Among mainstream traditional wristwatch wearers out there, you probably see G-Shock watches on more wrists than the competition. This makes sense because, for the money, it is very hard to beat the value proposition that Casio G-Shock offers. At the same time, G-Shock also produces more high-end watches in the several-hundred to several-thousand-dollar range, which can appeal to a more enthusiast audience. While the techie/modern style of Japan’s iconic G-Shock isn’t for everyone, it is right for many people. And it is perfectly embodied in the Casio G-Shock GA700SKE-7A, which is part of the brand’s “Transparent Pack” collection. It is also an analog-digital dial that combines style and functionality for a price that is just over $100.
The Transparent Pack collection is part of a larger trend of Casio G-Shock watches with entirely transparent, or colored translucent, cases. I recently covered another watch from the same 2021 collection — the Casio G-Shock GA2100SKE-7A “Casi-Oak” — that was so popular, it sold out before many fans could get one. This GA700SKE-7A is also an analog-digital face watch, but it is larger and with a different style coming from the larger GA700 collection (meaning if you like this watch but prefer another colorway, Casio has you covered with at least five other versions of the same watch).
The GA700 resin case is 53.4mm-wide, 18.4mm-thick, and 57.5mm-long (water-resistant to 200 meters). It nevertheless wears very comfortably and weighs only 69 grams. Over the dial is a protected mineral crystal, and the back of the watch case is in steel. Inside the watch is Casio’s 5522 module movement, which offers the time and date on the dial, as well as a fun retro-style (for Casio) digital seconds indicator comprised of six columns of 10 segments, which fill up each as they count the passing seconds. The module also includes a timer, stopwatch, alarm, calendar, and world time set of functions.
Transparent or semi-transparent clear watches are very hip these days. I, for one, have been wanting watches like this from Casio more than a decade ago, and it is excellent to see the brand incorporating so many cool transparent watches into its collection — especially at affordable price points such as this. Even for people who primarily wear fancier timepieces, a transparent G-Shock isn’t just a suitable “worker watch” — it also has an inspired style that is a bit more mature and worldly as compared to some of the most “youthfully” colorful G-Shock products that can have a more limited appeal to conservative audiences. Price for the Casio G-Shock Transparent Pack Series GA700SKE-7A watch is $110 USD. Learn more at the Casio G-Shock website here.
