While many of us spend time fawning over the best watches on the market, they aren't always the best pick. Often, those fancy pieces are much more delicate than the needs of most users.
On the flip side, you've got things like the Casio G-Shock. Rarely included in such conversations, these piece are built like brick outhouses, designed to withstand just about anything you can throw at them.
The new range from the brand seeks to pull both sides of that discussion closer than ever before. It's called the Fine Metallic range, and it features a never before seen technology for the brand.
Casio G-Shock 2100 Fine Metallic: key specs
Let's kick off with some specs. The case on this model sits 49.3mm tall and 44.4mm wide. That sounds pretty chunky, but as anyone who has ever worn one of these can attest, the size is comfortable for all but the smallest wrists. A short 11.8mm case height also helps in that regard.
As a Casio G-Shock, you'll also find 200m of water resistance. That's one of the biggest positives of a watch like this, and ensures it's a capable dive watch if needed.
The other big news for this series is the strap material. That took ten years of R&D to produce, with the brand seeking to add a material which looks metallic, but has the comfortable wearing experience of silicone.
The module inside is the same as you'd find in any other 2100 series model. That gives you a wide range of complications including world time, multiple time zones, a stopwatch, a timer, five daily alarms, and more.
What is the Casio G-Shock 2100 Fine Metallic like to wear?
The first thing worthy of note is the strap. To put it simply – it works! Strapped on the wrist, it's just as comfy as any other resin strap, and while the finish might not fool anyone up close, it's more than enough to fool those more than five feet away.
The addition of a metal bezel is a really great thing, too. It lends an air of sophistication and presence on the wrist which would have been sorely missed with another material.
Getting used to the various functions is something which will take an age, but it's no different on any model of this ilk. There's a real Pandora's box experience which happens with watches like this, where there are so many features and functions which can only be controlled via four buttons.
Still, there's a reason why the 2100 series is so sought after. The analog handset means you can read this just as you would any other watch, which can make it easier to read right out of the box.
Is the Casio G-Shock 2100 Fine Metallic worth the money?
Priced at £279 (approx. $370 / AU$580), this is certainly a reasonably priced product. It's not the cheapest G-Shock by any means, but the metal case and innovative bracelet material more than justify the cost.
In the wider market it's a different conundrum altogether. The sub-£300 market is quite competitive, with models from brands like Seiko offering a lot of watch for the money.
Whether or not that is better for you will come down to your personal preference. In the past, the argument against the G-Shock was often levied at its non-metal construction. With that now at least partly sorted, any gaps are slimmer than ever before.
