Long-time readers of T3 will know I'm a massive fan of the Casio G-Shock. These resin-cased watches have defied convention, turning from rugged pieces designed for hardcore pursuits into fashion-focused items.
I've even gone so far as to say that every collection needs one on more than one occasion, and it's a motto I stand by. Recently, I've been testing a model from the Casio G-Shock Hidden Glow Vol 2 collection.
The range – which launched back in July this year – follows on from the original Hidden Glow range from the year before, only this time with a more contemporary white and blue colour scheme. Is it up to scratch? Well, let's take a closer look.
Fans of the G-Shock range will already have a good understanding of what's on offer here. It's part of the beauty of the brand in the modern age – while some specs may change between ranges, the core elements tend to remain the same, making each piece already familiar.
Here, for example, you'll find the same dive watch-rivalling 200m water resistance as you'll find on most pieces across the board. There is – naturally – a shock resistant design used, too, which is a core part of the G-Shock design.
Case measurements of 53.2 x 50mm and 18.7mm tall sound positively gargantuan, though the soft lines and protruding guard sections give me hope of a better wearing experience. All of that attaches to a resin band, while up to five years of battery life can be expected.
Inside, you'll find a similarly familiar suite of features including a stopwatch, a timer and an alarm setting. You'll also have the time, day and date displayed on the display, with fully automated calendar properties up to the year 2099.
"Okay," I hear you ask, "so what is different?"
Well, the big sell here is the luminous dial material. That's a resin which is imbued with phosphorescent material, which emits a gentle blue glow in darkness. That's inspired by the plankton which wash up on beaches, and have long been admired for their otherworldly displays.
What is the Casio G-Shock DW-6900 Hidden Glow Vol 2 like on the wrist?
It's worth mentioning at this point that I'd never tried a DW-6900 reference before this watch. My personal tastes have always skewed more towards the 2100 and 5600 case shapes and – as I'm not a massive John Mayer fan – there was really nothing to tempt me towards anything else.
Boy, was I missing out, though. The 6900 case shape is simply a dream to wear, with the curved lines ensuring a truly fantastic wearing experience. Pay no mind to those specs – in practice, this is no worse than any 43mm dive watch out there, which is to say it wears very nicely indeed.
The usual levels of comfort you'd expect from G-Shock are still present and correct, with the resin band sculpting to the shape of your wrist nicely. All in all, I found this to be one of the most effortless watches to wear in my entire collection.
In fact, if it weren't quite so bright white, I'd be telling you it's the perfect everyday wear. For me, that colour is a big part of the charm, but I'd probably feel less gooey about it if it started to fade or yellow thanks to mud, sweat and beers.
It's not all perfect, of course. The USA-centric backwards date arrangement – seriously, who though month before date made any sense? – is annoying to anyone anywhere else in the world, and the glowing effect of the dial is certainly mild in use. The LED light will be more useful for actually seeing things on the dial.
Is the Casio G-Shock DW-6900 Hidden Glow Vol 2 worth the money?
As ever, G-Shock's really do rule the roost when it comes to value. When you really stop and think about the specs they offer at the prices they're offered at, it's not hard to see why these watches are so beloved by collectors.
Priced at £99.90 here in the UK (approx. €115 / US$135 / AU$200), this represents exquisite, exceptional value. There are few watches I'd recommend over this in terms of sheer wearability.
If you're already sold on it from the pictures, I implore you to just get one. You won't regret it.
