[G-Shock Review] GST-B100-1AER — Metal and Japanese Futurism

A blade-sharp screw with a bright metallic shine gazing intently into the eyes of its new master. The austere lines are painfully beautiful to look at, and the impact resistance is “sewed” into each element of the watch case. Take a closer look at the GST-B100-1AER model of the new G-Shock direction, the G-Steel, in the Casio fan blog.

The GST-B100 lot is very much predictable. And it is not just my personal judgement. When it was first presented, we were immediately bombarded by messages like this: “where and when can I buy it?”. The boom was hardly surprising…

The watch combines almost all the most attractive features of a Japanese brand: a solar cell, synchronization with the smartphone, a bright backlight, a beautiful shock-resistant case. The ample possibilities make one reach for the wallet. Okay, this may be just enough for the overview… Certainly not (that was a clumsy joke): the watch deserves a full immersion in the details, and that’s just what we are going to do.

The case. The G-Steel model line surprises one by its simple approach – it is always an abundance of high-quality steel in full harmony with the polymer material. It’s not the first time I’ve been studying this metallic line, and each time it gives me the same feeling – a damn high-quality product. A perfectly rendered steel ingot.

The black face prevents the impression of total shine. The GST-B100-1AER is full of high-luster elements, so the opaque field and the black polyurethane wristlet provides the item with the much-needed contrast. Otherwise, there would be a can effect, which doesn’t seem too welcome.

You should all remember the news of the GST-B100 sizing, with the three G-Steel models compared; well, although the GST-B100 is not too huge, it is readily noticeable on your wrist. You won’t obtain a secrecy effect: one just cannot help but see a watch like this. The face gives the impression of a very deep container (not without the aid of inward-directed hour markers). The screw, the hands, the mini-displays – they are all perfectly readable.

Synchronization with the smartphone. A special pleasure is derived from the support provided to watch – smartphone communications. I have always reserved some memory for it in my Android device, which is gluttonous as it is (in terms of used GB). GST-B100 announced support for a new app, G-SHOCK Connected, which is something quite new to me at this point.

The process of installing (the app) and registering the device (watch) has gone smoothly, and I can already see the beautiful presentation of the GST-B100-1AER model on the phone screen. Also worth noting is the G-Shock design of the new environment: the dark field, the military styling, the sharp lines. The first screen immediately recommends setting the time to the second time zone – it’s also a well-known world time function. Ok, let’s make it London…

The choice of the city is basically the same as in Casio Watch+: we can use the search, or look it up at the map. The necessary changes are transferred to the lower additional window with one click (time in another time zone). You can easily change the dials of home and world time by moving your finger.

The first left tab is called “Guide”. This is your assistant in understanding all the capabilities of the watch. Actually, it shows the work of each function through manual settings (not through the phone). For example, as we enter the alarm mode, we can immediately see a detailed visual guide: what each element of the watch is responsible for and how to figure out all the hands.

To say this is better than a manual is to say nothing. Even such a convenient type can soon recede into historical distance. Why, what’s the point of knowing the combination of alarm buttons, if I can configure it from my phone?

The timer is also available within the app.

Setting the alarm

In the upper left corner (of the main screen) you can see the battery level, which is very convenient. A push with an alert to charge the watch should also work (as it was with other Smart models).

That’s all that concerns the app. Functionality is limited by the watch itself, but one should bear in mind the main purpose of the phone – the synchronization of the exact time. It is something the GST-B100-1AER model has no problem with – it works just like in the Internet.

About the disk.

The blades rotate, leaving the red color “below”. This way, you can monitor the battery charge level: the more of the red color you see, the greater is the need for recharging (in the current time mode). The disc also indicates the state of the alarm (activated or deactivated). It works as follows: if in the alarm mode the disk covers the red space, it is deactivated, if it reveals it, it is in the active phase. The manufacturer also claims the rotation of the “turbine” in the stopwatch mode (to display time dynamics), but I have never managed to figure out this dynamics.

The disk is more about the aesthetic pleasure of using GST-B100-1AER. It is about the beauty of the face and the pleasant rotation momentum (no one would value it so much if it were dead). The functionality may have been dreamed up, but in some cases, it’s very understandable and useful.

Has anyone noticed the tiny little window near the main hands? This is the Japanese way to show the current time of the day: morning or evening (pm or am). The principle of the watch crown functionality is very similar to Smart Access (this technology for some reason has a different name in the official description): it is unscrewed and pulled out in one click.

I decided to just touch upon the extra mechanical element on the watch, but I do not see the point in using it in real life. The phone completely takes over the entire routine of possibilities.

Backlight. Cool, as usual. G-Steel has not learned to make bad lighting. A very bright LED covers the entire face surface (located traditionally at the 6-o’clock mark). The hands have a Neobrite coating of questionable brightness. The backlight compensates this defect. There is probably no automatic response depending on the viewing angle. Haven’t found any mention of the matter in the manual.

Wristlet

Typical dense polyurethane material. It is surely bound to serve for a long time (first meant to write “forever”, but refrained).

Conclusion

The GST-B100-1AER model is anything but small, it is defiant, and with its own kind of metallic beauty. Please do not confuse it with the traditional G-Shock brand concept (a rugged plastic watch with electronic information display). This (G-STEEL) is a completely different image for an entirely different target audience. I examined the watch with this in mind, and it’s definitely tall in the saddle here. The accuracy of the Internet clock, the solar cell and the convenience of controlling functions through the phone – here is a new illustration of using a classic (so to speak) thing like a watch.

Read Quick News on GST-B100:

• [G-SHOCK Comparison] GST-B500 VS GST-B400 VS GST-B100
• [G-SHOCK 2022] GST-B100, GST-B500, GST-B500 — Pure Texture of Gold
• [G-SHOCK G-STEEL] GST-B100, GST-B400, GST-B500 — Golden Age Series
• G-Shock GST-B100 PROs & CONs from users and experts
• [G-Shock Comparison] GST-B100 VS GST-410 VS GST-W300
• [G-Shock Review] GST-B100-1AER — Metal and Japanese Futurism

All News on GST-B100 →

Some FAQ moments about G-Shock GST-B100 Series

---

GST-B100 Profile / Casio G-Shock
Average Amazon Price: $350 (yes, we may earn a commission on qualifying purchases from our links to Amazon. Check the Price on Amazon →
Year of first release: 2017
Lineup: G-STEEL (G-Steel are refined watches and combine high-quality materials with G-Shock’s standard of toughness. Its layered guard structure boasts a double-layer bezel construction of stainless steel and resin or resin and fine resin which delivers the hard, sleek beauty of metal while retaining the impact absorption of resin.) All G-Shock G-Steel Watches →
Best for: Small Wrists, Office and Formal Wear, Top in G-Shock Lookbooks
The most distinctive specs:
– 200-meter water resistance (good for swimming but not for deep diving)
– Tough Solar (CASIO’s original solar-charging system converts not only sunlight but also light from fluorescent lamps and other sources into power)
– Layer Guard Structure (boasts a double-layer bezel construction of stainless steel and resin or resin and fine resin which delivers the hard, sleek beauty of metal while retaining the impact absorption of resin.)
– G-SHOCK Connected App (you may manage all watch settings through your phone)
– Mobile link (Wireless linking using Bluetooth(R)) (for time sync with your phone data)
Other colors and full specs: GST-B100 Wiki Page
Only Limited Editions: GST-B100 Limited Editions