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Forget about that new destro Rolex GMT Master II or the MoonSwatch, G-Shock is here to take the summer by storm with a little something of its own. Ever since its 2019 release, the GA-2100 (AKA the CasiOak) has proved an absolute sensation by providing a rough and ready spin on the octagonal-bezeled Audemars Piguet Royal Oak that’s so beloved by every major league celeb of note from Drake to Leo Messi.
If you don’t find yourself laughed out of an AD when trying to buy your own model, you might find the £21,400 for that watch's iconic self-winding edition a little hard to come by. So when G-Shock spun up its own more festival-ready take on the concept it immediately became an affordable grail for even the most discerning watch snobs – just like the Seiko 5 Sports (£209) and Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical (£395) before it. Now the very same, exquisitely chunky timepiece has been launched in a range of vibey new colours with Bluetooth connectivity and solar-powered capabilities to boot.
What does that all mean? Well, this CasiOak can be powered by any kind of light (natural or artificial) meaning you won't need to regularly replace its battery, while its Bluetooth capabilities are there to ensure accurate timing keeping and the chance to buzz your phone if it has gone missing – even if it was previously set to silent. There's also a refined Carbon Core Guard that helps to make this the slimmest ever G-Shock.
As much as that's all very fine and well, the real reason you should be jumping on the CasiOak bandwagon this sun-basking season is because of those new colours. Our absolute favourite is that luminescent yellow model pops, which pops harder than a glacier cherry on an ice-cream sundae. If you want something with just a little more decorum – well, for a G-Shock at least – we've also got a lot of love for the more earthy ethos of the navy blue and khaki green variations. They're joined by a plain black model and another black GA-B2100 with a coloured dial.
Of course, for the truly indecisive, our guide to the best cheap watches has you covered with countless more affordable timepieces with legit grail appeal. ‘Cos you deserve a watch that’ll see you right everywhere from the beach to the alfresco bar.
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