#26 US Open Surfing

After reviving my DW-9500 US Open Surfing model (see intermezzo #10), it's been on my wrist for quite some time.

Here's a nice matching music video to accompany your reading.
Actually, I know these models for a long time, but I didn't know anything about the background. I had seen them on eBay auctions in Germany a lot, but the winning prices always were much higher than for other G-Shock's.In the winter of 2000/2001 I went with Eva and my newborn son Bram to Antwerp. Near the Groenplaats (Green Place) there was a jeweler with a lot of G-Shock models in his shop window. One of them was an aqua (sea-green) version of this model. I quick calculation learned me it was pretty un-affordable for me around that time (probably around BEF5500 = ± f300.- - f320.- which is now about €140 - €150).
It took until September 2006 before I this model, which was released in 1998. Actually it's not easy to find out more about this model. My luck is that all DW-9500 models (including the BPM & Beat models) were released in 1998.
I also am not sure about the available color variations, but I'm sure there were this yellow model, an aqua green, a white and a light blue model (thanks Lee172!). I also think there was an orange model. Since I can't find this model on G-Shock Perfect Search, I think the US Open models were only released in Europe and the US.
Although on the outside the DW-9500US looks like a normal G-Shock model, it is equipped with a temperature sensor. The big eye on top top right of the display shows the current temperature, in ºC (inner ring) and also in ºF (outer ring). The two curved lines left from the eye shows the seconds and 10 seconds.
The watch has also a recorder on board to follow temperature trends. Actually I do not know what to think about a termometer on a watch. The case temperature is affected by the body temperature, which is far from a constant. Since this watch is designed for surfing, it might get submerged. If the case and straps are wet, the watch will, due to evaporation, cool off. Not the ideal circumstances for accurate readings.
The DW-9500US models can be considered as special versions of the X-Treme DW-9500XS models. The DW-9500US has a great cloth strap. It's very comfortable and the open structure of the cloth allows the strap to dry pretty fast when wet.
As you can see on the photo of a similar strap model above, you can bend the long end of the strap back under a second metal keeper.
On the strap there is a nice patch with the US Open Surfing logo, which also returns in the EL backlight.
A strong point of this module is that it has a 24 hours Countdown Timer. Most G-Lide and X-Treme surfing models only have a 60 minute (surfing-) timer. A 24 hour Stopwatch and 5 alarms makes this a pretty complete watch.
So what's US Open of Surfing all about? It is an annual event, which takes place on Hungington Beach, Ca, also known as Surf City.
It started in 1959 with the West Coast Surfing Championships (WCSC). After a decade of silence clothing brand Ocean Pacific picked up the thread by organizing the OP Pro in 1982. Riots in 1986 meant a downfall on the OP Pro event.
Since 1994 Huntington Beach organizes the US Open of Surfing, an idea that thinks in the line of golf and tennis. It's now one of the biggest Surf events of the world, turning Huntington Beach during the events into the "Surfing Capital of the world". Not only surfing is featured during the 9 - 10 days event. Action sports like BMX, Skateboarding and Freestyle Motocross, fashion shows and life music makes this a big happening.
Casio is one of the sponsors of the event, but also sponsors pro surfurs. In 2008 Casio signed Gabe Kling, while this year Erica Hosseini is sponsored for one year and will be the surfing ambassador for both G-Shock and Baby-G.
Last year Casio released during the event in July a special US Open GLX-5600 model. In 2007 a special grey/white DW-6900 model was released. I hope the same thing will happen this year. T
his years US Open will be held from July18 to 26. I would say, keep your eyes open around that time for news on new models at Casio G-Shock or maybe even better Riley's My G-Shock.

Intermezzo #10: Battery Change in a DW-9500 Thermometer

For taking photo's for a 50 Gs feature it is of course important that the G-Shock is working. We are getting in a warmer period here, a time for more sunny watches. The US Open DW-9500 is a nice model to wear on the beach, but first I had to revive it.
That's my last plum saké. What will be hidden under that rubber shock absorber?
Hmmm, actually it looks like a standard '90's G-Shock module, though this module has somewhere a thermometer sensor hidden.It's the first time I noticed this relative big (and clear) warning not to turn over the watch. You can clearly see the alarm spring that will fall out when turned over. Also a good view of the battery lock. The battery is hold in a fortress, but the lock can easily be opened by putting a sharp tooth tweezer or another sharp object (like a needle) between the two plastich notches.
After replacing the battery (if available, use plastic tweezers) and closing the lock it's time to reset the watch. Put your tweezers for about two or three seconds with one side on the AC contact, whith the other side on the back of the battery (positive side).
Modules can be very stuborn. This one went easily, but yesterday I was changing a battery on a GL-150 [2463]. I almost gave it up. I think I resetted the watch 6 to 8 times before it finally revived.

I tested the thermometer on this DW-9500. It seems to work OK to me. It must have been warmed up a bit in my hands, while I was changing the battery and also my desk lamp is pretty hot.

The final test is always check the alarm sound and the EL light. Yep, it all works.

#38: Hip Hop G-Shock L.A. Style!

"It's the B side!"

In the early winter 2001, my Casio service center and jeweler stopped selling G-Shocks. A lot of late 90's models went into sale. Off course I visited the shop frequently, to see if there was something interesting for me.
One of the watches was a deep blue watch with a special watchband. There was some kind of rope dangling under it and it made me curious.
The jeweler showed me the watch. It had a cool BPM function (that I already knew from my DW-003TL).
He demonstrated the closure mechanism, that looked pretty complicated. He told me it was a special strap, so you could wear it over your snow board outfit.It sounded plausible, but in spite of the close out action, the tag showed a hefty price. If I recall right, it was f240.- (€110.-), about normal price of a basic G-Shock, without discount. The original retail price was about €140.-, which was a lot of money at it's release date, July 1998. Also the color blue was not my thing. That month I bought 2 G-Shock's and a Baby-G for my son Bram for the same price as this Snowboard watch...About a year later we hired a house for a weekend in the Ardennes. While we were looking for a terrace in the beautiful small town of Rochefort, there was a jeweler that had a wide range of G-Shock's. It was Sunday, so the shop was closed, but somewhere on the top of the display I noticed a green variation of this watch. This time with a price tag with the full retail price (ooof!).
Again this special strap was getting my attention. Also the deep green color looked very nice.

Finally, on December 5th 2003, I obtained this orange version. I have no idea what I paid for it, but I guess it would have been for something around €30.-. The watch had significant signs of wear, but somehow it also looked very sturdy.

Give me a beat!

I strapped it on and immediately noticed how comfortable this strap was. With the cord you can regulate the tightness. The free hanging cords are looking great, but they are frankly not always very handy. I work at a wet lab, so that means a lot of liquid chemicals and also I wash my hands often. Furthermore, I like to cook. With these kind of activities these cords can easily become wet or come into a frying pan. Therefore I sometimes take this watch off, to prevent it becoming dirty, fat or burnt. On the other hand, this watch is made for clubbing. I'm sure this is a real good looker!Luckily I found a new replacement strap at Tiktox. It might have been the first time I did business with these them, which would probably have been a great experience, since I have been coming back to them since many times for spare parts and G-Shocks.Since orange is our national color, I often wear this watch at Queensday or when there is a special sport event, like the Dutch football team playing an important match.
Is this watch a snowboard watch? Nope, it isn't. Actually, in spite of the pretty large straps, I do not think you can get this watch strapped over your snowboard outfit. Actually the text Tough Label is the giveaway. This name is used for the overseas models with a music theme. Hence the (for snowboarders pretty useless) BPM counter.
In Japan this model, DW-9550, is released under the name G'Mix and is part of the Groove Tune series. Note that if you look at G-ShockPerfect Search you don't find the green variant. Probably this model is only released overseas as a Tough Label model.
The DW-9550 came in two styles. The first style with a two tone double Velcro strap and silver accents in the cloth represents the N.Y. style, the versions with the cord closure strap is called the L.A. Style. This is not related to the rave act by Wessel van Diepen (Vengaboys) who recorded "James Brown is Dead" in 1991. No, Casio was more thinking of West Coast Hip Hop. Sorry Casio, I am writing this article with the inspiring music of one of Philly's finest musicians, DJ Josh Wink (Hear Hear).

"I love these shots..."

Probably the coolest functionon on bord of this DW-9550HB is the BPM counter. A BPM counter can be used to determine the tempo of music. It works pretty simple. In BPM mode you press the light button on the beat of the music. If you press the button 5 times, you get the (avarage) BPM displayed. I have used it many times to sync my MIDI set-up with a sampled loop. Within 4 bars (1.8 secs at 130 BPM), a 1 BPM variance is often tolerable.

Photo: Eva

Actually it is not a very good BPM counter. The increments are 5 BPM, which is to big for using it in a studio. I have several DW-9501HH's (released February 1999) with a BPM counter that has 1 BPM increments.

Photo: Bernard Vercouteren

A stopwatch, an alarm and hourly chime are the other functions found on this watch. Maybe you would expect more form a 18000 yen watch (€116.-), but on the other hand, if you own one, you have quite an unique G-Shock.

Photo: Eva
"This was a great yoghurt ice. Only once a year with fresh picked black berries!"