In pictures: The vintage-inspired Casio GMW-B5000V Aged IP G-Shock watch

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Note: This article was first published on 15 July 2019.

Casio realized the dreams of G-Shock fans all across the world when they unveiled the first-ever all-metal 5000-series square G-Shock in the GMW-B5000D-1DR and limited edition GMW-B5000TFG-9. This is the follow-up, the GMW-B5000V black aged IP watch, which features a unique aged finish for a vintage look that is very in vogue now.

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The new GMW-B5000V stands in stark contrast to its siblings. While other full metal G-Shocks have shiny highly polished stainless steel cases, the GMW-B5000V’s stainless steel exterior is rendered in dark gunmetal gray and has a weathered look that suggests it has been used and that it has lived a hard life. This unique finish is achieved by first an application of black ion-plating and then a Casio proprietary aging process.

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This aged effect extends to the stainless steel bracelet which tapers from the case to the clasp. It’s solidly put together and is held in place using an unorthodox but quite effective spring bar system. Because the links are held together by spring bars, the links are easy to remove as long as you have a spring bar tool. Putting the links back, however, is quite tricky.

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The foldover clasp has a matching weathered effect too. There’s no foldover safety latch for additional security but it does have two push buttons on the sides. In my time with the watch, the clasp never came undone on its own.

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The GMW-B5000V features what G-Shock fans commonly refer to as a negative display where you have light text on a dark background. It looks cool but legibility is compromised, especially when you are looking at the dial from an angle. In the "Home" screen ,you can see the time, day, and date at a glance. Note also the tiny solar cells around the display. A full charge will last about 10 months.

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The GMW-B5000V is a rather hefty watch. It measures nearly 50mm in width and is about 13mm thick. It sounds large but because it is more of a rectangle than a square, it only measures 43.2mm from top to bottom. In other words, it doesn’t sit too clumsily on smaller wrists such as mine, which is only about 6.4-inches or 16.2cm in circumference. That said, the endlinks that attach to the case don’t articulate and the watch is rather heavy  at 167g. These two factors can affect wearing comfort.

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The GMW-B5000V features a screw-down stainless steel caseback. On it, you can see the watch features the 3459 module and the various technologies that it has, including Multi Band 6, Tough Solar, and Bluetooth connectivity. In the middle, you can see that it's made in Japan, specifically at Casio's Yamagata Factory's Premium Production Line, where only Casio's most high-end models are produced.

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Speaking of which, even though the GMW-B5000V has Bluetooth connectivity, it doesn’t function like most smartwatches because it doesn’t show notifications from your phone. Instead, it connects to the G-Shock Connected app to make configuring the watch easier. G-Shock watches are so packed full of features today that it can difficult to use without spending time reading manuals.

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Whenever you connect the watch to the app, it automatically syncs to an atomic time signal. It even takes into account your present location so your the time updates automatically as you travel across timezones. The app provides a guide to the functions of the watch and lets you configure the watch's other features like world-time, alarm, and timer.

 

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Stylish, functional, and highly rugged, the only thing that I think GMW-B5000V has going against it is its compromised legibility. And maybe its price. It’s priced at S$1,349, which makes it the priciest full metal G-Shock by some margin. But I would argue that it is also the most unique because of its weathered and vintage look. The GMW-B5000V is currently on sale at all G-Shock boutiques.