12/08/2009

Review of Casio Men's G-Shock Classic Solar Powered Digital Sports Watch #G2310-1V

This watch is a great little watch -

Time set from front panel only - no ability to set from WWV.

I have not had to reset it in the months I have owned it. It is yet to be a full second off - so far the watch has not slipped as far in time as my watch setting error.

12 hour or 24 hour time.

Default state - displays year, month, day, day of week, and status of rechargable battery.

World time state - displays the time in one of 31 time zones, including GMT. Each zone can be controlled for DST.

Data - holds a short alphameric pointer and a bt of data that uses the year, month, day, hour, minute, second - I use it for Ham call signs. Holds 30 items. Suitable for phone numbers, for example.

Alarm screen - the watch will remember five different alarms by day, month year, hour, minute, sec. It will alarm the same time and day every year or the same day every month or the same time every day - or just once, at a particular year, month, day, hour, minute, and second. There is a sixth screen where you set the hourly chime on or off.

Stopwatch screen: The stopwatch does splits and final time. It also does a "countdown" where it beeps three times and then a "go beep", optionally, if you are timing someone in something and they want an honest and accurate start.

Timer screen: The timer will do countdowns - either a single time or it will automatically repeat.

The face is a solar cell. It automatically recharges the battery. The watch can be put to sleep by holding adjust and mode - you won't get alarms or beeps in that mode, nor will you get a display - but the watch will keep time for much longer.

The backlight really works - in the old days, backlights on LCDs were miserable and then some of the watchmakers used tritium radioactive elements that were nicely lit but which you can't get anymore. Then there were some attempts at better pushbutton backlights - this is about the best I've seen. It is clear and you really can see the watch using it.

It works in one of two modes. One mode is that the watch backlight only engages when you push the button on the face - that's right, the easy to reach silver button on the front center of the watch lights it up.

The other way is to use the automatic feature - If you wear your watch on the outside of your left wrist, then IF it is not too bright and as you look at the watch the way most people do, by tilting your wrist toward you, the watch automatically lights up. This is essentially automatic - you look at your watch and it is lit up. This function is selectable - You might want to make it manual to save battery. I find it is too convenient to do without.

Despite the wonderful pressure ratings, unless you are very small, this watch is not suitable as a dive watch. The band won;t fit over a wet or dry suit. If you are doing warm water wimp diving in a skin or a shortie, you can use it - if you need to put it over a wet suit or a dry suit, the band is simply way too short. I know of no source for a band extender. Neither do the people at Casio. For short duration use, a wire tie or two will probably work.

What 20 bar rating means to me is that I could take it diving. Or, I could get it wet and not worry, even if the water is coming out of a hose with some force. The band means that I can't wear it where I need it - on the outside of my wetsuit or drysuit.




Click Here to see more reviews about: Casio Men's G-Shock Classic Solar Powered Digital Sports Watch #G2310-1V

No comments:

Post a Comment