Customer Reviews

Casio G Shock Quartz Black/Blue Dial Black Band - Men's Watch GW3000BD-1A

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I spent a lot time picking this watch. I was looking for something that I could wear all the time; whether I'm in a suit, wakeboarding, or just hanging out, this watch is great. The look of this watch is really sharp. I was concerned that this watch would look huge and garish, but it's really not. It's bold, but doesn't go over the edge, and I am comfortable wearing it in basically any setting.

The build quality of the watch is excellent. All the hands line up with the proper dial marks and the second hand matches up with the tick marks exactly. The buttons have a solid feel but are also not too hard to press. The watch's different functions are fun to use, though I'm not sure how useful they really are, excluding the atomic timekeeping, of course. I should mention that the atomic synchronization works like a charm (I live in DC.) As for usability, you probably have read other places that this watch requires a degree from MIT to operate. This isn't entirely true. You will have to spend 15-20 minutes paging through the manual to get a good idea of how everything works and which buttons do what, but it's really a pretty simple watch once you get to know it.

I didn't give it a full 5 stars for three reasons. First, I have some doubts about the strength of the metal band. It's too light for my tastes. While this is probably because Casio was trying to keep the weight down, it feels a little flimsy for such a heavy watch. Second, the glass is domed, not flat. This creates lots of reflections and makes the glass more visible than I prefer. It could have at least been given an anti-reflective coating. Last, the luminescent paint used by Casio, Neo-Brite as I believe it is called, is not really up to the quality of the watch. Compared with the Super-Luminova stuff, this fades much more quickly. It can be seriously bright for a minute or two, but it will fade quickly after that. That said, after about 8 hours, it is still visible in complete darkness, if just barely.

All in all, this is a great watch. As I noted, it could stand some improvements, but it is really a good watch that should last a long time and I would highly recommend it. I'm looking forward to keeping mine for a while.

I agree with most of what's been said - it's a great looking watch, solidly built. I have no issues with it receiving the time signal - similar to the Casio Pathfinder 1300 that I have. Don't think it's too complicated to use - just read the manual and you'll be fine (it's a watch, not a 747). The brightness of the hands in the dark is somewhat of an issue and if it hasn't been exposed to light for a while, it's going to be difficult to read in total darkness. A backlight would have been great. I didn't buy it for the stopwatch, so it only going up to 24 minutes is not that much of a loss for me.

What is disappointing is that in the time I've worn it (since Christmas of 2010) the black band has significantly scratched. This has happened mostly on the business part of the band (the flat part of the locking mechanism that has 'G-Shock' on it). So now, after less than a month of very mild use (I am not using it on a construction site or anything), there is about a square centimeter's worth of silver showing through where the black paint has scratched off. All I can think of is that this seems to have happened while I have rubbed it against my desk while using my computer (what I do for most of my work day).

I've still given it a 4 out of 5 since it really is a nice looking watch and I do expect it to work flawlessly like my 3 year old Pathfinder. If Casio has any recommendations (touch up paint?), I'd like to hear them, as I understand a replacement band (which isn't needed yet but eventually might be) is expensive.

******UPDATE August 2011. I ended up replacing the metal band with the resin band that is used for the GW 3000B (had to buy a few screws to make this work - total cost ~$30). The metal band just continued to get more and more silver as the black paint came off. Quite disappointing for a band that to replace is about $100. Can't believe I haven't seen this complaint in other reviews - it didn't take much to scratch it.

The quality and size of the timepiece (case) is impressive. However, to support what was previously stated, the lume ineffective. This is a disappointment because the stock photographs of the timepiece are misleading by depicting a strong lume. As a result, it is useless in lowlight conditions. Also mentioned, the black PVD bracelet, although striking, is substandard for a 46mm case. The links are loose and the overall feel of the band is second-rate. The irony is that Casio invested a great deal of effort with the timepiece (case), while the band design and implementation was an afterthought. Notwithstanding these significant deficiencies, the Casio G-Shock Aviation Concept Watch still presents a solid purchase within this price range.

I got this watch because A] I'm a big fan of the higher-end metal bracelet G-Shocks and B] it's a great-looking all-analog quartz watch. I really like the bold style and blue markers and in a good light it's easy to read and use...and did I mention it's a great-looking watch?

I didn't find this watch hard to set up, although you have to pay attention to the instructions [I never use the written instructions that come with the watch...I just download the PDF from Casio]. I have always found the metal bracelets on the G-Shocks to be quite robust, although the black coating on the metal will wear off the high points after a while. It's true that the stopwatch features leave some things to be desired, and the lume on the hands and markers doesn't last very long [when I use mine at night I charge it up every hour or so with a flashlight or headlight]. So if you're looking for those particular features in a watch, you might want to consider another model. However, if you appreciate the look of aviation watches in general, and like the subtle high-tech qualities of analog G-Shocks, this is a really neat watch...it definitely rewards having the patience to get it working as it should.

One more thing...the solar G-Shocks take a long time to reach maximum charge, a few days in a sunny window and perhaps as long as a week or more of outdoor wear, so give it a chance.

I will start by saying that I'm a pilot of gliders and small airplanes (ppl, spl) and that I bought this watch as an in-flight instrument replacement for my old Casio G-Shock AW-591. The difference is absolutely stunning...
It is very easy to read the time, even if the watch is held at a sharp angle. I am wearing mine on the inside of the wrist of my right hand (the hand on the stick or column) and I can read the time with no problem, without moving the hand. Previously I wasn't able to do so with my other watches... I believe this is because the contrast between the black face and the blue/yellow hands is very high, and also the crystal's dome acting as a lens. Reading the time and the date are the only two functions I am using (and expecting to use in the future) during flight, and this watch does a very impressive job at both...
When on the ground, the design is the first thing one notices - this is a stunningly cool watch... It looks like being taken out of an plane's instrument panel.being a pure analogue device there have been some compromises on the other functions (the famous 24 min. only timer), but don't let that stop you from at least trying it in a shop. Myself I can't think of any situation where I would need a longer than 20 minutes 1/100s timer, but to each it's own...
I am not doing too much aerobatics (certainly not on 12 g) but knowing that it's certified up to 15 brings some satisfaction :).

So i've been trying to find this watch for my bf and it was sold out everywhere, luckily i found it here and it shipped within 2 days, the watch is awesome! when i got it the dial started to spin on its own, i forgot that it has radio controlled and times itself! The watch is so high tech! He will faint when he sees it on xmas! thanks for the quick delivery!

The term "Aviator" or "Pilot" watch is very popular, however if you are a pilot (I am) and want a watch to carry out some real world aviation functions lets put a few things into perspective. The very last thing you should be doing while flying an airplane is pushing buttons or twisting dials on a watch. I would argue, there is no compelling reason to even glance at a watch while flying given there are tens of thousands of dollars of instruments in front of you to do the job. If you are flying a J3, that is a different story, you pilots know what I am saying. So the question is what is a pilot looking for in a watch other than something super cool to impress friends and family over while stuck on the ground... sorry no. All humor aside, flying is a serious business, now down to watch business.

Everything in aviation is based on Zulu Time also known as GMT, and a lot of plans are put into a flight before ever leaving the ground, this is where a pilot watch is helpful. The ability to calculate your time in relationship to Zulu, or where you are traveling to is important. All the rest of the high tech features of the watch are great, solar power, better for a green planet, radio reception for time synchronization and clear hands with numbers easy to see. All the other fine print on the dial requires bifocals. Keep in mind to fly an airplane you need good vision to see what is happening outside the airplane, not the detail on your watch dial. The other functions, chronograph and alarm are good for not over cooking your food, or when you have to put a time limit on something your kids are doing.

One item, listen up family and friends, a pilot likes is a good, accurate and some what expensive watch, this watch is it!

Fly well, and happy landings.

Recieved my watch from Japan with the big drawback all instructions in japanese. The watch is a beautiful watch to look at but the complexity of operation is a little much. Not quite sure why you need all the time zones. The face of the watch is a little busy I'm fairly simplistic and like a watch to just tell me the time. This is the 4th G Shock I own and they do make a rugged watch. I do reccomend the watch I do love it. Make sure to get instructions in English the downloaded version for the 5121 was OK but not great.