We previously mentioned this in our coverage of the skeleton green DW-6900JT and the silver DW-5600FF, and now there is official confirmation that these new models are equipped with new modules. The new DW-5600 module is 3525 and the new DW-6900 module is 3529.
These modules have the same functions as the previous modules (and share the same functions themselves), but they are now equipped with an LED backlight, also known as a Super Illuminator, instead of the old electro-luminescent (EL) backlight. The LED light is more power-efficient and has a white color instead of the blue green of the EL backlight. The new modules offer better battery life of approximately 5 years versus 2 years for the previous modules. According to Casio manuals, the EL backlight “loses its illuminating power after very long term use,” and I can verify that this is very much the case with some of my G-Shock watches with EL backlights from the 2000s. The instruction manuals for the new modules with the LED light have no such warning, but they do warn that “frequent use of illumination will run down the battery.”
According to an official image of the DW-5600FF (above), the light does not look like what you would expect, meaning that there is something very different about it and the LED lights on previous squares like the GMW-B5000 and 5000U Series. You’ll see that the DW-5600FF (below) has a positive (i.e. noninverted) LCD display, but in the image of the watch above with the LED light activated, the display takes on the appearance of an inverted LCD display, with a dark background and light digits with the digits being illuminated rather than the background. (I don’t recall ever seeing this reversing effect before.) We don’t yet have any images or videos of the LED light of the DW-6900JT (which has an inverted LCD display in its normal state), so we don’t know if that will appear like a positive LCD display with the LED light activated, or if it will stay inverted. We also don’t know if the lights on future models will have the same effect as the DW-5600FF. (We would also like to see more of the DW-5600FF to verify that this isn’t some kind of mistake.)
(Update: Thanks to some of our readers for confirming that this reversing effect has been done on some previous models. So it is probably specific to the DW-5600FF-8 and may not be implemented on all new DW-5600/DW-6900 models.)
While it is likely that future DW-5600 and DW-6900 models will use the new modules, it remains to be seen if standard existing models like the DW-5600E-1V and DW-6900-1V will be updated with them.
The DW-5600FF-8 and DW-6900JT-3 are the first models with the new modules and LED lights.
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What’s going on with the G-Shock 6900 series?
This cool reverse-LED effect was also on the Rag & Bone A1000 collab. It is a nice effect.
Cool, thanks for sharing!
I bet it’s a mistake. Physically, the way the LCD’s are assembled w/the polarizing filters and whatnot, I don’t think this is possible.
The LCD in the DW-5600FF example above behaves exactly like the LCD in my GW-9125D Anniversary Gulfman with “mirror” LCD. It has and EL panel, but I don’t think that’s a meaningful difference.
Under normal lighting, it appears positive. But hit the Light button and the digits glow.
Thanks for confirming that it’s been done before!
The Metallic Mirror Face series from 2018 have that backlight. Such as the DW-5600BBMA-1 and so on. It looks fantastic.
Thanks for sharing, I missed it on that series!
My pleasure. It would be fine if this type of LCD didn’t see more use. It’s really tricky to read and can go from readable to totally washed out with just a slight turn of the wrist. It’s also an LCD design that is very picky about the lighting situation in general and can swing from high to nearly zero contrast as the lighting sources, natural or artificial, move in relation to the watch. It’s beautiful but finicky.
Based on past models with it, I don’t think it will be used on every new DW-5600 model.
The reason for change is only price! Led backlight is much cheaper, Sadly Casio follow the Apple way, make product cheaper but will rise the price to maximize the profit.
They use same light system (as describe above) in cheap w-217h-1( normal screen but negative when led is on)
The reason for using bioplastic is also price, it’s cheaper but not durable as regular plastic
As a Casio fan and collector for more than 30 years, I recently decided to not purchase any new model, Casio somebody made a tw-7100, solar,200m, titanium, I have one, work without any problem more than 40 years and even battery not changed
But new Casio models have a tendency to be look like something pricy, but cheaper bill of materials and obviously not durable.
Super Sad!
Sorry that you are so disappointed. Do you have any evidence or sources for claiming that the bioplastic is not as durable?
Yes, bioplastic simply degrading by normal bacterias activities in the environment, their main use are for plastic bottles, bags and disposable items for a simple reason, if they entered the environment, simply dissolve in the water or soil
Plastic usage for watch making is among few applications that using bioplastic is not good, because you want to use your plastic watch for decades,
And after 6-7 years with complete normal usage, your plastic watch with bio bioplastic will destroy.
And what qualifications do you have to make these statements? Aren’t there different types of bioplastics with different levels of durability that aren’t designed to biodegrade quickly? I don’t think Casio would use it for G-Shock if it’s going to be destroyed in 6-7 years.
“Many people believe—incorrectly—that if something is derived from biomass then it must also be biodegradable. However, the use of “bio” feedstocks does not necessarily mean that the finished product, a plastic or otherwise, will be biodegradable. For example, a bioplastic called polylactic acid (PLA) is made with plant feedstocks and is considered biodegradable in a commercial composting facility. But PET bioplastic made with plant feedstocks is not biodegradable. In other words, the “bio” in bioplastics does not mean biodegradable.”
https://www.plasticsmakeitpossible.com/about-plastics/types-of-plastics/what-are-bioplastics/
The DW-5600MW uses an EL backlight and has the reverse screen effect just like the LED in this photo