Casio G-Shock GT-000 8/10. Date Posted 16/09/2002.

I have always been a big fan of Casio's G-Shock range. Some people may complain that they are bulky and ugly. I would disagree! The build quality on this watch is second to none at this price. Unlike other Casio watches this is made in Japan. It feels very durable and strong. The plastic screen seems unscratchable and can take quite a lot of pressure. It is not the cheapest of Casio's range, coming in at between 40 and 100 pounds, depending on which side of the Atlantic you buy it from. My American watch is branded with "G-Shock", whilst European ones are emblazened with "G-Cool". The date is also in the American style, but given that I saved I considerable amount of money over the European model, I cannot really complain!

I have not been able to verify Casio's claim that it can work at a depth of up to 200m underwater. However, the sheer strength of the case tends to imply that should be able to withstand that sort of pressure. The strap is made of cloth and plastic. It is far stronger than most plastic only straps I have come across. Even after a year, there are no signs whatsoever of any places where the strap has weakened.

One slightly irritating point are the buttons on this watch, which are awkwardly placed if you have big fingers. Apart from that it is relatively simple to use. You have digital clock, stopwatch, one alarm, vital, schedule and telephone modes available to use. It takes a while to type in stuff, but it can be useful to have telephone numbers on hand wherever you go, even if you carry around a mobile phone. I gave up on the schedule mode, because it simple takes too long to change every week (unlike with the telephone numbers, which you would only need to type in once). These minor points cost the GT-000 a 10/10 rating. The combined memory lets you store upto 100 phone number/vital/scheduled appointments. One nice feature is a small blue light, which illuminates the screen well in any sort of light. Casio do say using it often decreases the battery life, but I have yet to change the battery since I bought it. I tend to use the light, at least 3 times a day.

In short this is a fantastic watch. Yes, the style might not be for everyone, but if you want a watch that you can rely on for years this is the one to go for.