The new Mini CasiOak is totally badass and available for $99.
Seriously, how did I miss this?
Not often do I see a watch in person and immediately figure out how to buy one. Usually, I let it marinate: is this just me being tantalized by another temptress, an infatuation that’ll surely fade with time?
And when so many watches exceed prices that any reasonable person should pay for an outdated anachronism, I usually let the feeling fade.
But the new G-Shock GMAS2100 series (or “Mini CasiOak”) is different.
I first spotted these at a local G-Shock retailer, ashamed to admit that I completely missed the early 2021 release of these very cool watches because I was paying attention to some other (mostly less cool) ones coming out of some virtual trade show.
Better late than never, as they say.
I slipped one on my wrist and immediately was smitten. The thinnest G-Shock ever! All in, the Mini CasiOak measures 46.2 x 42.9 x 11.2 millimeters, one of the most wearable G-Shocks around.
But the best part is when you slip it off your wrist and glance at the price tag: $99.
Sure, G-Shock’s website puts it in its “women’s” category, but if you’ve got a Y chromosome and you’re letting that hold you back from copping one of these in 2021, well, I don’t know what to tell you. It wears about the same as many modern sports watches in the 40mm range (the lug-to-lug is about 1mm shorter than the Rolex Submariner).
While the Mini CasiOaks show up as out of stock on G-Shock’s website, and many of G-Shock’s retailers seem to be running low on different colors, they seem to be readily available on Amazon. Some colors are even available for next-day Prime delivery where I’m located.
Listen, I know Amazon can be great, but G-Shock also has some of the widest distribution of any watch brand, so you can also head to their website to find a retail location and support your local retailer.
So order one, or all four.
Let’s take a brief look at the colors.
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Black (GMAS2100-1A)
The GMAS2100 is loaded with complications: there’s a world timer, a stopwatch and countdown timer, and 5 daily alarms. The luminous hands also give it some useful functionality. Let’s be honest though, the Mini CasiOak is all about the looks: namely, that octagonal bezel, reminiscent of watches with much heftier price tags.
Of course, what’s G-Shock without a classic black resin case? The dial takes this one up a notch, with rose gold markers and hands that give it an elegant look (or, at least as elegant as a G-Shock can get). It’s the most classic and understated of the 4 color options, which means it might end up being the most popular too.
Pink (GMAS2100-4A)
I did a bit of an informal poll on my Instagram and was somewhat surprised that this blush pink version finished as tied for the second most popular, along with the black case.
But then again, it might be my favorite too. It’s feminine and fun, but not too bold or bright. The light blush color is muted in a way that every fashion brand, from Yeezy to Lululemon, seems to be executing in their color palettes right now. Don’t get me wrong: this isn’t me complaining, this is me extolling it. After all, I just bought a freaking taupe Tudor, so muted tones I clearly something I’m into.
Come to think of it, the color isn’t that far off from the color theme I’ve been using for this newsletter for the past year-plus…
The Rescapement G-Shock, I guess?
Rose (GMAS2100-4A2)
Okay, I was calling this one “salmon”, but Amazon’s product page is calling it “rose”, so we’ll go with that (G-Shock’s website helpfully calls it “bold pink”, and honestly they need to hire someone to better name and brand these colorways). Some of the bright pink accents on the dial make this watch an even bolder choice.
It’s a bolder, brighter pink than the previous blush pink, but honestly, the tone still transcends gender and I’d have no problem wearing this one. The previous, more subtle pink is the choice for me, but I totally get how a bolder, more confident person might go rose. More power to you.
White (GMAS2100-7A)
When I did that informal Instagram poll, white clearly won out as the most popular colorway. It’s easy to see why: white is undoubtedly a fashionable choice, and you can find photos of all kinds of fashionable people wearing white watches, specifically G-Shocks.
There’s perhaps nothing as badass as wearing a white G-Shock all summer long, so don’t be surprised if you see this one on wrists everywhere. The hour markers and hands also stood out to me on the white version when I slipped it on: a highly polished stainless steel that popped against the matte resin case.
As we’ve mentioned before, the only collectors that really know what they’re doing are G-Shock collectors. So now’s the time to get started collecting a G-Shock or four.
I limited myself to only one, but at $100 and relatively available, you don’t have to exhibit the same ill-advised self-control that I did.
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I hope you supported your local retailer where you tried it on instead of adding to Mr Bezos’s billions! Especially now what with covid we need to support local retailers even more, that’s where I will get mine from!