View the Casio Edifice photo gallery.

A few months ago, I received an interesting and rather surprising watch in the mail: a Casio Edifice EFX700D-1A1V. I like some Casio models, but as a whole, they usually don't register as one of my favorite brands, primarily due to the styling of their most popular lines. I could never get behind the G-Shocks (unlike Christian), and despite the amazing functionality of the Pathfinder family, I always found them too big for my wrist. In retrospect, it was probably because of this bias of mine that Christian passed the Edifice on to me. I think he wanted to challenge my preconceptions.

I must admit, the watch I received changed my view of Casio in a profound way. The Casio Edifice EFX700D-1A1V (hereby referred to as the “Edifice 700”) is a great looking watch — probably the first analogue/digital combination watch I've seen that actually looks better then the analogue-only version. It's just a flat-out good looking watch by almost any standard, mixing styles and influences, sporting a high-contrast dual display and a very respectable feature list:

• Sapphire crystal.
• 100 meter water resistant (about 330 feet).
• Electroluminescent backlight.
• Dual time.
• Stopwatch with a 60 lap memory.
• 3 alarms.
• Countdown timer.
• Solid stainless steel bracelet.
• $210 retail (which we consider to be very aggressive).

View the Casio G-Shock Gulfman GW-9100 photo gallery.

The new Casio G-Shock Gulfman is an interesting new addition to Casio's G-Shock line. It has the same set of features as all the G-Shocks I review:

• Atomic calibration.
• Solar powered.
• 200 meter water resistant (about 650 feet).
• Automatic calendar.
• Electroluminescent backlight.
• 48-city world time.
• 5 daily alarms, 1 snooze.
• 60 minute countdown timer.
• Stopwatch.

However, it also has a couple of new tricks:

• Multi-band atomic. That means it can calibrate in the US, UK, Germany, and Japan (most previous G-Shock models only calibrate in the US and Japan).
• Titanium case and caseback. Most G-Shocks use stainless steel, so the GW-9100 is slightly lighter, and slightly more corrosion resistant.

I like the new features of the GW-9100, and I also just really like the look. I like the texture of the titanium case, and the nice large LCD. It also has extra large buttons which makes it easier to operate than most G-Shocks.

If you're already happy with your solar atomic G-Shock, I don't think the new Gulfman represents such a big improvement that you need to rush out and buy it right away. But if you're thinking of getting into the G-Shock game, the GW-9100 is a very good place to start. It certainly makes a fine addition to my G-Shock collection.

View the Casio G-Shock Gulfman GW-9100 photo gallery.

Casio seems to be gradually bringing the G-Shock and Pathfinder lines closer together. The first Casio Riseman was introduced back in 1997, but has been discontinued for some time. About three years ago, Casio introduced the G-Shock GW-400J which borrows from the Pathfinder line by integrating a thermometer. More recently, Casio announced the Ultimate Pathfinder (PAW1500) which, like the G-Shock line, is now water resistant to 200 meters (650 feet) rather than the previous 100 meters. And now Casio is reviving the Riseman line with the very strong Casio Riseman GW-9200.

Features include:

• New multi-band atomic timekeeping. Most of Casio's atomic watches are multi-band now, meaning they calibrate with atomic clocks in Mainflingen (Germany), Rugby (England), Fort Collins (Colorado), Fukushima (Japan), and Fukuoka (also Japan). But the Riseman GW-9200 goes a step further by also calibrating with the 77.5 kHz atomic signal in China, making it the first 6-band atomic watch I've ever seen.
• Solar powered.
• Water-resistant to 200 meters, or about 650 feet.
• Barometer pressure indicator and differential pointer (graph) with a range of 260 to 1,100 hectoPascals (millibars).
• Altimeter with a range of -700 to 10,000 meters, altitude data storage, and altitude differential pointer (ascent/descent graph).
• Thermometer with a range of -10°C to 60°C.
• Stopwatch with a resolution of 1/100th of a second, and a maximum capacity of 24 hours.
• World time with support for 33 cities.
• Countdown timer with a maximum of 24 hours (a nice improvement over the Pathfinders).
• 5 daily alarms and one snooze alarm.
• Time transfer function which allows you to swap the primary time zone with a secondary time zone (simplifying frequent travel between two zones).
• Electroluminescent backlight with automatic illumination feature (the ability to automatically illuminate the LCD by tilting the watch toward you).
• Dimensions: 51mm x 48.8mm x 15.9mm, and 60.9g.

All that is keeping the new Riseman from being a true triple sensor Pathfinder is the digital compass which, unfortunately, is one of my favorite features of the Pathfinder line. However, the GW-9200 is clearly one of the most sophisticated digital watches on the planet. It looks fantastic, and has some additional small improvements like the ability to view the date and day of week simultaneously. I just hope that, unlike the GW-400J, we will be able to toggle between metric and imperial units for things like temperature and barometric pressure, however I'm guessing not, and I'm guessing it will not be released in the US (though I will be very happy to be proven wrong).

The Casio G-Shock Riseman GW-9200 will be available on June 28th, 2008 and will retail for ¥27,000 which, as of today, is about $260.

View the Casio G-Shock GW056A Photo Gallery.

I think of the Casio G-Shock GW056A as the G-Shock for people who don't like G-Shocks. It's certainly the most subtle and unrecognizable G-Shock currently in the lineup, and most importantly, the slimmest.

It has the same octagonal case as many of the older G-Shocks (and the new retro tribute G-Shocks), but the brushed stainless steel bezel makes the shape much more pronounced. In fact, the shape is the first thing you notice about the GW056A. My wife calls it my Battlestar Galactica watch because the unconventional shape is similar to the shape paper will apparently assume if the world is ever destroyed by Cylons (of course, I'm talking about the new Battlestar Galactica).

The extremely slim and lightweight design is really what sets the GW056A apart. In terms of features, you'll notice that it's on par with all my favorite G-Shocks:

• Atomic calibration (US and Japan).
• Solar powered.
• Shock resistant (naturally).
• Water resistant to 200 meters, or about 650 feet.
• Automatic calendar.
• Electroluminescent backlight with auto EL function (meaning it can automatically illuminate when tilted to about 40° in the dark).
• World time (48 cities, 29 time zones, and automatic daylight savings adjustment).
• Four daily alarms and one snooze alarm (which keeps sounding until explicitly disabled).
• Countdown timer (up to 60 minutes).
• Stopwatch with split time (resolution of 1/100th of a second, and a maximum time of 59:59.99).

I've owned my GW056A since they were first introduced in Japan about two years ago (which means mine is actually a GW056J — the identical Japanese version), and it still gets regular wrist time. I like to wear it in the winter because it fits nicely under my coat sleeve, and when I ride my motorcycle since it slips easily beneath a glove. Although I love each and every one of my Casios, sometimes its nice having all the G-Shock functionality without all the G-Shock bulk.

View the Casio G-Shock GW056A Photo Gallery.

Two years ago, I wrote an article called The Ultimate Casio Pathfinder in which I raved about the PAW1200 series. This was the first time Casio had combined their atomic and solar technologies with their famous Triple Sensor (digital compass, altimeter, barometer, and thermometer). A year later, I reviewed what I considered to be the new ultimate Casio Pathfinder — the PAW1300 — which is essentially the same watch in a significantly slimmer package. Today, I'm extremely pleased to introduce what even Casio is now referring to the Ultimate Pathfinder: the PAW1500 series.

In addition to being solar and multi-band atomic, having all the digital watch features you'd expect like multiple alarms, countdown timer, world time, and a stopwatch, and in addition to being a Triple Sensor, Casio has added three significant new features to the PAW1500 line:

1. Tide graph.
2. Moon phase indicator.
3. An additional 100 meters of water resistance for a total of 200 meters, or about 650 feet.

I really have to give Casio a lot of credit for adding precisely the right features to the Pathfinder line. It used to be that I had a hard time choosing a Pathfinder over a G-Shock day-to-day because I insist that all my Casio watches be solar and atomic. But then Casio made the Pathfinder line solar and atomic. I now wear my PAW1300 fairly often, but I still love the additional ruggedness of my G-Shocks. So naturally, Casio has made the new PAW1500 series more rugged by increasing the water resistance, and adding robust button guards.

There's one more feature that, in my opinion, really helps to make the PAW1500 the ultimate Casio Pathfinder. For the first time, the day, date, and month are all visible simultaneously. This may seem like an insignificant detail, but it means a lot to people like me who lead such hectic lives that it's sometimes hard to keep track of the day of the week, much less the month and date.

The new Ultimate Casio Pathfinder will be available in May in either black resin ($350), or resin with a titanium band ($400). You can bet we'll have a thorough review as soon as humanly possible.

View the Casio Giez 1000BJ Photo Gallery.

We first mentioned the Casio Giez 1000BJ almost a year ago, but we didn't have much to say other than its very cool looking, it's only available in Japan, and its insides are almost identical to the Oceanus 5 Motor (OCW600TDA-1AV). Now that I actually own one, however, I can finally give you a proper review.

The biggest difference in functionality between the Oceanus and the Casio G-Shock Giez is the fact that the Giez is not a worldwide atomic watch. In other words, the Giez 1000BJ only receives atomic time signals in Japan and the US — not in the UK and Germany like the Oceanus.

There are a few more obvious differences, as well. The style of the Giez is pure G-Shock with ion-plated black metal clad in durable black rubber. It's a very functional looking watch, and with the white hands over the black face, it's quite legible, as well. Casio muted the usual G-Shock promotion with the bezel lettering simply inset rather than painted; the result is a much more restrained look than your average G-shock.

Personally, I'm a big fan of tough analog watches, and I was really looking forward to this one. Not only does it have the legendary toughness of the Casio G-Shock family, but it's solar, atomic, and it even manages to pack in five motors. Shock-proofing motors is a lot harder than it sounds, and this watch represents an impressive technical achievement for Casio.

The Casio STP-100 looks like an average digital watch, but adds a new trick: a pedometer. By measuring how many steps you take, and combining that data with information that you provide (your stride length and weight), it can estimate distance, calories burned, pace, and more. It's similar to the "Nike+iPod" sport kit, or the older Nike SDM Triax watch, however the Casio STP-100 has everything you need built right into the watch — no additional parts required.

From reading the manual (PDF), it looks like the STP-100 uses a more basic sensor than Nike's technology since it simply measures the swing of your arm as you walk. Interestingly, it can only measure accurately when worn on your left wrist (so don't try to attach it to your belt, or toss it in your bag). Adjust the sensitivity until it reads correctly, and the onboard software not only tracks workouts, but also keeps track of how much activity you accumulate during the course of your day. Neat!

The Casio STP-100 series is available in three colors: yellow, blue, and gray, all with the thick black racing stripe. Of course, as is the case will all Casio digital watches, the STP-100 series has a full complement of features, too: backlight, stopwatch, 10-lap memory, 5 daily alarms with snooze, low-battery warning, and a slick dot-matrix display.

The STP-100 series was released in Europe and Japan in July of this year at a list price of about $120. Unfortunately, no word on a US release, but we'll be watching.

By Paul Hubbard

View the Casio Pathfinder PAW1300-3V picture gallery.

When I reviewed the Casio Pathfinder PAW1200 about a year ago, I referred to it as "one of the most advanced digital timepieces in the world". Of course, it is also one of the biggest. The new PAW1300 takes all the same features and technology of the PAW1200, and fits it into a significantly slimmer package.

How much smaller is the PAW1300 compared to the PAW1200? The PAW1200, weighing in at 83 grams, is 64mm long, 48.9mm wide, and 14.4mm thick. The PAW1300 is a comparatively diminutive 60 grams, and 56.9mm long, 47.4mm wide, and only 11.5mm thick. Yes, we're only talking millimeters here, but with respect to something as small as a watch, every millimeter counts. To have taken almost a full 3mm off the thickness is really very significant.

I don't want to spend a lot of time going over the features of the Pathfinder PAW1300 since I've gone over them in detail in the review of the PAW1200. Rather, I'd like to defer to Watch Report reader Sam Tannous who related his experiences with the new PAW1300 in this email:

It looks like Casio just repackaged the Oceanus 5 Motor's insides in a dark and bold G-Shock GIEZ case. Currently only available to the Japanese (and to resourceful and fanatical foreign watch geeks), the Casio G-Shock GIEZ 1000BJ appears to be identical to the Oceanus 5 Motor that I just reviewed, but with a much tougher, "special ops" look to it.

Rather than titanium, the case is stainless steel with some sort of black, abrasion-resistant coating, and in place of the titanium bracelet is a pretty standard G-Shock rubber strap. The sapphire crystal of the Oceanus 5 Motor has also been replaced with whatever type of scratch-resistant plastic or acrylic that is used in G-Shocks. I'm not going to bother listing this watch's features since the Oceanus 5 Motor review covers them in detail (including a video), but I will say that aesthetically, this reinterpretation of the Oceanus really creates an entirely new watch.

In fact, there might even be some advantage in owning both since your titanium, around-the-office, out-for-drinks timepiece could work identically to your weekend, change-the-oil, help-a-friend-move "beater". I think there could be a marketing opportunity here.

The Casio G-Shock GIEZ 1000BJ goes for about $227.

Update: Read the Casio Giez 1000BJ review.

View the Oceanus 5 Motor photo gallery.

Oceanus seems to represent Casio's desire to creep upmarket in the US. In Japan, you can actually drop over $1,000 on a high-end Casio G-Shock, but to most Americans, the brand Casio usually means geeky at best, and cheap at worst. Frequent readers of Watch Report know better, however. In my opinion, Casio makes some of the most technologically advanced, rugged, and interesting digital watches available. But since Casio doesn't have time to wait for Watch Report to enlighten the entire American watch-buying public, they have repackaged their ingenuity into a shiny new brand: Oceanus.

I do think Oceanus watches are deserving of a brand all their own. With features that go beyond even my favorite US G-Shocks (titanium construction, handsome, low-profile cases, sapphire crystals), they deserve a chance to make their own way in the market.

The Oceanus 5 Motor is a further refinement of the Oceanus line. It boasts most of the features of the Oceanus Chronograph, but without the LCD in the 3 o'clock position. Why was Casio motivated to completely remove the LCD and figure out how to cram five individual motors into a single case? The point of the Oceanus 5 Motor is that it's a geeky watch that doesn't look like a geeky watch, so the fewer LCDs and LEDs, the better.

The downside of removing the LCD is that the watch gets slightly more complicated. The unit I received didn't come with an instruction manual, and after about 10 minutes of playing with buttons and watching the seven hands (seven!) spin and reel, I headed online to hunt down a PDF version of the booklet. Fortunately, with a little guidance, I found the 5 Motor fairly easy to use, however if you're the type who refuses to read manuals, you probably won't get the most out of this watch.

Casio has decided to try their luck at another GPS watch. While their first GPS watch was more of a smallish hand-held GPS strapped to your wrist, the GPR-100 is actually the smallest GPS watch available (63.1mm x 49.5mm x 17.1mm). And it actually looks like a watch, so it won't get you pulled out of an airport security line and escorted into a mysterious back room.

This time, Casio has decided to focus on runners. It's going to be a while before you can strap a really functional general purpose GPS to your wrist (why bother when there are so many amazing and compact hand-held GPS devices out there), so I think it's smart of Casio to narrow down their focus.

Why is GPS such important technology for runners? As long as a GPS device can receive a signal from at least three different satellites, it can can tell you where you are, how fast you're moving, how far you've gone, how much further you have to go, and it can calculate information on your pace. That means no more measuring your route with your car's odometer. The obvious advantage to packing all this functionality into a watch is to make it comfortable to run with, and easy to glance at.

The Casio GPR-100 isn't available in the US yet, so I'm having to glean details from Casio's Japanese site. As far as I can tell, here are the big features:

• Automatic time zone adjustment. The watch gets its time and location from the GPS signal, so it can automatically adjust to your location. It also automatically adjust for daylight savings.
• Points of Interest (POI). Record where you are on the globe, and what time you were there. Up to 100 POIs can be stored. The watch will also calculate the distance between where you are, and one other point.
• Automatic electro-luminescent backlight. Lift up your wrist and tilt it toward your face to automatically illuminate the LCD. (Useful while training in the early morning.)
• Water-resistant to 5ATM, 50 meters, or about 165 feet.
• Stopwatch with 1/100th of a second resolution. You can also record data (lap/split times, total time, average pace, total distance and more) on up to 50 workouts.
• Pace verification. Since the watch knows how fast and how far you're going, it can give you feedback on your pace and let you know whether you need to speed up or slow down.
• Countdown timer.
• Rechargeable battery (recharging cradle is included). Unfortunately, the battery only lasts about 2 hours in "normal" mode, and 4.3 hours in "low power" mode (if you are in good enough shape to run longer than that, you'll have to stick to more conventional training methods). The Casio GPR-100 takes about 3 hours to fully recharge.
• Standard alarm.

The Casio GPR-100 isn't cheap. It goes for 54,000 yen, or about $467.00, as of today. I can see paying that much for a high-end training watch, but frankly, they're going to have to extend the battery life significantly. In case you can't wait for Casio to get around to shipping this watch to the US, check out the Garmin Forerunner 205 (they claim a battery life of 10 hours). I've used its predecessor, the Forerunner 101, pretty extensively, and it's a pretty decent training watch, so I'm anxious to get my hands on the 205.

Over a year ago, I came across the Casio G-Shock GW400-J vibrating watch, and was so enraptured by the prospect of having an atomic solar G-Shock with a vibrating alarm that I ordered one immediately. Unfortunately, they were only available in Japan, so I had to buy it "gray market" and pay top dollar. I reviewed the GW400J as soon as I received it, and the story got so much traffic that I got an email from Casio asking me to make it very clear in the article that the watch was only available in Japan because they were getting so many calls from people in the US trying to buy one. Of course I agreed to make the change, but I also used the opportunity to encourage Casio to try releasing the GW400J (and other cool new G-Shocks) to us poor Yanks who I believe are starting to love geeky wrist gadgets as much as the Japanese. I never heard back directly, but while doing a routine scrub of Casio's online watch selection the other day, I was pleased to find the G-Shock GW400J-1 available for sale on the US site.

I gave Casio a call, and was told that the only difference between the GW400J (the Japanese version) and the GW400J-1 (the US version) is that the temperature (yes, the watch has a thermometer, as well) on the US version can be displayed in both fahrenheit and in celsius whereas the Japanese version only supports celsius. Keep in mind that I have not confirmed this for myself, so if you buy one, and you absolutely need the temperature to be in fahrenheit, save your receipt.

So now I'm faced with a difficult decision. Do I spend $200 replacing my GW400J with a GW400J-1 just to get the temperature in fahrenheit, or do I stick with my gray market Japanese version? I'll probably save my $200 for whatever vibrating solar atomic contraption Casio releases next, however if I happen to come face to face with one in a store, I reserve the right to change my mind and buy it on the spot.

I'm obviously a big fan of the GW400J-1. I would definitely say that it's one of the top five most interesting G-Shocks out there. For a thorough rundown, check out my review of the GW400J. Or better yet, pick one up yourself and get to know it firsthand.

Update and Warning: I've received a few emails from people who have purchased the GW400 in the US, and they have not been able to figure out how to change the temperature units over to fahrenheit. It's possible Casio did not modify the watch before releasing it in the US. Shame on them.

Last March, I wrote about the Casio Pathfinder PAW1200, a very impressive watch which manages to pack multi-band atomic timekeeping, solar power, and three sensors (digital compass, altimeter/barometer, and thermometer) into a single package. The PAW1200 series was a landmark achievement for Casio since it finally brought together the convenience of both solar power and atomic timekeeping with the diverse functionality of the Pathfinder line.

But even though they got it all into a single package, the PAW1200 wasn't exactly the nicest package. I reviewed the PAW1200-3V, a big green resin model which engulfs my narrow wrist like a python. I'm ok with the size of the watch (all that technology has to go somewhere), but I felt like the material (plastic all around) left some room for improvement.

Enter the PRW-1100YTJ-1JF. The Protrek PRW-1100YTJ-1JF steps it up a notch by wrapping up all the features of the PAW1200 series in a very cool black titanium case with a synthetic sapphire crystal on top. Why is titanium good? Tough and light. Why is sapphire good? For all intents and purposes, it's scratch proof.

Admittedly, I have never owned a Casio titanium and sapphire watch, so I can't vouch for the level of quality. In other words, all titanium cases and bracelets, and all sapphire crystals, were not created equal. It's intriguing, however, to see Casio fitting their toughest watches with some very tough materials.

Of course, the news can't be all good. The PRW-1100YTJ-1JF is not available in the US (hence the "J" in the model name) since most Americans aren't interested in paying $450 for any type of watch, much less a Casio. But the true Casio aficionados have their sources. If anyone out there has a titanium Casio with a sapphire crystal, let me know what you think of the quality. Otherwise, I'll be forced to buy one myself in the name of product research.

Additional Resources:

• Review of the Casio Pathfinder PAW1200
• Review of the Casio Pathfinder PAW1300-3V
• The PRW-1100 home page

View the Casio Pathfinder PAW1200 picture gallery.

I've been waiting for this watch for a while now, so it's a real pleasure to finally have the opportunity to review it. The Casio Pathfinder PAW1200 is what I've referred to several times as the ultimate Pathfinder, perhaps the ultimate Casio, and certainly one of the most advanced digital timepieces in the world.

What makes the Casio Pathfinder PAW1200 series special is the fact that it brings so many features together into one watch. I'll get into plenty of detail on each individual feature shortly, but most notably, the PAW1200 series is the first to bring together the triple-sensor functionality of the Pathfinder line (compass, barometer, and thermometer), atomic time calibration, and solar power. I have several solar-powered watches, several atomic watches, and a few triple-sensor watches by various manufacturers, but the PAW1200 is the only watch that I know of with all of these features. And as if that isn't enough, the PAW1200 series is what Casio calls a multi-band atomic watch, which means it will calibrated with almost every atomic clock in the world (details below).

I was going to wait and write about the new Casio Pathfinder PAW1200T-7V once it was actually available, but I've been getting so much email about this watch that I figured I'd better go ahead and break radio silence. Last summer, I made a post entitled The Ultimate Casio Pro Trek (Almost) which described a watch I've been waiting for for a very long time: a solar atomic Casio Pro Trek (called Pathfinder here in the US). The "Almost" portion of the title referred to the unfortunate fact that it was only compatible with Japanese atomic clocks. Casio has finally come through for us Yanks, however, and according to this press release, the PAW1200 series will not only work with the US atomic time signal, but it will actually be sold here in the US, as well. Good for me, bad for my Japanese connection who won't make any money off me this time.

I haven't seen the final specifications on these watches yet, but I would expect the following features:

• Atomic timekeeping (obviously).
• Solar powered with at least a 20-month power reserve, maybe better.
• Thermometer which will actually convert the temperature into fahrenheit.
• Compass.
• Barometer.
• Barometric altimeter.
• World time with support for at least 30 cities pre-programmed.
• Stopwatch.
• Countdown timer.
• 5 daily alarms.

I love the idea of vibrating alarms. I think a vibrating alarm on a watch makes as much sense as a vibrating ringer on a mobile phone. Unfortunately, if you want a silent watch, you don't have a lot of choices. Some options that come to mind are the Tissot High-T, the Tissot Silen-T, the Casio G-Shock GW-400J, and now the newest addition: the Casio G-Shock GL-7500HD.

The Casio GL-7500HD is a watch intended for water sports, the idea being if your swimming, surfing, water skiing, etc., you're not likely to hear an alarm. Additional water-related features include a tide graph and water resistance to 200 meters (about 650 feet).  Here's the full feature list for the Casio GL-7500HD:

• Vibrating alarm.
• Tide graph.
• World time (preprogrammed for 28 cities).
• Three daily alarms and one snooze alarm.
• Countdown timer.
• Stopwatch with a resolution of 1/100 of a second.
• Automatic calendar.
• Water-resistant to 200 meters, or about 650 feet.

As far as my own personal G-Shock collection goes, I usually don't bother with anything that isn't atomic and solar anymore simply because I think those are two very useful features that Casio has really implemented well (see the Casio G-Shock GW-400J). But if your criteria is less stringent, and your priorities are a tough, inexpensive watch with a vibrating alarm, The Casio G-Shock GL-7500HD looks like a very good fit. And it is readily available in the US for only around $80.

View the Casio G-Shock GW-5600 photo gallery.

The GW-5600 is a remake of the very first Casio G-Shock: the 1983 DW-5000C. I fell in love with the GW-5600 series the first time I saw it both for its boxy, retro styling, and for its plain but essential feature set. In fact, the GW-5600 has the exact set of features that I believe makes up a complete and functional modern digital watch:

• Atomic time keeping. Calibrates in both Japan and in the US.
• Solar powered. With the power-saving function enabled, the watch will remain powered for up to 25 months with no light.
• Countdown timer with a maximum time of 60 minutes, and a resolution of 1/10th of a second.
• 4 standard daily alarms, 1 daily snooze alarm, and an hourly time signal.
• Stopwatch with a resolution of 1/100th of a second, and split time.
• World time for 30 different cities (29 time zones).
• Automatic calendar.
• Water resistant to 20 bar, 200 meters, or 660 feet.
• Battery power indicator.
• Signal reception indicator.
• Electroluminescent backlight.

The GW-5600 is available in a few different models. I chose the one with the inverted LCD (the GW-5600BJ) simply to have something a little different, however the contrast isn't as high in real life as Casio's depictions would have you believe, which means it's a little difficult to read (I would probably recommend going with the standard LCD of the GW-5600J). Other than that, the GW-5600 is a simple but functional digital watch which manages to be both retro and modern.

• Casio G-Shock GW-5600 photo gallery.
• The Casio G-Shock GW-5600 product line.
• Casio G-Shock timeline.

Not to be outdone by the new Seiko Brightz worldwide atomic watch, Casio has recently released their own triple-region atomic watch. What makes the new Casio Waveceptor special is that it will calibrate with atomic time signals anywhere in the world, or at least anywhere where there is an atomic clock transmitting a time signal, which is Japan, Europe (England and Germany), and North America (a 3,000 mile radius around Fort Collins, Colorado). Features of the new Casio triple-region Waveceptor include:

• Worldwide time calibration (at least in the regions of the world where there are atomic clocks).
• Support for displaying the day of the week in 5 different languages.
• Preprogrammed calendar up to the year 2098.
• Water-resistant to 50 meters, or about 165 feet.
• Stainless steel case and bracelet.
• Mineral glass crystal.
• Three-year battery.

The new Casio Waveceptor (ref. WVQ-200HDE-2BVER) is available starting this month in Europe, and seems to go for €100, or about $122. The Seiko Brightz worldwide atomic watch is a higher-end timepiece (I'm expecting it to go for around $850), but if all you need is worldwide time calibration, and you don't have a lot of money to spend, the Casio might be the way to go.

I've been waiting for this watch. I'm a big fan of the Casio Pro Trek line, especially since they went solar, and even more so now that they've gone atomic. That's right: an atomic solar Casio Pro Trek. That makes for quite a list of features:

• Atomic timekeeping. That means this watch is automatically calibrated through radio waves transmitted by an atomic clock.
• Solar powered. Solar cells around the face keep the watch's battery charged, and a sophisticated power-saving function will keep the watch going for up to 20 months with no light. (It seems every time I write an article about a solar Casio, that number gets higher.)
• Thermometer. The temperature range is from -10° to 60° Celsius.
• Compass. Direction is indicated by a second LCD that hovers above the main one. Very cool effect. The Casio Pro Trek supports magnetic declination correction for true north as opposed to just magnetic north. (See my review of the Tissot T-Touch for more information on magnetic declination.)
• Barometer. Atmospheric pressure can be measured in the range of 260 to 1100 hPa (hectoPascals). Barometric trends over the last 30 hours can be displayed as a graph.
• Altimeter. The altimeters on Casio Pro Treks are barometric altimeters which means they work, but you have to know how to use them. See my review of the Tissot T-Touch for more information.
• World time. Keep track of a second time zone (30 cities supported).
• Stopwatch with a resolution of 1/100th of a second.
• Auto-repeating countdown timer. After time and date, the most useful function a digital watch can have.
• 5 daily alarms, and an hourly time signal.
• Battery power indicator.
• Signal strength indicator (for the atomic function).
• Electroluminescent backlight.
• Available with a resin case and strap, or in all titanium.

Casio accomplishes another first with the Oceanus. There's nothing new about combining atomic time calibration with solar power, but I don't think I've ever seen a solar-powered atomic chronograph. The Oceanus is a very functional and sophisticated watch in a rugged but attractive package. Features include:

• Solar powered.
• Atomic time calibration.
• Chronograph with a resolution of 1/20th of a second.
• Stopwatch with a resolution of 1/100th of a second.
• 5 daily alarms.
• Dual time (monitor the time in a second time zone).
• LED "auto light". (The LEDs can be configured to illuminate automatically when the watch is tilted toward your face.)
• Titanium or stainless steel case.
• Choice of titanium or stainless steel bracelet, or genuine leather strap.
• Sapphire crystal.
• Tachymeter.
• Automatic calendar.
• Water resistant to 100 meters, or about 330 feet.

View the Casio G-Shock GW-400J photo gallery.

When I first saw the new Casio GW-400J vibrating watch, I knew I was going to have to get my hands on one. You see, I'm very in to vibrating watches. Not because I'm some kind horological pervert, but because they make so much sense. Ever since a got my Timex Internet Messenger some six years ago or so, I've always felt that digital watches should have vibrating alarms. What good is it having multiple daily alarms, programmable alarms, auto-repeating countdown timers, and an hourly signal if you can't hear them because they are so faint, or because you live in a world where you don't want your geeky watch attracting attention?

Not only was I tempted by the Casio GW-400J's vibrating alarm, but it's even solar powered. And atomic. And it has a countdown timer. True, it's goofy looking, but I just named all my favorite digital watch features, and it's very unusual to find them all in one place. Besides, big black plastic Casios appear to be in right now, at least in San Francisco where I live.

Before I get into my review of the Casio GW-400J, here's a list of features:

Casio's Edifice line is designed to be sporty, stylish, and sophisticated. They are for people who want something inexpensive (sub $100) and reasonably well made, but who can't quite bring themselves to strap a big, black, plastic G-Shock to their wrists.

The new Edifice EF-505s are your standard affordable, consumer line quartz watches, but what caught my attention was their design. Casio has always been known for their innovative and durable timepieces, but recently, with watches like the Casio Futurist, Oceanus, and the Square Baby-Gs, Casio has been trying to move into markets driven more by fashion and style than technology. To my eye, the Edifice EF-505 line is reminiscent of the newish and very beautiful Seiko Sportura Kinetic Chronograph (though the similarities stop there -- the Sportura Kinetic is a very nice mid-range chronograph which retails for around $995.)

Feature of the Casio Edifice EF-505 line include:

I'm only doing a mini review of the Casio G-Shock GW-1310 because it is almost identical to the G-Shock GW-1100 that I reviewed late last year with just a few subtle differences. Before reading what's different between the two watches, you should probably check out that review first, if you haven't already. Here's a quick recap of the features the two watches have in common:

• Solar powered.
• Atomic timekeeping.
• World time.
• Five daily alarms.
• Auto-repeating countdown timer.
• Stopwatch.
• Water resistant to 200 meters, or 600 feet.
• Shock resistant.
• Scratch-resistant mineral crystal.

(Check out the GW-1100 review for a much more detail description of these features.)

The GW-1310 is a newer watch, and has been updated in the following ways:

Casio continues its foray into the world of women's fashion. Late last year, I wrote about Casio's introduction of the square Baby-G series, and now they are marketing to fashion-conscious women once again with the new Futurist. I have to admit, when I first saw a watch by Casio called the Futurist, I started envisioning things like GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi, and GSM, so I was a little surprised to basically find just a lot of hot pink. But I think the idea of combining fashion and technology is a worthy pursuit. I believe Casio feels they have the technology part down (see my article entitled Has Casio Perfected the Digital Watch?), so now they are repackaging that technology in a way that will appeal to a market which, in the US, anyway, is dominated by companies like Fossil, Swatch, and Guess.

Futurists are cute little watches. Since I'm not likely to write very eloquently about women's fashion, I'll quote Casio's marketing team, instead:

The ultimate statement in fashion with a retro style will make it a popular choice amongst style leaders. Futurist - colourful and stylish, perfect for any day, any outfit - a choice of ten colours! The Futurist comes with sidebars that colour co-ordinate with the LCD screens, be colour co-coordinated all the time.

Features of the Futurist include alarm, stopwatch, dual time, and an electroluminescent backlight.

The folks over at Wrist Dreams have picked up on the new vibrating Casio G-Shock GW-400CJ-1JF marine sports watch. I was just commenting the other day on how Casio is really pushing the limits of digital watches, and as if to prove my point, they announce one of the most interesting and feature-rich digital watches I've ever seen. The most unique feature of the GW-400CJ is that the countdown timer, alarm, and time signal can use a vibrating alarm rather than an audible one so that it can be effectively used in high winds, while in the water, or in other situations where it's difficult to hear faint high-pitched beeps. The other thing that really caught my attention about this watch is the sheer number of features they packed into it:

• Waveceptor. That means this watch is automatically calibrated through radio waves transmitted by atomic clocks. Works in both Japan and the US.
• Tough Solar. Solar cells around the face keep the watch's battery charged, and a sophisticated power-saving function will keep the watch powered for up to 19 months with no light.
• Water-resistant to 200 meters, or over 600 feet, which makes it suitable for diving.
• Thermometer which measures both air and water temperatures between about 14 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Tide graph.
• Moon phase indicator.
• Vibrating alarm.
• World time supporting 32 cities in 30 time zones.
• Stopwatch with a resolution of 1/100th of a second and a max time of 100 hours.
• Four alarms.
• Countdown timer. Goes up to 60 minutes and has an auto-repeat function.
• Automatic calendar.
• Electroluminescent backlight.

A truly amazing watch. Read the press release in English, thanks to Google's translation tool. The Casio GW-400CJ should go for around $225, not counting shipping from Japan, and a generous tip for your Japanese connection.

Of course, the Casio Overland only appears to be available in Japan (aren't all the coolest Japanese watches?), but if you have some strings over there, they might be worth pulling to get your hands on one of these. In my opinion, the Casio Overland is the nicest looking solar Waveceptor to date. Here's the skinny:

• Tough Solar. Solar cells in the dial keep the watch's battery charged. I have a couple Casio Tough Solar watches, and I've found that this system works remarkably well.
• Waveceptor. That's Casio's way of saying that this watch is automatically calibrated through radio waves transmitted by atomic clocks. The Casio Overland works with 40kHz and 60kHz signals which are intended for use in Japan, however the atomic clock in Fort Collins, Colorado broadcasts at 60kHz, so it will work in the US. (Watch Report reader Victor Shiff has pointed out that although the frequency is the same, the time code is different, so this watch will not work in the US. Bummer. Thanks, Victor.)
• Alarm.
• Water resistant to 100 meters (330 feet).
• Battery charge warning function. I'm not sure how this works, but I'm guessing the second hand starts jumping in two-second increments to indicate that the watch's power is low.
• Power saving function. If the watch detects that it is in the dark for an extended period of time, it will stop to conserve power.
• LED illumination. That means it uses a small LED (probably bluish) to illuminate the dial. LED illumination is much brighter than electroluminescent, and is what Casio is using now for analog watches.
• Perpetual date, meaning it doesn't need to be reset after months with fewer than 31 days.
• Metal case. Available with metal bracelets or nylon straps.
• Retail is approximately between $165 and $250.

Thanks to the magic of Google, here's an English version of the Casio Overland product page.

Casio has introduced a pretty nice new Oceanus with both an alarm and a chronograph. Features include:

• Water resistant to 100 meters (330 feet).
• 3-dial chronograph (resolution of 1/20 of a second).
• Daily alarm with snooze function.
• Date display.
• Stainless steel case.
• Mineral glass crystal.
• Black or while dial.
• Quartz movement (+/- 20 seconds per month, 2-year battery).
• Retail price about $129.

A couple of weeks ago, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI issued a warning to the Transportation Security Administration stating that al-Qaida may attempt to use Casio watches with built-in altimeters to sabotage US airliners. The idea is that since Casios are readily available and very affordable, budget-conscious terrorists could modify a Casio ProTrek or Pathfinder so that it could detonate a bomb at a specified altitude (I suppose you wouldn't want to blow up a Suunto, Tissot, or a Hamilton). I received a lot of skeptical email regarding the warning, however whether it was justified or not, Casio's legal team has apparently responded. According to Robert Shapiro, Director of Legal Affairs, Casio is more than happy to work with the DHS to help limit any potential threats:

"We hope to have a meeting where we can help screeners with identifying the watch and understand how it's used, how it functions. If they feel it's an issue, we'll try to come out with a tool or public service announcement to help minimize any types of problems they may have. We see this as an opportunity to help them."

Casio is well known for combining digital watches with all kinds of gadgetry: calculators, remote controls, cameras, GPS devices, MP3 players, and now, according to the Department of Homeland Security, bomb detonators.

MSNBC is reporting that the DHS and the FBI issued a warning to the Transportation Security Administration today stating that al-Qaida may attempt to use watches with cigarette lighters or Casio watches with built-in altimeters to detonate bombs on board US airliners.

"Recent intelligence suggests al-Qaida has expressed interest in obtaining wristwatches with a hidden butane-lighter function and Casio watches with an altimeter function. Casio watches have been extensively used by al-Qaida and associated organizations as timers for improvised explosive devices. The Casio brand is likely chosen due to its worldwide availability and inexpensive price."

Watches with built-in cigarette lighters and Casio Pathfinders and ProTreks are not banned from planes, so they cannot be confiscated, however screeners have been told to watch for these suspicious watches so that the passengers attached to them can undergo additional screening. If you're a Casio fan, I therefore recommend going with a nice G-Shock or Edifice during your next flight.

What I can't figure out is how you could possibly use the altimeter built into a Casio watch as an accurate timing device. Casio Pathfinder and ProTrek altimeters are barometric altimeters which means they attempt to calculate your altitude based on atmospheric pressure. Airplane cabins are pressurized, so barometric altimeters cannot be used to measure a plane's altitude. Additionally, I have not found barometric altimeters built into watches to be particularly accurate. In fact, I've known them to be downright erratic upon occasion. It's one thing to use one to climb a hill, but it's something else entirely to attach a bomb to one.

Casio's solar powered atomic watches are the ultimate in digital watch technology, says Kazuo Kashio, president and Chief Executive Officer of Casio. According to this article in the Times Online, Mr. Kashio (or, as we Westerners might pronounce it, "Casio"), believes watches that don't require batteries and that are always correct are pretty much the perfect digital watches.

"From my experience of the watch business, I think I can say that our solar-powered watches that set themselves by radio control are the ultimate form of watch we can expect. Look, they are never inaccurate by as much as a second and never need batteries."

As a big fan of Casio digital watch technology myself, I was worried when I first read Mr. Kashio's words. Was he implying that Casio is done innovating? Was one of the most important electronic companies in the world about to back-burner their watch business in order to devote more resources to things like digital cameras or their new cell phones? As it turns out, it meant just the opposite:

"So this leaves the major question of what else will watches do other than tell the time? Wrist-based machines, that is the future, and we have a lot of dreams on that score. It’s going to become the ultimate mobile gadget that you can’t drop."

I'll admit that Watch Report tends to be a little biased toward men's watches, but being a pretty big G-Shock fan in general, I have to make the occasional exception for Baby-G's. If you're a guy, and you're about to head off to Google to search for a more manly watch, aren't you forgetting that it's almost the holidays, and that Casio Baby-G watches make wonderful and affordable gifts?

As far as I know, these are the first G-Shocks (Baby or otherwise) to appear as anything other than round (or roundish) since the initial square G-Shocks were introduced back in 1983. They rounded out in 1987, and have remained that way until now. Not only are these newest Baby-G's square, but they're colorful, sophisticated, and fun. In the words of David Johnson, vice president of Casio's Timepiece Division:

"Casio's newest timepieces are trendy, stylish and extremely functional. The Baby-G's are the perfect accessory for today's busy lifestyle, matching
supreme style with advanced features that make your life easier. The new square Baby-G's are just the right thing to add a dash of rogue style to the latest spring looks. On the flip side they can add the necessary polish to an outfit for the boardroom. As versatile as they are chic, they're a sign of the times. It's hip to be square!"

While I'm pretty sure these words were actually written by someone in PR and/or Marketing as opposed to being uttered by David Johnson himself, I wouldn't disagree with them. Now let's have a look at features.

View the Casio GW-1100 photo gallery.

I reviewed this watch's all-digital little brother about a month ago, and found it to be a good watch for someone who needs something durable and inexpensive. If you're really into Casio G-Shocks, though, you'll definitely want to look at something more like the GW-1100 and its peers.

This is a big, bold G-Shock that's just about as feature-rich as they come. It's not exactly a lightweight, inconspicuous timepiece, but people don't wear G-Shocks when they want their wrists to go unnoticed. Despite its size, weight, height, and the fact that there are ten noticeable screws keeping this watch water and dust-tight, I think it actually manages to convey a touch more class than your typical G-Shock.

Features of the GW-1100

• Solar powered. The face of the watch, behind the hands and in front of the four LCDs, is a good-sized solar cell which easily keeps this watch's battery well charged. A couple of minutes of direct sunlight each day is the best way to keep a Tough Solar G-Shock happy (normal incandescent, and even fluorescent, lighting can also be used, though you'll need substantially more of it), however Casio claims that a fully charged battery will power this model through normal use for up to seven months. I don't have time to sit in the dark for seven months to test this theory, but I will say that even after prolonged disuse (so many watches, so little time), whenever I pick it back up, the battery has always been nearly fully charged, so my guess is that Casio's claims are accurate. You don't want to let the battery completely discharge, though, since it takes 24 hours of direct sunlight to fully recharge it which is not an easy feat unless you happen to be orbiting the Earth.
• Battery charge indicator. The LCD at the 6 o'clock position will let you know when you've been cooped up in your dark basement for too long, and that it's time to get out into the sunshine for a little recharging.
• Power saving function. When not exposed to light for a prolonged period of time, the watch goes into power saving mode which means the LCDs turn off and the hands stop moving. Once it detects light again, or a button is pushed, or the watch is angled toward your face for reading, it awakens again. The LCDs come back on, and the analog hands scurry back into their proper places. Neat trick.
• Atomic timekeeping. This watch will calibrate itself up to five times a day using a radio signal broadcast by the cesium clock in Fort Collins, Colorado (or one of the two atomic clocks in Japan, depending on how the watch is configured). Calibration attempts are made at 1:00 a.m., 2:00 a.m., 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m., and if none of those were successful, again at 5:00 a.m. (if nothing else, this watch is persistent). It chooses late night/early morning with the assumption you are asleep, and the watch is sitting peacefully beside you, dutifully facing Fort Collins near a window. The watch also records the date and time of its last successful calibration, so don't worry about trying to stay awake to monitor it's progress.
• Signal strength indicator. Very handy for finding the optimal spot to let your watch soak up the time calibration rays.
• Analog and digital time synchronization. This means that the hands on this watch are actually just an analog representation of the digital time. This may seem obvious, but Casio actually makes analog/digital watches where this is not the case. You can set the analog hands to be inconsistent with the digital time, but they will still be in-sync, just with an offset between them. I have another analog/digital G-Shock that arrived with the hands way off for some reason, but it was quite easy to get them synchronized, and they have stayed in-step ever since.
• World time. 30 cities (29 different time zones) around the world.
• Five alarms. Each is an independent daily alarm. Nothing special, except that there are five of them. Naturally, there's an hourly time signal, as well.
• Auto-repeating countdown timer. 60 minutes is the timer's ceiling, and it repeats up to nine times. You can turn the auto repeat function off in which case, the left-most LCD (the one at the 9 o'clock position) displays 1/10 seconds rather than the number of times the timer has repeated.
• Stopwatch. Measure elapsed time, split times, and two finishes up to 99:59':99".
• Electro-luminescent backlight. That means only the LCDs are illuminated, not the entire face of the watch. This watch also has an auto illumination function which means, when activated, it will illuminate automatically if you hold the watch parallel to the ground, then rotate it more than 40 degrees toward your face. It's even smart enough not to activate itself if it senses that there's enough light in the room that you shouldn't need it. Pretty slick.
• Water resistant. 20 BAR (20 ATM, 200 meters, or 600 feet).
• Shock resistant. According to the manual, "The watch can be worn on the wrist during any hard sports. (Use care not to allow the front glass to butt against any hard objects.)" Although they don't specify, it should be ok to wear during "soft sports," as well.
• Scratch-resistant mineral crystal.
• Accurate up to about 15 seconds per month. Not exactly an engineering marvel, but consider this: 15 seconds per month is roughly .5 seconds per day (worse case scenario), so if the watch calibrates nightly, at any given time, it should never be more than a half second off, and most likely much less than that. Not bad.

All you have to do is take a survey, and apparently your warranty is extended for an additional year.  It's not clear whether you have to register your watch, as well, however I would assume so.  Registration can be completed online right here.

While I have the attention of G-Shock fans, witness the evolution of the G-Shock through this interactive timeline, or take a peek inside a G-Shock watch.

View photo gallery.

The Casio GW-300 is solid, practical watch for people who are more interested in ruggedness and durability than elegance. It's not the last watch you'll ever buy, or the only watch you'll ever need, but if you're looking for a tough, affordable digital watch, the GW-300 is a good candidate.

Features of the GW-300 G-Shock include:

• Solar powered ("Tough Solar," as Casio calls it). The GW-300 has a rechargeable battery and two discreet solar cells at the top and bottom of the face which are used to replenish the battery. That means unless you're a hermit and live in a cave, you're watch will never be without power.
• Atomic timekeeping ("Waveceptor," as Casio calls it). The GW-300 is equipped with an internal antenna which receives time calibration signals transmitted by an atomic clock on Fort Collins, Colorado. That means assuming you live in an area where the radio signal is detectable (most of North America), you never have to set your watch, and it will always be extremely accurate.
• World time. Easily check the time in 30 different cities around the world (29 time zones).
• Time recorder. Store up to 30 different "snapshots" of the time including month, day, hour, minutes, seconds and the daylight savings mode by pressing a button. Interesting feature. Use it to record the exact time an event occurs. Seems useful for people like firefighters, police, etc.
• Five Alarms. Four standard daily alarms, and one "snooze" alarm which keeps going off every five minutes until you actually go into alarm mode and disable it (as opposed to just pressing a button and turning it off). I really like this feature. I've used it keep reminding me it's time to go to bed.
• Hourly time signal.
• Stopwatch. Display range of 23 hours, 59 minutes, and 59.99 seconds. Measures elapsed time, split times, and two finish times.
• Electro-luminescent backlight. Nice and bright, greenish blueish in color.
• Auto light. If you often need to see the time in the dark, but might not have both hands free (maybe you carry around your baby for hours in the dark trying to get her to fall asleep), turn on the auto light feature, and all you have to do is tilt the watch toward you more than 40 degrees, and the backlight will automatically illuminate. Sometimes takes a few tries, but it usually works pretty well.
• Power saving setting. When power saving is enabled, the watch will enter one of two power saving modes when left in the dark for certain periods of time. Between 60 and 70 minutes of being in the dark, the watch goes into a "light sleep" (all functions except the display are still operational), and after six or seven days, a deeper sleep (in addition to the screen, the beeper tone, backlight, and time calibration function are also disabled).
• Shock resistant. It's a G-Shock, after all.
• Water resistant to 20 bar. That's 20 ATM, 200 meters, or 660 feet. In other words, deep.
• Atomic time signal strength indicator.
• Battery life indicator.