With its new PRO TREK PRG-600 “outdoor” world-timer, Casio delivers a stylish, surprisingly tastefully designed product. Primarily targeting people who lead an active lifestyle and do need a time-measuring device that would do a good job during a hiking expedition, it will also look great with a pair of blue jeans and a t-shirt in a safe co-working environment. Although inevitably having limitations of its own, the PRG-600-1ER gives you a great combination of good build quality, reasonable price, and an almost overwhelming list of functions that would make an owner of a Swiss-made analog/digital timekeeper drool. The only thing that spoils the fun is the “cased in Thailand” inscription on its machine-brushed back.
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Seiko PROSPEX Radio Sync Solar World Time Chronograph (refs. SSG001/SSG003/SSG005)
Featuring design cues similar to other “aviators” released by Seiko during the last five or six years (those including not only relatively expensive members of their higher-range Prospex family like this ref. SSC279, but also a lot more affordable ones like their older SND253P1,) the 2016 PROSPEX Radio Sync Solar World Time Chronograph is available in three different finishes. The new chronograph was probably introduced to cover the niche of XXL-sized timekeepers designed with the price-conscious public in mind. While a lot of prospective customers will only wince looking at this 48 mm monster, I am sure that the model will be successful in the long run. I mean, look at this watch! This watch is amazing!
Casio G-Shock GravityMaster GPW 1000
The 2014 Casio G-Shock GravityMaster GPW 1000 delivers inside its defiantly oversized body an extremely small GPS receiver, a state of the art solar-powered quartz movement, as well as their signature Multi-Band 6 technology that allows the device to automatically receive standard time-calibration signal from atomic clocks. What else would you probably ask from this little monster? Make you breakfast?
Seiko Prospex Solar Pilot Quartz Chronograph (Ref. SSC279)
Although not as technologically advanced as the stunning Astron GPS Stratosphere, the 2014 Seiko Prospex Solar Quartz Chronograph (Ref. SSC279) is also about five times less expensive. Offered at MSRP of just $450 (and you can find one on eBay at less than USD $350), it looks cool for a daily beater, and its built-in solar charger makes the gadget a must-have for a person that spends more time outdoors than inside an air-conditioned office. Just don’t forget to swap the brown leather strap for something more practical, like a solid steel bracelet or a hypoallergenic silicon band.
Seiko Astron GPS Stratosphere (Ref. SAS033)
Seiko has officially presented its Seiko Astron Stratosphere GPS-enabled watch. Although currently there is nothing more than a presentation page on their corporate site, it is already clear that the new version looks a lot more impressive than the high-tech Astron GPS Solar World Timer in black titanium that the Japanese brand started selling in October 2012. Just look at this huge, domed sapphire crystal that covers not only the dial itself but also the bezel with its luminous UTC city codes. Isn’t it amazing?
Casio G-Shock Metal-Twisted (MTG-S1000D-1AJF)
Offered in plain and black ion-plated stainless steel, the new Casio G-Shock Metal-Twisted (MTG-S1000D-1AJF) not only offers their pretty solid Triple G Resist shock protection technology and lots of useful functions, but also packs them in an impressively designed, massive body that makes your normal “sporty” chronograph look like a real pussy near this rugged giant.
Casio G-Shock Rangeman GW-9400
Although Casio’s positioning of the new G-Shock Rangeman GW-9400 as a “survival” tool is a little bit too far-fetched, the gadget still deserves a certain degree of attention. Sporting a long list of useful functions that millions of fans are already familiar with, the Rangeman also sports their famous Triple Sensor system that makes it especially useful for hikers, forest tourists and, perhaps, even soldiers and other professionals who need a reliable and durable tactical watch.
Seiko Prospex Solar Diver (Ref. SBDJ007)
Equipped with Seiko’s own solar-powered Caliber V157 movement that harnesses solar energy in order to constantly recharge its onboard battery, the updated Seiko Prospex Solar Diver (Ref. SBDJ007) will run out of juice long after your kids get tired with it and sell it on Craigslist.
Citizen Eco-Drive Military Sub-Seconds (Ref. BV1085-22H)
The 2013 Citizen Eco-Drive Military Sub-Seconds (Ref. BV1085-22H) updates the military-themed solar-powered family with a new, pilot-style dial. Although not looking terribly original, the new version is designed to win thousands of customers that look for a gadget that combines a slightly modernized look of a classic pilot’s watch with a high-tech Eco-Drive movement.
Citizen Promaster Sea Eco-Drive Diver (Ref. BN0100-51E)
A little bit too late for the diving season here, in the Northern hemisphere, the Japanese brand has presented their new Citizen Promaster Sea Eco-Drive (Ref. BN0100-51E) diving watch. Powered by their trademark Eco-Drive caliber (a quartz movement that recharges itself using solar radiation and -theoretically- doesn’t need its battery changed during the whole lifetime of the mechanism), the watch is offered in a surprisingly discreet body and is rated for whole 200 meters of water resistance: more than enough for an average skindiver.
Citizen Scuba Fin Eco Drive 200M Solar-Powered Diver
Summer is still far from over and Citizen has a nice model to offer the constantly growing crowd of budget-conscious amateur divers. Their new Citizen Scuba Fin Eco Drive diving tool comes equipped with the “green” solar-powered quartz movement that runs for almost whole six months after being fully charged and its built-in battery never needs to be replaced. Claimed to work for as long as 20 years without losing its properties, the battery has a good chance of outliving the watch itself.
Casio G-SHOCK GW-A1000-1ADF Smart Access
The solar-powered 2012 Casio G-SHOCK GW-A1000-1ADF features the same Smart Access technology that we have recently seen on an all-analog ProTrek PRX-7000T “aviator”. Using a revolutionary five-motor drive and an electronic crown switch, the system makes operating the gadget’s numerous functions as easy as it can possibly get without using a touch-based interface. And with its radio-controlled Multiband 6 system, this is also one of the most precise time measuring devices that money can potentially buy.
Seiko Solar Pilot Alarm Chronograph
Seiko has recently introduced yet another member of its line of accurate and not particularly expensive “aviators.” The 2011 Solar Pilot Alarm Chronograph (ref. SSC009) offers a loud alarm, a bidirectionally rotating Breitling-style slide-rule bezel, as well as a 60-minute chronograph accurate up to 1/5th of a second.
Citizen Eco-Drive Signature Perpetual Calendar Diving Watch
The recently introduced Citizen Eco-Drive Signature Perpetual Calendar (ref. BL1258-53L) has immediately sparked controversy among enthusiasts and bloggers alike. The reason for the universal brouhaha was the decoration of the unidirectional rotating bezel that looked like it was blatantly ripped-off the 2009 TAG Heuer Aquaracer 500M Calibre 5 diver that went on sale two years prior the introduction of this model.
Citizen Eco-Drive Satellite Wave limited edition
If you think that Atomic Timekeeping is cool, think again! Keeping your watch up to date with half a dozen of old-school broadcasting stations is as XXth-century as a gasoline-powered Corvette compared to Tesla Roadster. Fighting the inherent flaws of quartz mechanisms, which, like their older fully mechanical ancestors, can still be heavily affected by such external factors as temperature and sometimes even humidity, Citizen is going to start selling its beautiful limited edition Eco-Drive Satellite Wave (ref. CC0005-06E) that captures the day, date and time signals directly from GPS navigation satellites!