Review: Casio G-Shock “G-STEEL” GST-S300L-1A/GST-S330L-1A

The G-Shock collection from Casio is known for its toughness, but what if someone is looking for something beyond its robustness?

Casio G-Shock “G-STEEL” GST-S300L-1A/GST-S330L-1A

That was the question that drove Casio to launch two new collections in the G-Steel collection. The two new watches aims to combine the classic look of leather strap watches with the solidness of a typical G-Shock timepiece, to complement the recent streetwear trend.

Dial, Case, and Hands

The new G-Shock follows the traditional case design of the collection, with a multi-faceted mid-sized case that is made with stainless steel and resin. The 49.3mm timepiece is available in two different case colours – in silver stainless steel or black ion-plating. The both watches are complemented with black and gold lettering respectively, although we have a soft spot for the latter. The black and gold combination works rather nicely, and it adds a nice touch to most of the streetwear styles these days.

In terms of its time-telling function, the watch uses a combination of both analog and digital display. The analog display features both the hour and minute hand, in which the latter moves once every 20 seconds. The digital display is depicted by three sub-dials, and its default display indicates the second, time (of the home or second time-zone), month, day, and date.

In addition, the three sub-dials can be used to display a multitude of functions for the watch. The functions will be further elaborated in the section below.

Movement

The Casio is powered by its tough solar movement, which has a battery operating lifespan of between 8 to 19 months without any exposure to sunlight after charge. As suggested by its name, the movement’s battery is able to recharge itself using solar energy.

The watch is fitted with a plethora of functions, which includes a 1/100 second stopwatch, countdown timer, battery level indicator, world time indicator, as well as a full auto calendar. This can be switched using the “mode” button at the 8 o’clock position of the watch.

In addition, there is also an interesting power saving mode on this watch. The watch will automatically have its display goes blank when the watch is left in the dark, to save power. This will allow the battery to have a longer life span when the watch is not in use (at night).

Concluding Thoughts

The latest addition in the G-Steel collection adds a new dimension to the timepiece itself. The leather strap – which is composed of a unique hybrid of synthetic leather and wear-resistant resin – gives the watch a rather interesting look. In addition, the strap is functional too: it is water-resistant and is able to withstand significant abrasion with minimal scratching or damage to the material. It certainly looks as good as its functions.

Despite the subtle changes, the G-Shock is still what it is. The watch is robust, and it does feel very comfortable and easy on the wrist. Its functions (or modes) may however take a little while for a new user to get used to, but its basic time-telling capabilities are certainly not impeded by that.

For someone who is looking to add a robust digital watch into a collection, we highly recommend G-Shock “G-STEEL” GST-S300L-1A/GST-S330L-1A. This is certainly an ideal piece to go for, especially if one is looking to complement his/her streetwear fashion style. The watch retails at S$389 and S$409 for the steel and black ion-plated version respectively.