Japan’s Casio quickly learned that G-Shock fans also love metal — once it started producing more of the famous “resin” watches in polished and coated alloys. Until recently, metal G-shock watches (with metal cases versus just innards, that is) were a lot more expensive than many of the plastic variants, but the price of metal G-Shock watches has been coming down quite a bit as Casio fleshed out the options more and more. At just over $200, this reference GM6900G-9 (part of the larger GM-6900 timepiece family) takes the iconic DW-6900 case and renders it in yellow gold-toned, ion-plated steel. Other current models of the GM-9600 family include natural polished steel and anthracite-tone. I fully expect Casio to offer even more flavors in the future.
C-3PO Image Credit: cademartin.com
In metal, the GM6900 looks fantastic as the polish and overall construction of the case is very well done. Given the yellow-gold tone and the negative LCD display, I am not the only person who saw this watch and said, “Was Casio thinking about Star Wars’ C-3PO droid?” Maybe they were, or maybe it is just one of those fun watch industry coincidences when a timepiece reminds us of something from popular culture.
According to Casio, the GM6900 has more or less the same durability and shock resistance as the DW6900 in plastic. The GM6900 is heavier (96 grams), and metal will scratch and ding. That said, I fully believe that when it comes to protecting the movement inside the watch, both of these models perform similarly. The case is still water-resistant to 200 meters. The case is also 49.7mm-wide, 18.6mm-thick, and has a 53.9mm lug-to-lug distance.
Casio paired a simple black resin strap to this watch, which feels very much like the conservative choice. What about a gold-toned strap or one with some texture? What about a metal bracelet? Casio has already proven, time and time again, that it can make excellent metal bracelets for G-Shock watches, so perhaps it’s merely a matter of time for the brand to come out with a gold-toned bracelet for the GM6900.
Inside the G-Shock GM6900 is Casio’s 3230 module (movement) which is old-school but satisfying. That said, I would like to see more of these classic Casio G-Shock watch designs in mature metal but with modern features that Casio has available in some other watches, such as solar power generation and Bluetooth connectivity. Again, all things will come to those (G-Shock fans) who wait.
Finally, Casio has stated that these three debut G-Shock GM6900 watches for 2020 are meant to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the DW6900 watch, which they are metal-cased versions of. That is a hint that Casio will continue to take its classic looks and spruce them up a bit for modern tastes and fashion sensibilities. More so than ever, a metal, still durable, and affordable G-Shock like this not only makes practical sense but also fashion sense. It’s a great look, and I think G-Shock fans all over will be intrigued by it. Price for the Casio G-Shock GM6900G-9 watch is $230 USD. Learn more at the G-Shock website here.
