If you're looking for a rugged watch and you're reading Tom's Guide then chances are you're thinking about the Apple Watch Ultra 4 or perhaps the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 or even the Garmin Fenix Pro 9.
But those timepieces are kindergarten toys compared to Casio's iconic G-Shock watches. And today the brand has unveiled two new additions to the family — one of which is the most expensive G-Shock ever made, and the other a much more accessible option. As a longtime G-Shock wearer, I need to tell you about these watches.
I'll break the bad news first, the MRG-D5000, known as "The Blue Rose Project" is not something you or I are ever going to be able to buy. Its bezel and outer case are formed entirely from blue sapphire crystal, which gives it clarity, hardness, a distinctive color, and a £67,000 (roughly $88,600) price tag. Moreover, there are only 20 of them being made. So when Casio says it's the "rarest and most valuable production G-Shock to date", it's not kidding.
"The story began with the Dream Project led by G-Shock creator Kikuo Ibe," Casio revealed in a press release.
"In 2018, the project produced the G-D5000, a watch crafted from 18-carat gold while retaining premium shock resistance. The same year, Casio revealed a sapphire crystal concept watch in Basel, Switzerland, that demonstrated the idea’s beauty but could not yet meet G-Shock shock-resistance standards."
"While many thought the challenge impossible, G-Shock’s relentless pursuit of perfection in the search for toughness meant that after years of research, the MR-G engineering team found that dividing the outer case into multiple interacting components could disperse impact more effectively than a conventional single-piece construction. The breakthrough informed the Multi-Guard Structure introduced with the titanium MRG-B5000 in 2022 and, ultimately, the Multi-Guard Structure for Sapphire used in the new MRG-D5000."
These watches will almost certainly be snapped up by collectors and watch fanatics — some of whom have very deep pockets.
As mentioned, it's not like we'll be able to buy it, but the MRG-D5000 boasts 20-bar water resistance; solar power; Multi Band 6 radio control; 1/100-second stopwatch; countdown timer; five daily alarms; full-auto LED backlight.
The Mudman GDG-B100 could beat the Apple Watch to a pulp
With all the glitz and glamour out of the way, let's get down in the dirt with the second G-Shock revealed today — the one we can realistically strap to our wrist while training for the next Hyrox or Ironman.
The G-Shock Mudman GDG-B100 is available from £200 ($264) and has been built with military and first responders in mind. Casio has employed carbon fiber-reinforced resin to increase the rigidity of the case, helping it resist damage and deformation. There's a complete airtight seal on this watch, with gaskets fitted to the button shafts to help prevent mud and dust from entering the case.
The display is a memory-in-pixel (MIP) LCD and, in similar fashion to the Apple Watch Ultra series (and Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra), there's also a red LED backlight that kicks in after dark to preserve night vision.
The GDG-B100 measures distance, speed, pace and calories burned in addition to stopwatch timing. It can store up to 100 lap times, offers an interval timer with up to five time settings and counts steps using a built-in accelerometer.
You'll need to use Smartphone Link to connect the watch to the Casio app via Bluetooth where you'll find training and daily activity records. When the watch is connected to your phone, you can also get vibration alerts for incoming calls, emails, social media updates, calendar notifications and reminders. But, if I'm honest, you're not buying a G-Shock to get calendar notifications — you're buying it to survive a weeklong trip into the wilderness.
There are three different styles to choose from: all black, dark green with orange accents or a sand-colored band with a black bezel.
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