For me a G-Shock can’t be bright enough. I usually browse eBay from time to time if I can see something I like, but from time to time I lurk at Yahoo Auctions Japan too. If you are a bit handy with searching, you can find the most interesting models, where you outside Japan only can dream about. Lately I saw both versions of the Gaussman Enduro Touret and a lot of analog Mudman models. All models that are high on my (too long) wanted list.
Quite some years ago I stumbled upon this pink DW-6900.It was long before Casio was even thinking about releasing the crazy colors and also before the DW-6900FS-4JF (December 2005) was released. The DW-6900FS-4JF was also known as the Masami Nagasawa model, because this actress wore one.
Masami Nagasawa in a magazine wearing the pink DW-6900FS-4JF.
I have always looked out from time to time for this model. Just a few weeks ago a well known seller from Hong Kong had this model for sale on eBay. Hardly worn in box! I have bought several other G-Shocks from this seller (like the Rail Star Hikari model featured here recently), so I asked him if it was possible to to hold the watch as I was going to pay later. He would hold the watch for me for week or so.
As soon as I had money the watch was sent off. Luckily the ash cloud of an Icelandic volcano had moved above our county, so I hoped that this watch would reach me fast. Unfortunately the watch was taken to the customs and had to wait quite a long time. Finally it reached my home, with a €25.70 bill for the customs (luckily the worth of the watch was declared $35.- and marked as a gift). This way is of course not legal, but asking €17.- fees for €8.- tax (and I have even experience worse cases) sounds like legally stealing too.
Searching for information on this PostPet model wasn’t easy, until I found a reminder from my friend DragonJade that PostPet can be writtenポストペットtoo. Also there is no space between the two words. It’s easier for Dutch and German people to understand, because in our languages we always chain words together (in Dutch it would have been a postpet instead of a post pet).
PostPet is an e-mail client program from So-Net Entertainment Corporation (ソネットエンタテインメント), an Internet connections service, established by three Sony divisions in 1997. So-Net stands for Sony Communication Network Corporation. The e-mail software did go further than just receiving and delivering mail. The e-mails were presented by virtual pets. The mail program evolved into a social messaging service, like a lot other mail services did (yahoo messenger, MSN, etc).
The main character post pets are Momo, a tropical pink teddy bear and Komomo (also written Comomo), a peach (light shade of pink) teddybear. Also many other pets appear around them. These virtual postmen did stayed not only in the mail program. Recently a game for the Nintendo DS was developed.
There also a animated television series PostPet Momobin, which are also available on several DVDs. Also all kinds of plush toys are available.
Mediacom released a special 10th Anniversary Momo and Komomo Be@rbrick set in 2007. The Mediacom x PostPet collaboration looks very logical. The bright colored teddy bears already look very much like Be@rbricks.
I am not sure what the target group of PostPet is. The bright colors used in the logo’s, pets, images, animations and games suggest So-Net is aiming for young female users. Social messaging networks like Yahoo Messenger and MSN, etc are very popular among youth. In the Netherlands Hyves (a sort of Facebook or MySpace) is like a magic word. Personally I am not much active in these services. Some students here can’t live without their e-Buddy on-line, like they can’t think for themselves, but let the group think of them (kind of a Borg collective). Although these networks are very popular, I never have seen so much commercial material around one as with PostPet.
The PostPet G-Shock was released on November 20th 2000 as DW-6900BMO-9JR. If you know a bit about how Casio model numbers work, you may ask why -9JR, as the 9 stands for the color yellow. Frankly I have no idea. Maybe someone at Casio made a mistake at the drawing table. As far as I know I have never seen a suffix with a totally wrong number.
Original G-Shock and Baby-G set. Photo taken from a Yahoo Japan Auction.
At the same date Casio also released a matching pink Baby-G. This model got the model number BGT-110DMO-4ATJR. This suffix matches with the watch as 4 stands for red, pink or orange.
There were in total 2500 of this PostPet G-Shock made. The suggested retail price was ¥16000 (a basic DW-6900 model was ¥11000 at that time) I assume that the number of baby-G models is the same. The suggested retail price for the Postpet Baby-G was ¥14500 It seems these model is pretty popular. It is almost impossible to find one cheap.
The PostPet G-Shock is packed in a white cardboard box. On the sides is “Thanks!” written, probably for purchasing this watch. In white there is the Postpet Logo and the word “Products”. There are many PostPet items for sale, so this might appear on everything you purchase via their shop.
On the top and front of the box there is the Postpet logo and the G-Shock logo (in pink this time) . Under it there is a kind of model number. It says PPP-128. I do not know what it means, it might be PostPet Product 128. PPP-128 also returns on the face-plate of the watch, just above the light button.
Inside the box is a clear plastic display container with a G-Shock logo on it and of course the pink Postpet logo. There is a very nice bear printed in both sides with the company’s URL. This type of containers were used often for G-Shocks around 1998 – 2000. Not only special Japanese models were sold in these containers, but also some “basic” G-Lide models in the US. In Europe G-Shocks were sold in black hexagonal containers. On the back of the plastic container is a sticker that says that the model number is indeed DW-6900BMO-9JR.
Artwork for DVD by TR853-1 a.k.a. TraseUno.I still owe him one :-)
The watch itself has the same color as the DW-6900FS. It is a lighter shade of pink than the DW-6900CC-4 Crazy Colors . A new watch comes with a PostPet price tag. Mine doesn’t have the price tag. A bit a pity, but if the customs got it, I would have been charged tax for the full ¥16000 (currently €142 - $177).
The watch is almost completely in two color scheme. White lettering is used on the bezel. The face plate is white with pink lettering. Only the CASIO name is printed in black. On the straps there is the PostPet logo again and on the long strap there is the So-Net URL for Postpet. A nice detail is the white light button with a pink G. Later Casio uses the same button on the DW-6900FS-4.
When the backlight is used the pink Momo bear lights up in the display. This bear is not disturbing you when reading the display. It´s more in the background.
What can we say over the functions of the watch. 50 Gs has in the past 2½ years written many times of different DW-6900 variants. When it was released it was a pretty complete basic model and I think it still is. A 24 hour Countdown Timer and a 24 hour Stopwatch are still sufficient for nowadays daily use. An advanced programmable alarm, hourly Chime and a Flash function makes this watch complete.
When the Flash function is activated, the EL backlight lights up when an alarm sounds. Not really recommended when you use a lot of alarms, like often use of Countdown Timers’.
Somehow I think this model is better for women, so I asked a student that normally wears a lot of pink (though not today). She didn't want to be recognized on the photo, so I blurred the face. I first tried a black bar over her eyes, but Bram was watching over my shoulder and asked: Has she stolen something?"
If you look for this specific model, be prepared to draw your wallet. I paid a very nice price for this one, but I think you have at least 2 new pink Crazy Colors models for the price. If you like the color scheme, you might better look out for a DW-6900FS-4 from 2005. I admit that also these 6900FS models are not as easy to find as the white variant. I stumbled upon an advert of a complete PostPet G-Shock and Baby-G set for ¥45000 (about €400 - $500).
Since I fell in love with this model several years ago and have been hunting for one since, I think it was worth it. I think it’s pretty personal and if someone is looking for a pink G-Shock, I won’t recommend this model, simply because it is not easy to find and the prices are quite high if you find them.
Hi Sjors,
ReplyDeleteGlad that dvd made it for your article.
The watch looks much better in real pics. Great proportion of pink and white. Cool EL graphic too.
Cheers.
Trase