Casio officially announced the G-Shock Mudmaster GWG-B1000 series to be released in October 2023. This is the first G-Shock with the combination of Tough Solar power, the Triple Sensor (altimeter-barometer, compass, thermometer), and Bluetooth smartphone link. It also has Multi-Band 6 automatic radio time correction for regions that are within range of the transmitters. The GWG-B1000 has a new display layout not seen before on a G-Shock or Pro Trek, with a subdial on the left to indicate the altitude or barometric pressure difference (which was previously indicated by the second hand and dial or bezel markers) and another subdial on the right to indicate the bearing to a destination saved in Bearing Memory or Location Memory. In timekeeping mode, the left subdial serves as a battery level indicator. Another upgrade from the GWG-1000/2000 is the addition of sunrise and sunset time data, which the non-solar Mudmaster GG-B100 also has.
The GWG-B1000 series will launch with three models: GWG-B1000-1A (black), GWG-B1000-1A4 (red), and GWG-B1000-3A (green). Each model has an inverted LCD display.
The GWG-B1000 is more than just a GWG-1000 with Bluetooth added, as it takes design cues from the GWG-1000 and GWG-2000 and evolves into its own style. The larger side guards give the watch a fuller look with a slightly more streamlined feel, and the electronic crown appears to be more protected. At 58.7 x 52.1 x 16.2 millimeters, the GWG-B1000 is slightly smaller in width and length than the GWG-2000 but 0.1 millimeter thicker and 8 grams heavier at 114 grams. It has a Carbon Core Guard case made of carbon fiber-reinforced resin and uses bio-based resin for the case, bezel parts, and band. The bezel ring is stainless steel, as well as the upper and lower bezel guards (which includes the front button guard). These metal bezel guards have a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating for enhanced wear resistance. The side bezel guards are made of carbon fiber-reinforced resin. As with other Mudmaster models, the cylindrical button shafts are made of stainless steel and protected by gaskets that are resistant to mud and dust. Alpha Gel (αGEL) is used on the sides and underside of the module for vibration resistance. (Unlike the GWG-2000 but like the GWG-1000, Casio lists “Vibration resistant” in the specifications.) According to the case back images of the three launch models, they are made in Japan.
A Bluetooth connection with the Casio Watches smartphone app provides the usual Bluetooth functions such as automatic and one-touch time correction, auto summer time (DST) switching with around 300 world time cities, phone finder, alarm and timer settings, hand alignment correction, and time and place log. Advanced Bluetooth functions include the Mission Log to record route waypoints and their altitudes, Location Indicator to show the bearing and distance to a location registered on the watch, along with auto altitude calibration and settings for the altimeter, barometer, and compass. (The GG-B100 has the same Bluetooth functions, but the GWG-B1000 has a new type of location indicator as described below.)
The Bearing Memory records the current bearing, and the bearing indicator points to the recorded bearing angle, while the second hand points north.
For the Location Indicator, the watch can save the user’s current position in the Location Memory and the bearing indicator points to the location, while the second hand points north, and the LCD display shows the distance to the location. (Only one location can be stored in memory at a time.) Unlike the GG-B100, the Location Memory is not limited to be set to a current position (for backtracking only) and can be set to any location by using a map on the smartphone app. The manual specifically states, “You can use the CASIO WATCHES phone app to change the information recorded in Location Memory to something else.” Official promotional videos also confirm that the location memory can be edited with the smartphone app.
The “mode sort sequence and number of modes setting” allows the mode order to be customized with the option of deleting modes. The modes that can be rearranged or deleted include: barometer mode, thermometer mode, altitude record recall mode, sunrise/sunset mode, stopwatch mode, timer mode, alarm mode, world time mode.
With Tough Solar, the watch is fully operational through solar power alone, and it will need to be placed in bright sunlight periodically, especially if the sensor functions are used regularly. According to the instruction manual, the charging requirements for a day of operation are the same as the GWG-1000/2000. The watch uses a solar-rechargeable battery that stores power, and the actual charging requirements will depend on the environment and usage.
Like the GWG-1000/2000, the altimeter has a 30-record manual memory and also auto records data for one record of high altitude, low altitude, cumulative ascent, and cumulative descent. The stopwatch and timer functions remain unchanged, with a 1/100-second 24-hour stopwatch (with elapsed time, split times, and 1st and 2nd place times) and a 60-minute timer settable in minutes. The (watch-based) world time function is upgraded with 38 times zones and 55 cities plus UTC. There are 5 daily alarms but no snooze alarm. The band keeper is stainless steel, unlike the GWG-2000 which has a resin keeper. You can expect the rest of the features to be the same as the GWG-1000/2000, such as a sapphire crystal display and a full auto double LED light that illuminates the dial and LCD display. Like all current G-Shock watches, the GWG-B1000 is shock-resistant and water-resistant to 200 meters. For full specifications, comparisons with GWG-1000/2000, and the official instruction manual, see GWG-B1000 in our Specs Catalog.
In Japan, the GWG-B1000 series will launch on October 13, 2023, with a tax-included price of 121,000 yen. The U.S. price is expected to be $800.
Our Take: We feel that the GWG-B1000 is worth it for the exterior updates alone, and the new features like Bluetooth and the new version of the Location Indicator are a nice bonus over the GWG-2000 and the GG-B100. The evolved style and combination of the three major materials of metal, resin, and carbon are a high point for G-Shock this year, and the Bluetooth connection and smartphone app offer more features over some of the other Triple Sensor series, including Pro Trek. Perhaps the main negative is the lack of a step counter, but the Mudmaster has always been designed more for exploring and trekking than fitness. What we especially like is that Casio is pricing it the same as the GWG-2000, which will please people who prefer to spend their money on technological features over expensive materials. Those who would prefer a battery-powered watch with a Triple Sensor plus a step counter at around half the price should consider the https://www.g-central.com/specs/g-shock-gg-b100/”>GG-B100. Those who want a self-contained watch without Bluetooth may prefer the GWG-2000. Those with very large wrists who don’t need the Bluetooth features may want to go with the original Mudmaster, the GWG-1000.
Update: G-Shock U.S. now has the GWGB1000-1A, GWGB1000-1A4, and GWGB1000-3A available for pre-ordering for $800 each at gshock.casio.com/us, with an estimated ship date of October 13.
G-Shock Mudmaster GWG-B1000-1A
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G-Shock Mudmaster GWG-B1000-1A4
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G-Shock Mudmaster GWG-B1000-3A
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