Last month Casio Japan released model GW-M5600 (shown above). The watch features a new, smaller Multi Band 5 antenna, allowing Casio to release a Tough Solar version of the 5600 series that can synchronize with atomic clocks in Japan, the United States, and Europe.

At first glance, the watch may appear like any other recent 5600 release. But notice Casio has returned to some original graphical design elements — the location of text and color combinations — for this 25th anniversary year G-Shock offering. In addition to the new Multi Band 5 technology, the watch incorporates a new style of caseback detailing.

The caseback style looks like a cross between a “shell back” and “flatback,” and appears to be made of of solid stainless steel. I suppose it’s a “flatback” but made out of a thicker gauge of steel than other flatbacks. Instead of being bead blasted like on 2005 model GW-5600, this time it’s highly polished, and then brushed up and down from 12 to 6 o’clock.

Another difference between this watch and GW-5600 is with the latter you had to toggle between the day and date on it’s main readout. GW-M5600 shows both date and day at the same time like classic 5600 versions from the 1980s and ’90s.

The watch is featured in the April 2008 edition of Japanese magazine called Best Gear. I’ll translate the introduction to the article below.

The following appears on page 50:

The 25th anniversary release features the latest technology inside a masterpiece design that is the essence of G-Shock. It introduces Multi Band 5 technology into the 5600 series. This technology is quite common now, so why is this particular watch so amazing? The answer lies in the watch shape.

When G-Shocks were introduced in 1983 with the DW-5000, the trend was small watches, unlike now. [G-Shocks were considered very large watches then.] Today, Casio had to do the ultimate in miniaturization to create Multi Band 5 technology that is small enough to fit into original G-Shock-sized cases, yet is able to endure extreme shocks.

It’s not easy to add additional functions into this compact-sized watch body. It became a mission that gave headaches to designers thinking about the motherboard, the Power Saving LSI, etc.

This means the ongoing 5600 series has replicated it’s DNA in this model, and has the ultimate technology scaled to a small size that still keeps its toughness.

The photo above shows GW-M5600 (left) alongside G-5600 (right). G-5600 was released in 2002, and was the first Tough Solar model in the 5600 series. It tells current time, 12 hour or 24 hour (military time) display, has a 60-minute countdown timer, five alarms, hourly chime, 1/100 1,000 hour stopwatch, and dual time features. GW-M5600 has time, 12 hour or 24 hour (military time) display, 58 city world time, 1/100 1,000 hour stopwatch, 60-minute countdown timer, five alarms, and hourly chime. Both sleep to save battery power if not exposed to light for several hours. They “wake up” if a button is pushed, or if exposed to light.

The caseback on G-5600 is a flat stainless steel plate. It appears to be made of a thinner gauge of steel than the one on GW-M5600.

Another difference is the older model has a “sandwich dial,” while the new watch has a more traditional dial depth that uses the latest solar panel technology. The biggest difference is the atomic syncing function. The G-5600 is off by 10 or 15 seconds each month, and an hour off twice a year in the US when Daylight Savings Time starts and stops. The new GW-M5600 should be to-the-second accurate day-after-day, month-after-month, and year-after-year.

I like both these watches and if I could only own one, it’d be difficult for me to choose. They seem identical in size, although G-5600 wears bigger because the the recessed dial. The LCD in GW-M5600 seems to have a slightly golden hue to my eye, and feels heavier, although according to Casio Japan, G-5600 weighs 52 grams and GW-M5600 is 51.7 grams.

When I’m wearing one or the other of these watches at the office, my colleagues won’t notice the difference between the two. But glancing at my wrist between tasks that make up my day, I’ll know the difference. I’ll appreciate whichever one I’m wearing for the innovative step it is in the evolution of the 5600 series.

I have a hunch the one I’ll be feeling most for a while is the new Multi Band 5.

History of the evolution of technologies in the 5600 series

In Europe, the watch goes by model number GW-M5600-1ER. Casio USA lists the limited edition reverse LCD version GWM5600BC1. Note that like the Japanese model, the watch sold in the USA, and the European model Sjors featured on G-Peopleland, all say “20Bar” on the dial rather than “200m.”

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This entry was posted on Saturday, March 22nd, 2008 at 8:04 pm and is filed under Casio. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.