G-Shock #8: Ocean Gray Gulfman

It’s already almost 5 years ago Casio started with series G-Shocks to celebrate their 25th anniversary. In total 5 special series were released, which started off in May 2007 with the Black Dawn series. I have no idea how Casio is going to celebrate their 30th anniversary in 2013, but I spoke to a G-Shock designer a year ago in Japan, who told me they were already busy with these models. I think we have to stay tuned this and next year for special 30th Anniversary products, as Casio has made it a tradition to bring out special editions and series every 5 year, since their 10th anniversary.

The Ocean Gray series were the 4th series to celebrate the 25th anniversary, preceded by the Dawn Black, Rising White and Master Blue series and succeeded by the Glorious Gold series. There were three Ocean Gray models, the AWG-525D-8JF, the DW-5025D-8JF and this GW-9125D-8JF. As far as I know the DW-5025D-8 was the only model that was also available outside Japan, though it did not hit the European market.

The most striking detail of the Ocean Gray models is the translucent resin. I have checked, the color Ocean Gray does exist, but frankly I didn’t know oceans were gray. I more thought they were sea green or bluish. The official description of Casio and my photo experience with this model explain a little more. The color scheme of the gray resin and the mirror display are inspired by the sun reflection in the ocean. Well, I can tell you that getting these Ocean Gray models natural on photo (I have the DW-5025D and this GW-9125D) is a pretty difficult thing.

Our eyes are capable to see so much contrasts difference, but a camera just registers the light. The mirror display reflects a lot of light, specially outside. Therefore it is often only possible to show the display, or only the translucent resin with a over-exposed display. Well, I see a challenge here (I am writing this article, without one photo being shot yet).

The 25th Anniversary series models came is special packages. In Japan this was a special grey box with a “Chest Box” in it. When it is opened you see the 25th anniversary logo, designed by Eric Haze printed in the box, next to your watch.

Trunk cases for the 25th Anniversary models.

Overseas models cam in a specially designed tin, also by Eric Haze. It’s pretty hard to decide which package appealed most actually. I think you are always unconsciously attracted to the package you can’t get in your region. Indeed, I think I like the chest box over the tin, but if I lived in Japan, I might probably have liked the tin more.

The 25th Anniversary box and tin for the overseas models.

I bought this Gulfman from the Sales Corner on WatchUSeek for a reasonable price. It’s actually in near mint order, there is not even an imprint of the buckle on the strap. As I like to wear my watches pretty snug, all the watches I wear show the imprint, where the buckle meets the strap, pretty well.

The history of the Gulfman dates back to may 1999. The classic Tough Solar DW-9700 followed up the DW-8600 Fisherman. Both models were from the Master of G series and were intend to for use at sea, hence their names. Typically, these models had a titanium back plate, to prevent rust. Also both these models had a Tidegraph. While most the original Master of G models were relative big (Frogman, Mudman, Gaussman, Codename, Riseman), the DW-9700 was relative small. In my opinion, the DW-9700 looked smaller than the then commonly DW-9000 models for instance.

The Gulfman was revived in 2007 in two versions, an Atomic model and an non-Atomic model, the GW-9100 and the G-9100. The difference between these models were more than only the Atomic time reception and that the Atomic model was Tough Solar and the G-9100 not. In my opinion the biggest difference between the two is that the GW-9100 does not have the Tidegraph, while the G-9100 still had this feature. I don’t know why Casio left out this feature on the GW-9100, but I think cosmetic reasons of the display would have take part of that decision. The GW-9100 has a very nice looking clean display in my opinion. I very much like the eye. In 2010 Casio released the GW-9110 with the Tidegraph and Moonlight function. Probably the improvement of the solar panels would have made it possible to make such a display, as the visible surface of these panes have been decreased significantly on the GW-9110.

All metal parts of the 25th anniversary models had gold tone metal parts, even the bezel screws. On the GW-9125D there is an exception. The metal (titanium) ring around the display is in silver tone. This is probably done to match the mirror display. Actually the Gulfman of the Master Blue series has a blue metal ring. As I am not a fan of blue colors, I have no models of this series. Not that I wasn’t happy Casio released the Master Blue series. The Dawn Black and Rising White series had burned a serious hole in my wallet already.

So what’s on board this Gulfman. It is driven by a 3089 module. The watch is Tough Solar and has a 5 Multiband receiver for atomic time signals transmitter in the world, 2 in Japan, two in Europe and one in the US. Nowadays a 6 Multiband receiver is used on newer Casio Waveceptor models, since China now also has a transmitter. I think the GW-9100 Gulfman was the first Multiband G-Shock model. Before this, you could only buy G-Shocks and other Casio Waveceptor models that could sync regional. The US had the advantage that they used the same frequency as one of the two Japanese transmitters, so US models could be used in Japan and Japanese models could be used in the US (except for the first Waveceptor model, the Antman, who could only receive signal from one of the two transmitters in Japan).

The watch has, like all newer solar models, a Power Save function. This means the display goes blank when the watch has been not moved in the dark for a few hours. The timekeeping on mine is excellent, even without Atomic time reception. When I took this one out of a box in my storage room, it had not synced since November 19th. After two and a half month, it was only 2 seconds fast compared to my Atomic Casio alarm clock at my work. I think one second per month or less off is very good. Casio handles an accuracy of 15 seconds per month when the Atomic signal is not received, where in my experience 8 to 10 seconds is normal.

The functionality on the Gulfman is basic, but good. It has a 48 cities Worldtime function, a 24 hour Countdown Timer and a 24 hour Stopwatch on board. Also the watch has an Alarm function, which can be set to 5 alarms and of course the Hourly Chime is present.

I very much like my Gulfman. Somehow I think the translucent gray color is not real look good on my wrist though. I think this color would look better on someone with a lighter skin tone than I have. On the other hand, I can come away very good with the bright color tones, which I also like.

Although the 25th Anniversary series were made in high volumes, they are getting hard to find now, specially outside Japan. The original recommended retail price was already pretty steep, ¥28500, though I think it would have been possible to buy one for around ¥20000 in 2008. There were two of them for sale on eBay when I checked, both in Japan. I think I paid around $200.- for this model, maybe less, because there is no box. Now you might expect to pay over $375.- for a new one. For that price you get the great looking cardboard box and chest box of course with it and free shipping from Japan.

G-Shock #7: Khaki Green G-Shock with military look.

In November 2011 Casio released a series of 4 khaki G-Shock models. Beside this GW-6900KG-3JF, there were also an AWG-M500KG-3AJF, a GW-7900KG-3JFG and a GW-M5610KG-3JF. In earlier leaked photo’s there was also a G(W)-56KG model, but until present there is no news about such a model.

There were sounds that the floods in Thailand, last November, was delaying these models, but fortunately for my, these were already produced, although these models seemed not very wide available. I was pretty much loving the GW-M5610KG and GW-6900KG models, but also the Parra and Dee & Ricky model came out, so choices had to be made. Finally, about a week ago, I placed an order by at Katsu Higuchi in Oita, japan. I was very pleased to hear this model was available in Japan and Katsu could get one in 2 or three days. Somehow it took 7 days before the watch was delivered at my house, while it was luckily not hold at the customs this time. A few weeks ago I had to pay €35.- fees and tax for three shirts and a hoody, quoted for 6000 yen…

The khaki green models are called “Army Green” series in Japan. I heard the rumor that non-Atomic model will be released in the US later this year. Maybe it will have the same name, maybe it will be called “Khaki Green”, which would explain the KG suffix behind the model number. I think it is a pity that the Atomic models are not for release outside Japan, as Casio once achieved to release Tough Solar Waveceptor models. It might have something to do with the higher (production-) prices for Atomic versions, which might be less interesting for the overseas markets.

Only looking at the name for this series, you could of course guess the resin color. It is the old army green color (as modern armies now wear all kinds of camouflage outfits). It reminds me somehow to the old television series M*A*S*H*. Nice detail, when I served for the Dutch army, I was a laboratory worker for the 121 “Light Surgery Field Hospital”, in English called a Mobile Army Surgery Hospital (121 MASH).

While the lettering on the bezel is plain black, the lettering on the (negative) display is mainly orange. It looks very sharp in my opinion. Also the color of the digits is orange amber. The digits are like the DW-5600MS and DW-6900MS (Military Concept, a.k.a. Military inspired series) darker than most usual negative displays. This reflects the military character of this watch.

Interesting are the three stars in the right bottom corner under the display, next to Tough Solar. It seems like a kind of ranking system. The GW-M5610KG has 4 starts, the AWG-M500KG has, like this model three stars (a little harder to find on the dial) and the GW-7900KG has 2 stars. In November also a stock photo appeared of a GXW-56KG, only showing one star. It is not sure if and if so, when this model will be released, but it is, due to it’s size, maybe the model with the most military look. If it will be released, I would try hard to get one in my collection.

Under normal light conditions the display is however good readable and it is even very sharp under sunny conditions, as you can see on my photo’s. If you can’t read the digits anymore in dark conditions, you have, of course, the pretty sharp EL backlight. You can’t use it as a flashlight, like on a normal display DW-6900, but it is very clear.

The GW-6900KG has the 3179 module. For those no acquainted with a module, it is the guts of a G-Shock and all other Casio timepieces. The module can be seen as the digital equivalent of the movement of a mechanical watch, the module number as the caliber of a movement.

The 3179 is a pretty complete module. First of all, the watch is Tough Solar and has a 6 Multiband Waveceptor function. This means that the watch can operate with only a little light and can store a big load of energy in it’s rechargeable battery. With the Power Save mode on, the watch can run for maybe a year in total darkness if the battery is fully charged. The 6-Multiband Waveceptor functions makes it possible to sync in a lot of parts in the world with an Atomic Clock transmitter. I live at a very good location, about in the middle of the Mainflingen (near Frankfurt) and Anthorn (UK), where the European transmitters are located. The transmitter in Fort Collins covers large parts of the US, The transmitters in Fukuoka and Fukushima cover Japan and the latest transmitter is located in Sangqui City. Every night the watch will try to sync with one of these transmitters if your home location is within a transmitter range. In total the watch can try up to 6 times to get the signal. Once the watch has gotten the signal, it will perform a synchronization procedure the next night.

Further more there is a World Time function, with 48 cities in 31 Time Zones, an Alarm Function with 4 normal Alarms, a Snooze Alarm and a Hourly Time Signal, a 24 hour Stopwatch function and a 24 hour Countdown Timer function.

Like all Tough Solar G-Shock models, the GW-6900KG has a Full Auto Illuminator function. When this function is activated, the EL will turn on in the dark automatically, when the watch is tilted towards you, while your are is about parallel to the ground. When you try this in normal light, the light stays off. I always found this a pretty ingenious function, which was featured first on the DW-9300 Raysman. The duration of the EL Backlight can be set to 1.5 seconds and 3 seconds. For me 1.5 seconds is always a little to short. 3 seconds is more than long enough to observe time.

I can’t really remember when Casio made the last khaki models, but frankly I love this color. I have once featured a khaki DW-069USV-3T here, which was released in July 1999. That model looked good, but with the orange accents, this model looks even better.

If I had the money, I would have Casio let make a small Sjors signature G-Shocks with this model as base. Would that not have been fun?  I read rumors a G-6900KG will be released in the US later this year. It will probably be a lot cheaper than this one, but then it will lack the 6-Multiband Waveceptor function. The recommended retail price for this watch is 21000 yen (€210), but I got it for much budget friendlier price via Higuchi Inc. I think if you go to a electronics store in Japan, the watch will cost you around 19000 yen (€190). I do not know how the availability of this model will develop. If you look this model up in G-Shock Perfect Search (GPS), you’ll notice that the release date is not shown. This often mark models that will be available for a longer time. As far as I know this series will not (soon) be released in Europe. A pity, it is a great series.