Casio G-SHOCK MT-G
Made with support from G-SHOCK

The Casio G-SHOCK MT-G, The Only “Connected” Watch Collectors Will Actually Find Useful

Urban adventures with Casio’s connected timepiece, the G-SHOCK MT-G.

By Josh Shanks
Contributor

Over the past year, Watchonista has enjoyed many special moments with Casio. From celebrating the 35th anniversary of the G-SHOCK to visiting their top secret R&D lab in Japan, our coverage has run the proverbial G-SHOCK gamut. Casio is a brand always on the move, both physically (the brand just recently opened their Yamagata watch factory) and technologically with constant innovation across their extensive product line.

From cash registers to calculators, Casio has produced consumer and business-focused technology solutions for decades.

The G-SHOCK MT-G

So with all of these technological innovations, one would think that Casio had produced a connected watch. However, that wasn’t the case until this year’s Baselworld fair when the brand introduced the G-SHOCK MT-G, a technical marvel with a pages long features list.
 

For starters, the G-SHOCK MT-G is a solar-powered, Bluetooth enabled connected timepiece packed with many features that collectors will find useful in their day-to-day lives. The MT-G is not a "Smartwatch" in the traditional sense, it won't check your email, help you reply to text messages, and you can’t play games on it. However, it’s an extraordinarily useful, yet-rugged watch which features the design cues of G-SHOCK with the technical aptitude of Casio.
 

Casio loaned us an MT-G for testing, and I very much enjoyed my time with this technical marvel. Like all G-SHOCKs, the MT-G boasts exceptional shock resistance via Casio's proprietary shock resistant case structure. A sturdy steel case acts as the outer core while the electronics and other components are housed within a special carbon-fiber-reinforced resin case. Even the soft urethane band is assembled with various resins and steel parts which make it like a small shield on your wrist.
 

Fit and finish

I found the G-SHOCK MT-G super wearable despite its 51.7mm case size. One has to put G-SHOCKs in a separate category when it comes to case sizing. G-SHOCKs are far from your typical watch, and with their integrated straps, the specifications on paper aren't nearly as ominous as when you strap one to your wrist. While you can easily try on an MT-G at your nearest G-SHOCK retailer, an easy measurement is to put a tape measure on your wrist and measure two inches which are precisely the dimensions from top lug to bottom lug on the MT-G.
 

The outer steel case on the MT-G features three different types of finishing. Brushing is present on the bezel (circular brushing) and lugs (vertical brushing). The case sides are sandblasted to give them a warm matte finish. To top it all off, highly polished beveled edges are present in multiple areas of the case are highly polished. The case back is secured by four screws and features G-SHOCK's logo prominently in the center.

Keeping time

A common thread in collector communities is timekeeping. How fast or slow someone’s watch performs is a point which inevitably comes up in any discussion. For decades, Casio’s watches were all manually set using a variety of button pressing maneuvers to get the correct time. While Quartz watches are highly accurate, the physical act of setting the time on a digital watch did turn a few off to the brand.
 

However, with the MT-G, setting the time is as easy as opening an app. By downloading Casio’s G-SHOCK application (available on iPhone and Android), users can pair their watches with the application and instantly set a time of their choosing. On the dial at six o’clock, the dual-time feature of the MT-G also allows the wearer to track an alternative time zone. You can even switch between the two time zones instantly via the app or by pressing the Mode button.
 

On a long adventure and without a cell phone? Fret not, the Multi-Band 6 module in the MT-G acts as an Atomic timekeeper. With access to six Atomic radio transmitters worldwide, your MT-G will always be up to date. I found the G-SHOCK phone application extremely usable. The analytics features within the app allowed me to track battery health, time adjustments, and software updates via easy to read graphs.
 

Ready for anything

On top of its extremely durable construction, the MT-G has a water resistance of 200 meters (or 656 feet). Making it a versatile companion for any expedition. Whether it be the weekend grocery run or an ascent of Everest, the MT-G has got your back. Not convinced? What if I told you the MT-G packed a perpetual calendar, stopwatch, and alarm function? It’s all there. Another enjoyment is the built-in light which casts a bright white hue over the entire dial when you press the ‘Light’ button.
 

So, let's see, a watch that you never need to charge or wind, a full perpetual calendar, and a host of functions which will entice even the shrewdest collector, all make the MT-G a must buy. Also, the price is enticing, for all you've read above, you can acquire a G-SHOCK MT-G for under $1,000.
 

The Casio G-SHOCK MT-G is available in two color options and price points. The pictured silver with black and red accent model (MTGB1000-1A) is priced at $800 USD. A second, all black with red accent model (MTGB1000B-1A) comes in at $900 USD.
 

Both watches are available via Casio’s e-shop, which you can visit HERE.

(Photography by Liam O'Donnell)

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