30 Best G-Shock Watches

Casio first released its initial watch line 39 years ago, in 1983. The watch was initially released by Casio engineers to be a watch with “triple 10” resistance. That is, 10-bar water resistance (100 meters), 10 years of battery life, but also shock-resistant enough to survive a 10-meter fall.

Since its release, the G-Shock has become so much more. Besides the fact that the G-Shock is simply a beast in terms of specs and ruggedized nature, they’re mostly affordable for the everyday-man and simply come in a dizzying array of configurations and styles. Small ones? Sure. Dinner Plates? They have those too. Solar, Bluetooth, GPS? Have some of that too. There truly is a G Shock for everyone’s tastes and uses.

We at Wrist Enthusiast thought we’d take a deep dive into some of our favorites. It truly can be harrowing to wade through for someone just looking at G-Shocks for the first time, so we’ve done our best to thin the herd out and help our readers make some educated decisions when it comes to picking up their first, or next G-Shock. So here is our list of best g-shock watches.

G-Shock Mudmaster GWG2000

When you first look at the G-Shock Mudmaster (yes mud master), it is quite the imposing watch. For starters, it’s one of the largest G-Shocks on the market, with a case measuring in at 61 by 54 mm. However, even with its large size, the watch case is just 105 grams. This is due to the carbon synthetic resin case, which also helps with the watch’s shock absorption and durability.

Beyond this, the Mudmaster is not short on features. The watch has a digital compass, altimeter (which measures your altitude), barometer and thermometer. On top of all these features, the watch is solar powered. Truly, the G-Shock Mudmaster is fit for and outdoorsman that wants to get out on a trail. For someone that wants a multitude of features (while obviously not as many features as the newest smartwatch), the Mudmaster is a great option. It is on the pricier side for a G-Shock. You can find them starting in the $500 USD range on Amazon.

G-SHOCK CASIOAK BLACK WATCH “STEALTH” (REF. GA2100-1A1)

Perhaps the most popular and well-known G-Shock currently on the market was released just 3 years ago in 2019. Yes, I’m talking about the G-Shock GA2100, more commonly known to collectors as the “CasiOak”. And why is the watch nicknamed the CasiOak? Well, it’s quite simple: this Casio watch has an octagonal bezel reminiscent of the Royal Oak (but not really a homage), hence CasiOak. The CasiOak black Ref. GA2100-1A1 is something of the O.G. of CasiOaks, and caused quite the stir when it was first released.

The watch features a water resistance of 200 meters, world time, stop watch, day of the week, and all with an analog time display (which will appeal to the purists). And you get all of this in a very light and slim profile for under $100 USD. That’s far from the 3x market the watch was fetching on the secondary market when it was first released. Now the watch is readily available if you want to get in on the trend. You can pick up yours right now on Amazon.

G-Shock CasiOak “Metal” on Bracelet (GMB2100D-1A)

With all the comparisons to the Royal Oak, inevitably watch customizers saw an opportunity and began putting the CasiOak into a Royal Oak case and bracelet. Perhaps in response to this, Casio released the CasiOak Ref. GMB2100D-1A with a metal case and metal bracelet. While some may prefer the custom CasiOaks, we prefer the factory variation designed by Casio. The bracelet is attractive and unique, and the stainless steel detailing dresses up the watch quite a bit (but it is still quite sporty). This may be as close as we get to a Casio “stainless steel sport watch”. The steel casing and bracelet increases the price quite a bit. But with a nickname like CasiOak, we are happy to see something a little bit closer to the Royal Oak. You can pick up a CasiOak metal on steel bracelet for $550 USD. If you are a fan of the CasiOak, check out our 10 favorite Casioaks.

G-Shock DW5600SKE-7 Transparent

G-Shock has also made a name for itself creating “transparent” watches. That is, watches with a transparent case and bracelet. No, they aren’t made of sapphire so the price is much more reasonable. Instead, Casio uses a much more affordable transparent resin for both the case and bracelet which provides some additional comfort.

With the G-Shock DW5600SKE-7, Casio takes a classic design and modernizes it a bit with their transparent case. The watch features some digital watch staples, including an alarm, stop watch, day of the week, month and year, along with a backlight. Because it is one of the more basic models, the G-Shock DW5600SKE-7 is also super affordable. You can find them on Amazon for $75 USD.

G-Shock GAB001G-2A

The newest line of G-shocks has shown a lot of promise. The GAB001G takes the more traditional (if you can call any aspect of a G Shock “Traditional”) and modernizes some of the aesthetics and the construction. First, the bezel components are literally cut in half and refastened to the case at 9 and 3 o’ clock. This hardens up the watch pretty easily and allows for the watch to be a little more rugged. Second, aesthetically, Casio has added an all-new indices configuration and rounded them out in a more sporty way. The watch comes in a variety of colors and styles, including the translucent gradient in both black, and turquoise colors. They come with a modest $150 USD price tag on Amazon (and at retail).

G-Shock DW9052

When I think of the G-Shocks I grew up with as a kid in the mid-90s, many of them resemble the G-Shock DW9052. The DW9052 includes much of the G-Shock’s standard fare, including 200m water resistance, shock resistance, 24 hour stopwatch and countdown timer (basically, a chronograph), day, month and date, and two year battery life. At 42mm in diameter, it’s big, but not too big to be unwearable for most. If you have nostalgia for that mid-90s, chunky watch design, the DW9052 is a great watch with all the features. And the best part? It can be yours for under $50 USD, making it one of the most affordable G-Shocks on the market. You can pick one up here.

G-Shock GSTB400-1A “G-Steel”

You wouldn’t know this from looking at the watch, but the G-Shock GSTB400-1A is one of the brand’s slimmer offerings at just 12.9mm thick. While the watch is thing, it is not small. The G-Steel’s case is a large 49.6mm thick. The watch is solar powered, powered by G-Shock’s “Tough Solar” technology. The watch has a lot of different features, including a world time with 38 different time zones (including city name display), daylight savings mode, stopwatch, timer, alarm and a full calendar to 2099.

Additionally, you can link the G-Steel to G-Shock’s app (G-SHOCK Connected) via bluetooth connectivity, making the watch the closest you will get to a true smartwatch from Casio. What really draws us to the watch is the mixture of old school G-Shock ruggedness with modern updates, including the steel case and smart features (it even conncets to your smartphone). For all the features you are getting, the G-Shock GSTB400-1S “G-Steel” is a pretty affordable watch. It will only set you back $275 USD.

G-Shock GMWB5000GD-9 Full Metal

For those that are looking for a Casio with some serious 1980s nostalgia, look no further than the G-Shock GMWB5000GD-9 in full metal. The design of the GMWB5000GD-9 goes back to Casio’s roots and has become something of a cultural phenomenon, but adds modern updates including bluetooth connectivity and tough solar power. In all of G-Shock’s full metal pieces, the brand has managed to maintain a shock resistance comparable to their resin offerings. how is that? While the case is made out of stainless steel, the interior of the watch has a resin cushion insert that protects the watch’s movement.

We particularly like the Full Metal in yellow gold. While the watch is stainless steel, it is encased in a gold IP-coating. This makes it a little bit more of a statement piece while on the wrist. You can pick one up on Amazon for $400 USD.

G-Shock GMWB5000RD-4 Full Metal Red

Wrist Enthusiast is not opposed to featuring the same watch multiple times if there something unique enough to warrant it. And that’s why we added the G-Shock GMWB5000RD-4 Full Metal Red to our list of best Casio G-Shock watches. While the watch is the same in form and functionality to the full metal in yellow gold, the full metal red has a red IP-coating. To be sure this watch is not for everyone. But in recent years, G-Shock has been more willing to test the limits with interesting colors and designs. If you just can’t get enough of the GMWB5000RD-4 Full Metal Red, you can find it for $489 USD.

G-Shock GMWB5000TB Full Metal Titanium

With the G-Shock GMWB5000TB Full Metal Titanium, we included a third watch from the GMW-B5000 Series on our list of top G-Shock watches. That is because, unlike the other two full metal timepieces on our list (which are stainless steel), this piece comes in a matte titanium, including a titanium bracelet. Because the watch is titanium, it is lighter than its steel counterparts. But with titanium comes a much higher price point, which many G-Shock collectors may find it hard to stomach. The G-Shock GMWB5000TB Full Metal Titanium retails for $1,700 USD and is currently selling at a premium on the secondary market.

G-Shock MR-G MRGG2000HA-1 “Tetsu Tsuba”

A limited edition G-Shock with a sky-high retail price of $7,400 USD? G-Shock launched the Tetsu Tsuba at Baselworld 2018. The watch was inspired by the “tetsu-tsuba” Japanese swords, which often have complex designs carved into the blades. The watch is handcrafted in collaboration with third-generation iron artisan Asano Biho using the “hammer tone” on the bezel and middle link of the bracelet. The case and bracelet also have coating treatment of Arc Ion Plating (AIP) by Kobe Steel. This gives the watch a darker color than your typical stainless steel. It also provides additional scratch resistance protection.

Like other Casio G-Shocks, the MR-G has bluetooth connectivity, GPS time signals, and Tough Solar technology. The MRG Tetsu Tsuba was limited to just 350 pieces worldwide and because of the scarcity is still extremely sought after. Pieces on the third party, secondary market are still selling above retail, at around $10,000 USD. So maybe this isn’t a watch you really want to get dirt on.

G-Shock GW7900B-1 G-Rescue Solar Atomic

The G-Shock GW7900B-1 G-Rescue is one of the larger watches on our list. With its 50mm case size, the watch won’t be for everyone. But, we would argue that if it is ever acceptable to wear an oversized watch, the G-Shock is your watch.

In addition to just being a large and rugged watch perfect for your adventures, the G-Rescue has some unique features of its own, including tide and moon graphs and some additional moon data (such as moon age of the specific date and moon phase graph). In addition to these add-ons, you also get some of the more standard G-Shock features, such as world time, stop watch, timer and alarm. That’s quite a bunch of features for just $108 USD.

G-Shock DW6900BWD-1 Bamford London Collaboration

One of the more hyped watch collaborations of 2022 was the G-Shock X Bamford London collaboration earlier in the year. On the heals of the Tiffany and Patek Philippe Nautilus Collaboration, Bamford (another LVMH brand that customizes watches) partner with Casio to release the DW6900BWD-1 with, you guessed it, Bamford aqua blue accents. Coming shortly after the buzz caused by the Tiffany Nautilus release, it seems that it was no accent that another LVMH brand used a similar color in their collaboration. The watch has Aqua Blue writing on the bezel and strap, along with the underside of the black resin strap in the blue.

This watch didn’t achieve the same hype as the Patek and Tiffany Nautilus or even the Swatch X Omega MoonSwatch, but it’s a fun little collab either way. We hope more partnerships between watch brands are on the way in the future. This G-Shock X Bamford collaboration was a limited edition and retails for $160 USD (but is sold out). You can find them on the secondary market for around $270 USD.

G-Shock 5610 Bamford London Collaboration

The DW6900BWD-1 wasn’t the first collaboration between Bamford and G-Shock. In 2020, the two brands released the more retro inspired 5610 with the signature Bamford blue on the rehaut, along with Bamford’s name printed on the strap. While this initial offering from G-Shock and Bamford was a bit more understated than their subsequent release, the watch was immensely popular. It sold out online in just 3 minutes. With a retail price at the time of just £149, the watch was extremely affordable. The watch is currently selling on the secondary market for more than four times the retail price at around $650 USD.

G-Shock Frogman GWFD1000B-1

The aptly named G-Shock Frogman is the brand’s most serious dive watch offering. The watch boasts a “Diving Mode” where the hour and minute hands can be brought together as one at the start of a dive to indicate the diving time. After resurfacing the second hand will move forward or in reverse to indicate the status of dive time and surface interval measurements. The watch also features “Tide Mode” which displays tide data for the diver’s given current location. The watch also comes with bluetooth connectivity, a sapphire crystal and 200 meters of water resistance. The G-Shock Frogman GWFD1000B-1 has a ton of features, but you’ll have to pay for them. You can pick it up for just under $900 USD.

G-Shock Frogman x "TAKASHI MURAKAMI" TOKYO FM Arts Dojo 40th Anniversary GWF-1000TM

If you are looking for a Frogman but to also make a statement, the G-Shock X Takashi Murakami Tokyo FM Arts Dojo 40th Anniversary watch might be for you. Takashi Murakami is a world famous artist, known especially for his flower designs (The Murakami Flower). The watch was released in 2010 in celebration of the 40 year anniversary of the Japanese radio station Tokyo FM. Murakami himself hosted the Arts Dojo FM show, so it made sense for him to design the watch. Only 300 of these pieces were made, and they retailed for around 315,000 Yen (around $4,000 USD at the time). These watches have continued to appreciate in value. We have seen them on the market for anywhere from $8,000 to $18,000 USD.

G-Shock MT-g MTG-B1000VL-4A Volcanic Lightning Limited Edition

Inspired by the volcanic lightning phenomenon, the limited edition G-Shock MTG-B1000VL-4A combines a steel Multicolor IP case and red translucent strap to create an almost rainbow color watch. The watch runs on a solar quartz movement and features an alarm, chronograph, countdown timer, perpetual calendar, backlight AND lume hands and indices. All of these features are packed in a large 51.7mm case.

We had to include it on our list of best G-Shocks just given all the features and the extremely unique (and colorful design). There just isn’t anything else like it out there. When it was released in 2018, the watch retailed for $1,100 USD. But it now is selling on the secondary market for over $1,800 USD.

G-Shock Master of G GW-9400 Rangeman

G-Shock’s Master of G Rangeman line are designed specifically to stand up to tough conditions. The watch employs a Shock Resistant Triple Sensor, allowing it to tell you altitude, barometric pressure, temperature and direction readings while out in the elements. Additionally, the watch has sunrise and sunset data, one-touch time recording and one-touch elapsed time measurement, and a compass. The watch is also Low Temperature Resistant, meaning it can withstand temperatures of -10 degrees Celsius and 14 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s a lot of features for the affordable price of $225 USD.

G-Shock GA-900

The G-Shock GA-900 has the fit and feel of models that are much pricier, which is great for someone looking for an affordable digital watch with tons of features. The watch includes a removable strap with easy release pin, something not available on most G-Shock models. This is great for those of us who like to refresh our watches with new strap options (it’s a lot cheaper than buying a whole new watch). Similar to the CasiOak models (as well as other G-Shock models), the GA-900 has a hybrid digital/analog display, with the time displayed through traditional analog hands and the day, date and month displayed digitally.

The watch is water resistant to 200 meters, comes with an alarm, stopwatch, worldtime, and calendar to 2099. These are all things we’ve come to expect on a G-Shock, but it’s nice that they are included on even G-Shock’s more entry level watches. You can pick one up on Amazon for $130 USD.

G-Shock GA-140-1A1

If you’re looking for an analog/digital watch with all the features you’d expect from a G-Shock for well under $100 USD (and the CasiOak isn’t your style), take a serious look a the GA-140-1A1. The watch is black with subtle but attractive hints of red and light blue on the dial. The watch includes alarm, 29 time zones, timer, countdown, alarm, calendar and water resistant to 200 meters so you aren’t missing any major features. At just $87 USD on Amazon, it’s a pretty good deal.

G-SHOCK X STASH GA-100ST-2AER

New York graffiti artist Stash’s collaboration with G-Shock is another piece we at Wrist Enthusiast are big fans of. Released in 2017, the watch boasts a stainless steel case with a black on black print on the case and strap. It almost reminds us of a carbon fiber pattern. The rehaut and detailing is a vivid blue and there are blue splatter on the case and strap, which really leans into the graffiti motif. At it’s time of release, the G-Shock X Stash GA-100ST-2AER retailed for $170 USD. It is currently selling on the secondary market for under retail at $110 USD on Amazon.

G-Shock GA-100C-8ACR

One of the cooler handsets that Casio offers on it’s G-Shock watches is these unique “Industrial” style hands. And even cooler still, the GA-100C-8ACR offers them in a “Neon Blue” that harkens to the Tiffany Blue craze the market is seeing right now. But instead of it running you a handsome sum to pick one up, you can simply purchase this watch for only $79 USD on Amazon.

G-Shock GA2000SU-2A

The G-Shock Carbon Resin Camo (GA2000SU-2A) is definitely a larger watch designed for a larger wrist, but there’s just something about an oversized G-Shock in that grey-blue hue that’s iconic to the model. It’s hard to argue with all the feature sets the G-Shock offers in it’s case, but it is nice to see them size up some of their models for larger wrists. The rubber strap is very high quality, and because the case is coated in a resin, it’s even more shock and scratch resistant than it’s standard plastic cases. And of course, there’s always a cool factor with a camo dial. You can’t beat the price either, at just $109 USD on Amazon.

G-SHOCK Ref. 6900-PT80 By John Mayer

What G-Shock list would be complete without the always classy Casio G-Shock Ref. 6900-PT80 By John Mayer? The ultra-enthusiast John Mayer is known for his price-y and exclusive watch collection composed of everything from Rolex to Richard Mille. In fact, you can read about a lot in his collection right here. But did you know that he also designed 2 Casio G-Shocks in collaboration with Hodinkee? The first is a grey model designed after X, but the second, and our absolute favorite is the 6900-PT80 designed after a keyboard that Casio produced in the 1980’s. Mayer took a lot of design queues and colors from the keyboard and that influence shines through at every level of the watch. From the colorway, to the configuration. It’s super retro, and a whole lot of fun. While it’s sold out through the Hodinkee shop, it’s available on secondary markets like Stock X for around $250 USD.

G-Shock GA900SKL-7A Sound Waves Skeleton Series Watch

Inspired by sound waves and motion from a dance floor, Casio developed the aesthetic for the GA900SKL-7A with a lot of thought. For starters, the “Stereophonic” take on the finishing for the handset and dial is just fantastic. It actually has one of the coolest second indicators we’ve seen. At the top of the dial, you’ll notice a stereo-style loop that counts down and back up as the elapsed seconds tick away. Each chunk appears or disappears as time goes on. The watch also comes in slew of different colors, but ours is the clear and white. It’s a lot more retro and harkens back to that unique disco-esque feel the best. And really, it's a steal at only $99 USD.

G-Shock G-Lide Surf GBX100-2

Have you ever wanted a watch that’s specifically designed for surfing? Well, we have a G-Shock for you. The G-Lide Surf is truly one of the coolest G-Shocks on the market. It features some really unique feature sets that’ll prove useful to anyone who lives a beach lifestyle. Some of the specific functions are tide graphs, moon data, high tide/low tide times, and sunrise/sunset times to ensure that a surfer can be out on the water at the most optimal times. Additionally, and something we wish we saw other swim-specific watches had, the G-Lide Surf features a window on the bottom of the watch, right underneath the dial that allows water and sand to glide through. This creates less resistance and annoyance because it doesn’t trap sand and water underneath the strap and the watch - Something that anyone who’s worn a watch to the beach has had issue with. It truly is quite a G-Shock for the cheap price of $129 USD on Amazon - thirty dollars less than retail.

Casio Women's Baby-G Quartz Watch

G-Shock makes a counterpart to it’s “Big Brother” designed specifically for smaller wrists in mind. The Baby G is a more feminine option than a typically oversized resin-style sport watch. The watch still boasts the G Shock’s full feature set, including the 300m of water resistance, the same movement functionality, but in a more streamlined case. The Baby G comes in much more targeted color options, and even features a number of that clear style that makes G-Shock’s so recognizable. They’re also oftentimes more affordable than a standard G-Shock at around $75 USD.

Casio 2018 GX56BB-1 “King of G-Shock”

One of the more utilitarian G-Shocks on the market is the GX56BB-1. It was aptly nicknamed the “King of G-Shock” because it truly incorporates all of the best parts of what G-Shock produces. First, Casio set out to make a watch that can withstand an impact from any direction. So while the case is still quintessentially G-Shock, the brand has added some extra purpose driven resin to the watch in order to beef up the case. And who’s cared about a little extra wrist presence with a G-Shock? Second, it features the “Black Out” nature of some of the most collectible G-Shocks, without the sticker shock on the secondary market. In fact, you can actually pick this watch up at a discount on Amazon for only $115 USD.

G-Shock GA2100SRS-7A “Clear One”

If our readers have been following the watch industry for the last few years, they’ll know that Rainbow dials and Bezels have become quite the craze in recent years. It seemed for a while that everyone was coming out with a new version of the Rainbow configurations - All mostly, very expensive. Casio released the G-Shock GA2100SRS-7A “Clear One” in the mix of all the Rainbow hustle, and presented a uniquely Casioak design that also features the rainbow dial. The watch came in both Clear and Black, and optioned for the unique take on the rainbow dial. You can get one of these for only $130 USD.

G-Shock GMA-S2100WT-7A1JF “JDM”

Casio being a notoriously Japanese brand, has often released specialty market watches that are only available in the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM for short). They are often very exclusive colorways, and aren’t so easily accessible in the United States. One that you can actually get your hands on without paying extreme premiums is the CASIO G-Shock GMA-S2100WT-7A1JF “JDM”. The JDM features an off white case in a “Tri-Color” configuration alternating Red and Blue for the indices, with off-white to match the case. It’s very traditionally a Casioak with an exclusive colorway that that you can get for around $107 USD.