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I like casio, I like the idea of a workmans watch, few complications, reasonable price, tough as nails. For most a phone covers their timekeeping needs, which i

by somat 4y ago

I like casio, I like the idea of a workmans watch, few complications, reasonable price, tough as nails. For most a phone covers their timekeeping needs, which is fair, but a watch is far more convent.(if you think about it the right way a phone is basically a pocket watch... now I want a smart phone in a pocket watch form factor) To that end I picked up a dw-5600 square g-shock a few years ago. I gave it a bit of thought and went with the battery model over the solar model(they are almost the same price) because as far as I can tell the solar model still has a battery in it but the battery is considered non replaceable, I would rather just replace the battery every seven years. I picked up an adapter for a one piece nylon strap(sometimes called a nato or zulu strap, there might be a difference but I can't tell what it is) mainly because I like the nylon straps more than the resin ones. So far it has been a good serviceable watch, I shall now do it a disservice and enumerate what I don't like about it. 1. the buttons are too small, especially "adjust" which on this model is inset further. 2. the strap lugs are very small(16 mm), this necessitate some sort of adapter if you want a solid nylon strap(usually 24 mm).

handedness 4y ago
The solar cells are definitely replaceable. Panasonic, among others, manufactures them, and any Casio-authorized dealer should be able to source OEM-grade solar cells for you. It is by all appearances a standard coin-style battery, but rechargeable. My experience is that cost of ownership of solar models is much lower versus battery models, with less hassle (esp. if atomic syncing is an option). I just had the solar cell in an 18-year-old 5600 replaced. Not because it urgently needed it, but because it was clear the endurance without charging was declining a bit, and I was at the shop, anyway. (And I was pushing it on the seals.) An OEM spec cell is ~$15-25 with retail markup, but my guy charged me about that for the swap, including new seals and a pressure test. OEM resins are still available for that model, too. I'm still running the original resin, but on other watches when replacing it I always bank a spare for the next swap. Not that the battery models are bad, and they are definitely more field-serviceable given the comparative difficulty of finding suitable solar cells in more remote parts of the world. There's really no bad G-Shock, just what works better for one's preferences and requirements.
derbOac 4y ago
FWIW, I have a solar G-shock and just had the battery replaced. It was fairly straightforward, like any other battery replacement (although you might want to take it to a jeweler or watch repairer to do it).

by somat 4y ago

handedness 4y ago

The solar cells are definitely replaceable. Panasonic, among others, manufactures them, and any Casio-authorized dealer should be able to source OEM-grade solar cells for you. It is by all appearances a standard coin-style battery, but rechargeable. My experience is that cost of ownership of solar models is much lower versus battery models, with less hassle (esp. if atomic syncing is an option). I just had the solar cell in an 18-year-old 5600 replaced. Not because it urgently needed it, but because it was clear the endurance without charging was declining a bit, and I was at the shop, anyway. (And I was pushing it on the seals.) An OEM spec cell is ~$15-25 with retail markup, but my guy charged me about that for the swap, including new seals and a pressure test. OEM resins are still available for that model, too. I'm still running the original resin, but on other watches when replacing it I always bank a spare for the next swap. Not that the battery models are bad, and they are definitely more field-serviceable given the comparative difficulty of finding suitable solar cells in more remote parts of the world. There's really no bad G-Shock, just what works better for one's preferences and requirements.

derbOac 4y ago

FWIW, I have a solar G-shock and just had the battery replaced. It was fairly straightforward, like any other battery replacement (although you might want to take it to a jeweler or watch repairer to do it).