With this Casio G-Shock Frogman GWF 1000-1, the iconic Frogman -the model that was created specifically for scuba diving- has received a major facelift. Of course, being a member of the G-Shock family, the update wasn’t limited to just looks like it is almost always the case with dressier Submariners and hundreds of wannabes. The main change is hidden behind the timekeeper’s resin-clad outer shell.
Like the sporty G-Shock GIEZ GS1300B-1A chronograph and the gorgeous in its own industrial way MTG1100-1A, the fifth-generation Frogman GWF1000-1 has finally received Casio’s new Module 3184 quartz caliber with what they call “Self-Adjusting Multi-Band 6 Atomic Timekeeping Technology.”
Putting it simply, now the watch can automatically update itself based on signals it receives from transmitters in Japan, United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and China.
At precisely measured intervals, the diving companion receives time stamps from one of the aforementioned radio stations and compares them against its own time correcting numbers on the LCD display, so to speak, on the fly. Yes, the transmitters don’t cover the surface of our beautiful planet in its entirety, but if you happen to live in a more or less civilized part of the world, you are probably all set.
If not, well, the quartz caliber’s rate of +/- 15 seconds per month may leave you a bit disappointed in the technology.
Of course, the Frogman still retains its 200 meters depth rating, a tiny photovoltaic panel that recharges its battery, dive time measurement mode, four daily alarms, an electronic chronograph, and these sorts of things. The water resistance rating doesn’t make it a true diving companion, but if you are looking for a time-measuring device to use for swimming and some basic snorkeling, you are good.
Judging by the pictures (and experience with other members of the growing G-Shock family,) I can assume that all the functions will be operated easily and intuitively. And if you for some reason lack in the intuition department, there are huge inscriptions near every push-piece that tells which one does what.
In the United States, the GWF1000-1 is available for $700. At a first glance, the piece is a little bit overpriced (always associating G-Shock line with entry-level models, it is difficult to fathom how one of these toy-like pieces may cost seven hundred bucks), but in reality, the list of functions and bullet-proof design makes this one a real bargain, especially for those who are into this sort of design language.
However, before ordering one of these, take into consideration the fact that this is a diver, which is styled after professional diving computers, and those are rarely small. This particular specimen, for example, is whopping 58.30 millimeters in diameter and 18 millimeters high, which seriously limits the choice of attire you can wear it with.
So, if you plan to get this watch just to show off, you’d better find something else. However, if diving is really on your mind, then the size of the gadget should not be a problem, and the many functions that it sports make it an almost ideal diving companion for a serious “frogman.”
See also: Timex Expedition WS4 electronic ‘multitool’
Photos: Casio
Casio G-Shock Frogman GWF1000-1 specification
Price range: $700 (MSRP)
Movement: Quartz, Tough Solar Power, Shock Resistant, Module 3184, Made in Japan
Complications: DTMM, 4 daily alarms, chronograph, atomic clock synchronization,
Power reserve: Virtually unlimited as long as the PV element is regularly exposed to an external light source
Case: Stainless steel, DLC-coated, Rubber
Shape: Round
Size: 58.30 mm x 52.80 mm
Case height: 18.00 mm
Dial: LCD, monochrome, luminous (Full Auto EL Backlight with Afterglow)
Water resistance: 200 meters
Strap: Black rubber
Crystal: Glass
Back: Solid, screw-down