Casio hybrid G-Shock watch a true utility gadget

Outside the luxury sector, regular wristwatches are going out of fashion fast as smartphones and other devices double up as the timepiece.

Which is why the Japanese electronics manufacturer Casio has reinvented itself with the launch of its G-Shock GPW-1000 GPS Hybrid Wave Ceptor model this month.

Manufactured at Casio’s Yamagata factory in Japan, the G-Shock is priced at Dh3,995 and can utilise radio waves from at least six stations across the world, including Fort Collins in Texas in the US, Mount Otakadoya in China and Mainflingen in Germany. GPS ensures the watch also keeps its time when terrestrial radio waves are unavailable.

While I don’t need to know my exact GPS location on the commute between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, seeing the GPS indicator change location highlights the amount of time we spend on the road.

However, the device is probably more of an explorer’s watch or for those who go off-road, than for someone making the daily trek between the emirates. The GPS system and radio wave time-calibration technology helps it keep accurate time in all locations, from forests to cities and deserts, according to Tsuneo Nagai, Casio’s managing director for the Middle East.

It is also water-resistant up to 200 metres and the battery lasts for eight months.

It is billed as a watch “that truly never breaks, never stops and never loses time”. Promised to be in sync anywhere and complemented by solar power, this could be also turned into the ultimate travel accessory for the frequent flyer. The watch can tell you the latitude, day and even the name of the major city closest to the current location of the person wearing it.

However, its chunky size and masculine design is not for everyone; a slimline version for more slender wrists such as mine would be ideal.

According to MrNagai, the next generation of Casio wristwatches will “come with even more pre-loaded additional functions and capabilities”. Let’s hope that includes a sleeker design too.

q&a timepiece for the globetrotter

Tsuneo Nagai, Casio’s managing director for the Middle East, talks about the finer details of the timepiece.

Where is the GPW-1000 available in the UAE?

From G-Factory shops located at Al Ghurair Centre, Ibn Battuta Mall and Lamcy Plaza in Dubai and also at Dubai Duty Free as well as at Watch House, Watches Corner, Time Square and Virgin Megastore outlets at shopping malls.

Who is the GPW-1000 designed for?

It’s made with the world traveller in mind. The ability to keep accurate time anywhere in the world with the help of technology will be a very useful facility for business people and frequent travellers who are saved the constant bother of adjusting times and time zones. The inbuilt toughness and durability that are the signature attributes of the iconic Casio G-Shock line also marks out this watch as a timepiece that is able to keep up to stringent standards.

Any plans to create a more feminine version of the G-Shock?

We already have a feminine line of our G-Shock range. The Baby-G range was created as a feminine and graceful counterpart to the G-Shock “big brother”. The Baby-G brand exemplifies the meeting of fashion and function for the vibrant, active woman with watches that are stylish, bold and tough. Empowered with the same great functionality that G-Shock is known for, Baby-G timepieces are shock and water-resistant with multiple daily alarms and stopwatch functions.

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