’ll likely end up regretting spending this money. You’re better off going with something that has some more advanced and useful features. The price differential isn’t huge, and it’s well worth it. 

Elimination Round 2

The next round of elimination was done based on whether or not the watch is solar powered and has atomic timekeeping. We consider both of these features to be very important, as they enhance the capability of the watch and make it both more reliable and practical.

Examples of the watches we eliminated because of this are the G9300-1 Mudman G-Shock Shock Resistant Multi-Function Sports Watch, the GA100L-1A Anti-Magnetic Black and Green Resin Watch, and the D350-8 Men’s Grey Resin Sports Watch.

Elimination Round 3

The last major category we used to eliminate some options was price. If you’re not careful, these things can cost you hundreds and hundreds of dollars. While we recommend shelling out for high-quality, we think $500 is simply too much—there isn’t enough value for money to justify this price.

Those that we threw out because they were too expensive were the GWF-1000-1jf G-Shock Digital Dial Resin Quartz Men’s Watch, the GST-W110BD-1A2JF G-SHOCK G-STEEL, and the GW-9400CMJ-3 Shock Men in Camouflage Digital Resin Quartz Men’s Watch.

 

The Best G-Shock Watch

94/100 – GW-1CR Master of G Digital Quartz Black Solar Watch (Best G-Shock Watch)

Best G-Shock Watch

After applying these criteria, we were able to narrow our list down to eight that we could test personally. From these, we have determined the GW-1CR Master of G Digital Quartz Black Solar Watch to be the best G-Shock watch available on today’s market.

Pros

The thing we love most about this watch is its nice blend of features. It obviously offers the traditional alarm clock, stopwatch and world clock, but it also has a thermometer, compass, and barometer.

But one of the things we liked most about this watch when testing it out was its display. A lot of watches with these features try to put them all on the display at the same time, making the screen rather cluttered.

With this watch, that isn’t the case. The standard display shows the date and time and little else, but you can easily switch between the other features when you need them.

Also, this watch uses Tough Solar technology and Multiband 6 atomic timekeeping, meaning it will last forever and never be inaccurate.

We also like the price of this watch. It costs less than $200, but it is hard to find a watch with these fantastic features for less, and most of them cost far more. This offers a nice balance between features and cost that we consider well worth it.

Cons

In reality, there aren’t many things to not like about this watch. If we were nitpicking, we would say maybe it is a tad big. It looks a little bulky on the wrist, but this is sort of the G-Shock style. You may find some smaller options, but they will not have the same features as this one.

Some may not like the fact the display is so simple, largely because it requires a small learning curve to figure out how to switch between the different modes. However, once you figure it out, this is pretty much a non-issue.

Overall

In general, if you are looking for a top-quality watch, full of features and that will work forever in any situation, get the GW-1CR Master of G Digital Quartz Black Solar Watch now.

 

82/100 – GA-1000-1A Aviation Series Men’s Luxury Watch (Best Analog G-Shock Watch)

Best G-Shock Watch: Analpg

While we consider a digital watch to be the best G-Shock watch, not everyone likes digital watches. Some prefer the traditional look of an analog watch, and for those of you who do, we are looking out for you. The GA-1000-1A Aviation Series Men’s Luxury Watch is the best analog G-Shock watch available.  

Pros

The great thing about this watch is that it has all the great features found in the best G-Shock watch, but it’s analog.

There is still a thermometer, barometer and compass. It also has a nifty bearing memory that allows you to save a direction so that you can use it as a reference for subsequent readings.

Also, while this watch is primarily an analog watch, it also has a digital display for using the stopwatch or alarm clock. This combines the precision of a digital watch with the design of an analog watch.

Lastly, this watch just looks fantastic. The big white numbers illuminate nicely in the dark, and the clock hands also glow at the tip so that you can see where they are pointing at night.

It does a fantastic job of combining the classic look of an analog watch with the modern functionality of a digital watch.

Cons

The biggest downsides of this watch are that it uses a traditional battery and does not have atomic timekeeping. But we can excuse the atomic timekeeping since this is not a typical feature of analog watches.

However, we really would have liked to have seen solar power instead of the battery. It will still last you quite a while, but you will eventually need to replace the battery.

Because of this, we are also not too excited about the price tag. At around $150, it isn’t crazy expensive, but for this price, we would expect solar power. That being said, the features it offers still makes it well worth it, especially if you are someone who prefers analog watches.

Overall

If you are looking for an analog watch that has the durability and features of a G-Shock watch, get the GA-1000-1A Aviation Series Men’s Luxury Watch.

 

70/100 – G-Shock MT-G Solar Stainless Steel Chrono Tough Watch (Best Luxury G-Shock Watch)

Best G-Shock watch: Luxury

We like to look at watches as a tool for the outdoors. Something practical that gets the job done. However, we recognize most people don’t spend all their time outside and are looking for something that will accommodate them both professionally and personally.

The rugged, tactical look of most G-Shock watches might not fit best at the workplace, so we thought it would be helpful to look at some options that combine awesome G-Shock features with a luxurious look. For this, we found the MT-G Solar Stainless Steel Chrono Tough Watch, the best luxury G-Shock watch.

Pros

This watch is quite simply beautiful. The stainless steel band completely sets it apart from all other G-Shock watches. It rivals the look of some of the more well-known luxury watches.

But just because it looks awesome doesn’t mean you are sacrificing features. It is still a G-Shock watch, meaning it can withstand even some of the most extreme conditions. Also, the watch uses solar power and is one of the few analog watches that uses atomic timekeeping.

It also has all sorts of other interesting features. For example, to save battery, the hands stop moving when it is in the dark, and then readjust when they come into the light.

This watch also has sapphire glass, the best you can get on a watch, meaning it will never scratch or break. In terms of quality, this watch basically has it all.

Cons

One thing we didn’t love about this watch is that it doesn’t have some of the features we valued on other watches, such as a compass or a thermometer. We can excuse this because this watch is designed more for its look rather than functionality. But we still would have liked to have seen this.

The most obvious downside to this watch is its price tag. It is quite expensive, and as such, we immediatley threw it out of the running for the best G-Shock watch. Yet its stunning appearance and top-of-the-line quality do make it stand out. Depending on your budget, it could still be well worth it.

Overall

If you are in the market for a G-Shock watch that will shock and awe and that can be worn both outdoors and at the office, get the MT-G Solar Stainless Steel Chrono Tough Watch now.

 

Wrapping Up

With hundreds of different choices, finding the best G-Shock watch without getting ripped off seems like a near impossible task. But only if you don’t have the time to sift through all the different options and find the best. Just like we’ve done.

Our careful review process has revealed the GW-1CR Master of G Digital Quartz Black Solar Watch to be the best G-Shock watch available on today’s market. It’s got all the features of a G-Shock watch and then some. It also looks great, will last forever and never be inaccurate. Plus, it doesn’t come with an exorbitant price tag.

To get a G-Shock watch that will last forever and never let you down, buy the GW-1CR Master of G Digital Quartz Black Solar Watch

 

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6 comments

  1. Marc johnson 23 August, 2018 at 05:46 Reply

    It is truly a shame that so much effort was made to show how great the Casio G Shock watch is and has been, just to erroneously state that it has a transmitter in it.

  2. Woody 31 August, 2018 at 02:05 Reply

    The small radio “transmitter” isn’t. It’s a small radio receiver.
    And there are misspellings. Proofread your articles. A willingness to allow a few “small” things slide leaves room for doubt about the “big” things.

  3. Woody 31 August, 2018 at 02:09 Reply

    One other detail. All my G-shock watches but one, were not solar powered. They all had batteries that lasted years rather than months.

  4. Xibar 22 January, 2019 at 23:31 Reply

    I own the GA-1000-1A, the Aviation watch that came in second in your list. For one, it does NOT have a barometer, just the compass. Also, while it is a great watch, the digital display is practically useless. It’s a negative display which is very difficult to read, especially in a dim cockpit. The light with afterglow is pretty cool, but it doesn’t light the digital display either, only the analog parts.

    I do agree about your first place winner, though. I’m wearing my Rangeman right now. It’s my daily beater and goto for just about everything.

  5. Vipul Sharma 16 February, 2019 at 13:21 Reply

    Fantastic Blog. Very very impressive. Some of the best and unique collections of watches. Wow! wonderful collection of G Shock watches. Loved it!

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