INTRODUCTION

   Judging by our review and the "out of stock" availability signs on many online stores it seems that the latest EDIFICE line of watches by Casio has taken the market by storm not only because of the high quality materials used and their amazing designs but also (and perhaps mostly) thanks to their very tempting price tags (always compared to the competition). Casio is not a new player so they know that in order to get people to trust and buy their new line (and at the same time become future clients once again) they need to follow an aggressive pricing policy and in the end since that's always a very good thing for consumers one can't really complain. However the EDIFICE line lacks but one thing and that's acknowledgement from the world through many years of history something that the G-SHOCK line of watches by Casio has in abundance since thanks to their amazing toughness they've accompanied people in the harshest possible environments for the past 30 years. Today we will be taking a look at one of the latest G-SHOCK models to hit the market the GA-110-1AER.

      Casio was founded in 1957 with the development of a revolutionary calculator. Casio’s small, fast calculator greatly increased office efficiency, and before long people had their own personal calculators. Thanks to this technology, it is easy now for anyone to perform calculations, leaving people free to concentrate on creative thinking. Over the years, Casio has developed many other groundbreaking products. Our watches became critical tools for planning and living daily life. Our electronic dictionaries provide a wealth of knowledge in a tiny package. Our electronic musical instruments deliver the joy of playing music for people of all skill levels, and our digital cameras make it easy to turn the excitement of the moment into a precious memory. All of these developments supported people's intellectual creativity, and that is the essence of how we see Casio's role in the world.

   The first G-SHOCK watch was introduced in 1983 and was designed by Kikuro Ibe and Yuichi Maruda led with the dream of creating a watch that never breaks something which at the time wasn't easy. Because of that it took them over 2 years and 200 prototypes to develop the G-Shock watch which would feature their "Triple 10" concept meaning it needed to have a 10-year battery life, 10-bar water resistance and 10-metre dropping shock resistance. 30 years later all G-Shock watches feature more than just the Triple 10 concept including a bezel (100% resin) configuration which prevents the buttons and display from making contact with flat surfaces, extra cushioning material for parts with lower shock-absorption capabilities (such as metal parts, solar panels or radio-controllers) and a urethane resin strap. That's however the base of what all models currently feature and with a product line that has over 100 available models Casio has everyone covered. The GA-110-1AER we have here with us today may not be amongst the most expensive G-Shock models (far from it) but it does carry a surprisingly large number of features including 20 bar/200 meters water resistance, 12/24h time keeping, scratch-resistant mineral glass, automatic calendar that stays accurate forever once you set it, 5 daily alarms, 1m/24h timer, 1/1000s-100h stopwatch, world time with 29 time zones and 48 major cities listed, auto-led for when you are checking the time, Japanese movement and a magnetic resistant housing. Appearance however is something that to many people matters most when choosing a watch (especially an everyday one) so let's take a closer look at the GA-110-1AER.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The watch arrived inside a small black box with the G-Shock logo at the top surrounded by the 20 bar water resistance phrase and the year Casio introduced the series to the world.

Inside the box you will find another aluminum box, the G-Shock international warranty card and a rather thick user’s manual (with all those features it packs i am not surprised).

THE G-SHOCK GA-110-1AER

The only downside G-Shock watches have is also one of their useful features and that's the resin material used which makes them seem a bit dull, at first at least.

With a case diameter of 51cm the G-Shock GA-110-1AER is not a small watch but surprisingly enough it looks ok even on my 18cm thick wrist.

The GA-110-1AER combines analog with digital display into a very nice package. Unfortunately it is not possible to display different analogue and digital time in timekeeping mode.

There are two large buttons on each side which are protected by the watch bezel (as stated in the intro page).

The urethane resin strap is 55cm in length and is also part of the shock-absorbing feature of G-Shock watches.

The G-Shock logo is also placed on the buckle (very easy to secure the strap, not so easy to remove it which is good).

Written at the stainless steel back is the company name, 20 Bar water resistance, country of origin (China), type of movement (Japanese) and the Shock Resist G-Shock logo (we had to adjust the lighting of the picture to make all of the writings visible). 

The LED is not very powerful and the yellow color doesn't help much but it's better than none at all.

CONCLUSION

   It's been roughly 15 years since i last wore a G-SHOCK watch so compared to then things have changed on a massive scale. First of all back then even the most expensive G-SHOCK watches were a lot smaller (certainly not as durable), not as good looking and just featured backlight, world time and a thermometer whereas now even a mid-end model like the GA-110-1AER carries several. The only downside compared to then (and one which i don't really understand) is that the battery of the GA-110-1AER does not follow the Triple 10 concept and so according to Casio it will only last around 2 years (some people report that their old Triple 10 G-SHOCKs have been working even after 20 years). Of course slightly more expensive G-SHOCK models are solar powered so you can expect them to run for well over 10 years without replacing the battery but since the G-SHOCK line was designed around the Triple 10 concept i would expect all their models to currently carry 10 year lifespan batteries. The LED light is also not strong enough as stated in the previous page but it helps read the time even if it's pitch black where you are at so i can't really complain (although i hope Casio adds a second LED in the future).

   Casio currently has over 12 different models available in the G-SHOCK GA-110 line (10 of which are showcased above) according to the region where you are at so naturally prices will vary amongst them. However the model we reviewed today (GA-110-1AER EU, GA-110-1A USA) currently retails for USD89 inside the USA (Purchase Directly from Amazon.com) and for 89Euros inside the EU (Purchase Directly from Amazon.co.uk). Overall the GA-110-1AER may not sport a solar powered battery and a strong enough night LED but it does carry a plethora of very useful features, it's very durable so it should stay by your side for many years regardless of use and all that at a very decent price tag so although not perfect it's still more than enough to get our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality (Magnetic Resistant Housing/Resin Bezel/Urethane Resin Strap/Scratch Resistant Mineral Glass)
- Design
- 20 bar/200 meters Water Resistance
- 12/24h Time Keeping
- Automatic Calendar
- 5 daily alarms
- 1m/24h Timer
- 1/1000s-100h Stopwatch
- World Time (29 time zones/48 major cities listed)
- Auto-Led Function
- Japanese Movement
- Available Color Combinations
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Battery Life (Only 2 Years)
- LED Brightness (Not Very Strong)