The Rugged Elegance of the G-SHOCK GMB2100 Full Metal Series

By now, the origin story of G-SHOCK is a fairly well-known narrative. However, given the new GMB2100 collection that recently launched, it certainly bares a quick recap.

In 1981, Casio engineer Kikuo Ibe wanted to create a watch resilient enough to stand up to the extremes of modern life. So, he formed a development team dubbed “Project Team Tough.” And it had the specific goal of creating an inaugural timepiece that could withstand a 10-meter drop (over 32 feet), could handle 10 bars of water pressure (a depth just over 334 feet), and sport a battery life of, you guessed it, 10 years (over 5 million minutes of uninterrupted performance).
 

It took over two years and more than 200 prototypes, before Project Team Tough came upon a five-stage resilient architecture that isolated the time-keeping module and protected it at five key contact points with a gel cushioning material.

Every aspect of the case (and even the strap) was crafted to reduce impact shocks that could damage the watch. The first G-SHOCK model, the legendary DW-5000C, debuted in 1983.

If you lay the 1983 original – or better yet, the full metal remake of the original from 2021 – next to this trio of Full Metal GMB2100 timepieces, you will see a story of enduring heritage but also ongoing refinement. Now, the brand’s signature toughness arrives on your wrist with its own fresh perspective on modern looks.

Moreover, claiming the thinnest profile of G-SHOCK’s Full Metal offerings (only 12.8mm), these GMB2100 models deliver a new, elevated air of sophistication in its hybrid analog-digital approach. Plus, G-SHOCK’s use of cutting-edge processes and materials set a new brand standard for finishing and wrist presence.
 

And here’s where the list gets long: The new GMB2100 Full Metal collection includes some advanced technical capabilities from a maker that almost singularly defines technical capabilities on a wristwatch.
 

There is a new Tough Solar Technology adding an unnoticeable film-like solar panel to the dial that converts even the weakest lighting into power for the watch. Expect Bluetooth capabilities and SmartPhone link functions via the dedicated G-SHOCK Connected app to allow a bevy of updates, settings, time stamps, a calendar, alarms, a countdown, world time, and a unique phone finder function.
 

And, of course, the tale of toughness takes a step further in the new GMB2100 models. Including a DLC-coated screw-lock caseback, water resistance is rated at 200 meters (656 feet), and G-SHOCK’s signature Super Illuminator double-LED sources light up the night like never before.
 

With a gorgeous octagonal case with G-SHOCK-only knubs protecting the four setting buttons that rim the case edge and its “dimpled” metal bracelet links, an ode to the ORIGIN DW-5000C band, the latest GWB2100 Full Metal collection owes its heritage to the brand’s beginnings but loudly proclaims its own legacy, which is only getting started.