‘Fashion-forward’ G-Shock GM-700 now available
By Kap Maceda Aguila
COVID-19 was a shock (pun unintended) to the system that disrupted the way we live — in addition to the grief and horror in its wake. As we hunkered down at home while the pandemic raged on, our lives were upended thoroughly — and we made adjustments to keep both sanity and health intact.
Among the curious developments when we sheltered in place was how our buying habits evolved — obviously transitioning to online means versus brick-and-mortar establishments — along with our choice of purchases. For instance, the luxury market saw an uptick. People who suddenly couldn’t travel or partake in outdoor adventures resorted to buying, say, premium cars and/or collecting watches across price points.
The iconic G-Shock line of Casio was one of the brands which benefited in the increased spending diverted to watches. “We saw the rise in sales of G-Shock, along with other brands. We saw that our products resonated very well among teens,” said G-Shock Sales and Service Director Bryan Lim in response to a question from “Velocity.”
But G-Shock, he clarified, has stayed true to its values, and is aware of a multi-generational allure. “Even parents are into G-Shocks because of their durability. Everyone knows G-Shock.”
Now, what we plan to do is to have a lot of choices for these generations. When we release a new model, we offer options.”
That is certainly the case in the just-launched G-Steel GM-700 — the line’s newest addition to local selections. Bearing the classic large case design, the new G-Shock comes in three colorways: silver (P15,530), gold (P17,750), and purple/black (P17,750).
The timepiece capitalizes on the toughness of G-Shock and bestows it with “fashion-forward” appeal and practical features. Starting with shock-proof construction and water resistance for up to 200 meters, the GM-700 boasts a world time feature across 31 time zones (48 cities plus coordinated universal time), and up to five daily alarms (with one snooze alarm), and an hourly time signal. The watch gets a “shift feature” that, when engaged, moves the analog hands out of the way for a better view of the digital display.
“Every year, we will release iconic models with new looks through collaborations, (but) we’ll still be loyal to the look,” joined G-Shock Marketing Head Anj Cayabyab.
The GM-700, as with other watches in the G-Shock G-Steel line, is said to “embody the brand’s commitment to innovation, toughness, and superior design.” It’s now available at all authorized G-Shock stores nationwide, official e-commerce platforms, and https://www.casio.com/ph/. Exodus Time Industries, Inc. is the official distributor of Casio watches here.
