my CASIO weighs a ton
2021.05.23 (updated : 2021.05.22)
a review of the Casio MT-G B-2000
My dear brother bought me this watch for my fiftieth birthday. It was an unexpected generosity, a far more expensive wristwatch than I'd ever have bought for myself despite my long interest in watches. It's the size and shape of a good-sized dive watch but of course is nothing like the me-too crowd of endlessly-copied divers. It's a distinctive sports watch that stakes out its own territory that wouldn't be out of place in a William Gibson novel. I've been wearing it daily for three months now and I've learned some things I thought I'd share.

This is the latest in a line of "Metal-Twisted G-Shock" models going back to 2008, in which the roots of today's designs were clearly present. The basic idea was to have a metal shroud around a tough core design. The clear stamp of Casio's design sensibilities has been present since the first model - the MTG-1000. With time the series has become more refined and some variants have commanded prices into the thousands of dollars - well outside the usual range of Casio's products.
wearability
Watches are jewelry, even watches that can withstand being run over by a car. And with a big piece of jewelry wearability matters. The watch is large but despite the title of this review, not really heavy. It's just north of 150 grams according to Casio - about the same as a typical 40mm dive watch. But who needs yet another dive watch! I'm very pleased that Casio are taking their computer expertise - they do call themselves Casio Computer Co after all - and unlike the rest of the Japanese watch industry, innovating. I've found it very well balanced and that the carbon/resin body keeps it in place rather well despite my wearing it a bit loose. I have quite a pronounced wrist-bone, so I leave my watches loose enough that they can slide fore or back across that protruding lump of bone. I've noticed with this watch that it does so quite smoothly; there's no feeling of top-heaviness even when the piece is moving on the wrist. I rather like the bulk of the thing as a matter of fact, though my prior daily for seven years was a dramatically smaller Seiko SARB033, and I am currently assembling a 50's style 36mm Rolex Datejust knock-off.
design
Design also matters when it comes to timepieces. This watch presents an octagonal design, which has been all the rage these past few years. I love the look. The single-piece carbon core of the case is the most outstanding design element, capped with a very nice sapphire crystal and a deep dial.
I took some macro shots by hand-holding a lens in reverse at the front of my camera. It's an imprecise method but here goes.


I'll get to the dial in a moment, but think the overall shape and size are worth a mention. I think the design process probably went something like this:
- They wanted to expand their G-Shock line by introducing a metal-body unit that would retain the insane toughness of the rest of the line as well as the depth of the dial and the complications.
- Starting with a single-piece block of resin that's reinforced with carbon-fiber as the case, they built a metal shroud for the case and arrived at an overall size and weight.
- Obviously this had to be matched with a sturdy bracelet, and in fact the bracelet we get with this watch is both fairly wide and fairly thick.
- But understanding that the body was resin/carbon-fiber and the bracelet would typically be metal, there would be quite a difference between the sensation of the case on the wrist versus the metal bracelet. Also, the bracelet might wind up lighter than the case to a degree that it could make the watch top-heavy. So they hollowed out the links of the bracelet and inserted carbon pieces as a liner. This feature really changes the feel of the watch - you don't have the sensation of a thick metal on your wrist.
In the end, Casio has done a great deal to keep the weight down despite the size of the watch, the depth of the dial, and the amount of metal used in the construction.

the dial
The dial has a lovely layout and I like the detail with some reservations. I've also encountered an unexpected learning curve with all that complexity after a lifetime of conservative mechanical or quartz designs or two-tone digital interfaces, which I'll get to in a moment.

I didn't notice the dark shadow across the dial while taking this image; that's not a feature of the watch. But I like this pic for a couple of the things that it highlights, good and bad:
- The color scheme of the entire watch, which is excellent. I have owned a few Casios and looked at countless more and this is this company's design team exceeding their usual tech nerd impulses.
- The brilliant transition from the octagonal outer case design to the round dial.
- The effort Casio put into making the sapphire dial as free from glare as possible - this photo was taken with a single source of modest light - an overcast sky.
- The sweeping depth of the dial, which is engaging but maybe a bit overdone.
- The raised edges around the larger two complications, which frankly add some clutter.
- The interesting prominence of G-SHOCK and MT-G compared to "CASIO", which is barely visible. Casio's clearly aware that those trains full of commuters are sold on the G-SHOCK brand.
- The hour indices are nicely done, just the right length and situated to draw the eye into the dial in a way that makes you want to keep looking at the dial.
- That unnecessarily bright mode indicator. There's actually a secondary mode indicator tucked away under the butts of the minute and hour indicator; it's reasonable in it subdued colors. I'm not sure that the bright, textured ST/TR/AL indicator has to compete with the indices.
And then there are those hands: they are perfect. They're bright against a more subdued background, and they've got an interesting shape. The proportions between the hour hand and minute hand are exactly right - this feels like the golden ratio, I'll have to measure. The minute hand isn't scraping the edge of the dial the way so many watches have these days. The design of these hands is reflected in all the other hands on the dial (and there are eight in total!). You'll note some slightly rough edges to the hands in the macro shots; these are not noticeable in normal use.


The dial has four complications. I think complications are necessary because without it the dial would consist of a sea of solar sensitive surface about the size of a dollar coin.

There's a date window at about 04:30 that is quite recessed. I find it legible enough but didn't notice it at first unboxing the watch. Immediately adjacent to this, spanning from 01:00 to 04:30 is a multi-function dial with the day of the week plus the mode indicator. As the image below shows, this dial has a red arrow-style hand that usually points to the day of the week. Spanning from about 07:00 to 09:00, there's a second dial complication with the "world time" in hours and minutes only. When you're in alarm-setting mode, this dial shows the alarm. There's a third, smaller dial complication between 10:00 and 11:00 that shows the current time through an hour hand only, but on 24-hour time. I get that this final complication completes the balance between the larger two sub-dials but I don't find it useful. And finally there is a tiny fourth complication on the rim of the world-time/alarm complication - an unnecessary AM/PM marker.



The learning curve for me was legibility in low light. I've made mistakes reading the time on this watch because in low light, and I think I've identified some design elements that are at cause:
- The indices tend to be of different brightness depending on the viewing angle.
- The double-domed sapphire crystal has a tendency to make the indices appear longer than they are. It also can swallow the minute hand altogether, leaving the second hand floating near the crystal on its own.
On one occasion I was walking through the house when the only light was dawn overcast light coming in through the room via a double glass door at the far end. It looked clearly that the time was 05:30 when it fact it was about 05:22. I'd read the six o'clock index as the minute hand! I've also mistaken the second hand for the minute hand on one occasion when glancing at the watch at a very low angle. Perhaps I can put all of this down to my not knowing "double-domed" crystals and leave it at that.
But: some of Casio's other designs of late have shown that this octagonal design phase have definitely put legibility second. You'll see comments in watch forums and on Youtube about people not being able to read the time at all on the hugely successful "CasiOak" watch that likely inspired Casio to try this design in the first place.


Neither of these is legible. Also, the digital element disrupts the design with its angles - why couldn't the digital window be round like the dial and the other complication? Or maybe somehow reflect the octagon that defines the case? In any event, Casio avoided these problems on the MT-G B-2000.
As a final thought I'll add that I don't think this watch needs a second hand. I get that there's a chronograph but the minute hand would suffice for that. It's not like this beast doesn't have the power to drive the minute hand at that speed - there are independent motors for each hand. Casio appears to do this with the AQ190WD-1AV, for instance. I would like to have a touch less depth to the dial and losing the second hand would be a step in that direction.
the bracelet
Here's an image of the inserts on the integrated bracelet.

Integrated bracelets are another recent fad that I think Casio has executed well, here. The integrated bracelet is, I think, the only option for a case of this size and Casio's innovative two-material design makes it work. The bracelet is attractive, with bezels and a great deal of tapering away from the case. This compliments the size of the case very well.


The bracelet is held to the case with a double-spring-bar that looks very strong but God help you when you have to put the bracelet back on. I found it quite a chore when removing the links and won't do that again.
I like the sound of the bracelet when worn just a bit loose. Rather than jangly it sounds a bit musical in my opinion. Perhaps it's the hollow links resonate.
features
I use the alarm daily. It's a classic Casio chirp that lasts about ten seconds. The light is strong and comes from a spot under/behind the chapter ring between the 05:00 and 06:00 positions on the dial. This side illumination lasts about three seconds and picks out the hands without the catching the complications. I like this. I wouldn't know what to do with the chronograph feature.

There's an app for this range of watches. It lets you do things like check the watch's status (things like battery health and time), set the alarm, and set a name for the watch in case it turns up somewhere and someone thinks to pair it with an app. I used my email address as the name of the watch. I suppose it must also have a facility to update the firmware. I used it to set the time and then let the radio reset keep it that way. After three months it's accurate to the second against a website I check from time to time.
The app means I haven't learned how to use the crown to set the time. Casio's deployed an innovative system here where the crown is used to tweak the position of the hands in steps rather than simply driving the hands around the dial like most crowns. I worked it out once, promptly forgot it, and now ignore it.
solar
I really like solar tech, I think it's a fantastic idea and that everything should have solar panels wherever possible - car roofs, house roofs, empty exterior walls of buildings, empty lots in urban environments, you name it. I've had no issues with the battery remaining powered despite remaining solidly indoors during the endless pandemic here in Japan where the government seemingly is more concerned with the Olympics than with fighting the disease. That's more than I can say for my wife's much smaller Casio MS-G S500, which is currently sitting by a window for a recharge after the battery died in five months of similar indoor lifestyle.
conclusion
This watch has a coherent, all-analog interface that avoids the jarring design notes of some watches from Casio. The solar panels that make up the dial are nicely textured and completely integrated. The bracelet holds the whole thing together (see what I did there?).
Here in Tokyo, Casio wins the count on any commuter train in a landslide. Large and small, there are more Casios (on mens wrists anyway) than everything else put together. Very few of these have the presence of this big metal watch with its contrast and screws and bezels. This is a watch that will get noticed! I could see it being something a certain type would wear to the office to dunk on their colleagues with less many hardware. I am very pleased at this clever alternative to my much more retro mechanical and quartz watches.
I don't know why there aren't any real reviews of this watch on Youtube, it's a marvel and it deserves more attention.
related reviews
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my fishing watch – the Casio MDV-106
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I bought a beater Casio that turned out to be a fine watch – with a few warts.
review - Alba solar watch
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Can a beater both be perfect and a disaster at once? Alba argues yes.
Thanks for the tip!
very entertaining
I enjoyed reading your comments and getting to know you! Linked to your site via caffeine addiction!
Good, good. That's certainly a response that's closer to the spirit in which I wrote the thing than was the call I had from the CBC about this page. The fellow I spoke with had an aggrieved tone as if I weren't taking 'what happened to me' WRT caffiene addiction seriously.
Caffeine Addiction!!!
Hi Michael,
I just read your article on Caffeine Addiction. I know what you're going through! Since 1989 I've been addicted to soft drinks. Especially Coke or Pepsi. I'm also addicted to chocolate! I remember when I first starting drinking soda. It was when my Mom and I moved out of my Dad's house. I was a senior in high school and I almost died that year from other health related isssues. When I was growing up; we were only allowed to have Soda at the holidays. Usually Christmas eve when we would have a big party.
Anway, in our new place my Mom started buying Soda on a regular basis. I remember that first week of her doing so. (Previously I was addicted to tea) I couldn't find a bottle opener (when we still had glass bottles) so I was trying to open it with a fork! I scraped my knuckles on the cap. I was shaking and nervous and wanted that dang soda!!! I guess it didn't take me long to be addicted to it. Now I have to have 3 servings a day plus chocolate.
I'm not even supposed to have caffeine because of my medicine.
I attempted to quite several times, but of course I had the usual headache. Then I would give up and grab another Soda. Soda is getting so expensive now. One six pack of 24oz bottles is more than six dollars a pack! A 2LTR is like 1:49 and cans 3.00 dollars. I know you're canadian so that doesn't mean anything to you :)
Canadians are great as far as I'm concerned. One of my best friends is from Ontario and my ancestors came from Quebec. I'm going to pray tonight for all those who are addicted to caffeine!!! Take care!
Hi, Andrea. I just got the message you left on my site. Thanks for your comments. Your struggle sounds like trouble.... I wish you well.
I'm in the midst of my second attempt at going without coffee. It's been six weeks, and I'm down to about 3-6 cups a week (I think I'm stuck).
And non-Canadians are great as far as I'm concerned! All of my ancestors were non-Canadians at some point.
mrs.
ha! Had such a good laugh - certainly enjoyed the smiles.
I have not had caffeinated coffee or soda for 8 days now. Prior to that I guzzled a pot of coffee and maybe 4 diet sodas a day. I'd become rather vain about how easily I had quit when I happened to look at the label on the Excedrin bottle (I've been taking quite a few this past week - smile)and noticed there were 65 mg. of caffeine per tablet. Hmmmm.... so much for having kicked the habit...
Thanks for posting such a funny biography snippet!
Glad you liked it, Michelle. My first attempt to quit is buried in my journal in mid 2000. It's pretty embarrassing, what with the swearing and the whining.
My most recent attempt to quit has ended in failure once again. But I'm down to one cup of coffee a day, and I'm only using half as much coffee per cup as I was (in all, I'm probably down to 1/4 of where I was two months ago). Now I know why my brother still smokes after all this time!
Good luck to you. Eight days is a great start, tablets or no. 8)
P.S. Michelle: there was something puzzling me about your comment. You'd put the subject as 'mrs.' Then I realized that you'd read my label for the 'Subject' (which I called 'Title') as being 'your title'. I've changed the subject label to 'Subject'. ;)
i love soda
i am addicted to soda i couldnt give it up, if i dont have soda i refuse to do anything and i'm a bi*ch untill i get some, thats why i always have a coke or sprite with me
Yikes!
Caffiene addiction
I cant live without my pepsis and frappucionos!!!i have to have a coke w every meal, and some sort of coffee every morning, if not i fell like sh*t the rest of the day! and i am so young, barely 18, is there something ot stop this madness! i dont know how many times ive tried quittin, but its so hard!!!:(
Why not try slowing down, rather than quitting outright. I decided that I enjoy coffee too much to quit it outright, but I've cut my caffeine consumption to 1/3 of the levels of the Spring.
caffeine
i am addicted 2 caffien badly..i have over doesed 2 tiems and now goign thru withdrawel i tried quitting but i need TO B IN OVEEEEEEEEEEERDRIVE..im really saaaaa..spazing right now i need it so bad..but soo i am getting htis stuff that has 100mgs of caffien evey oz and it has 24oz in all
Holy moly, it's even affecting your spelling?
Caffeine Addiction
I was just told today by a ?!reputable?! dr that the reason I feel so badly all the time is that I'm over caffienated or a gasp! caffeine addict. I personally feel that he just couldn't help me & this was the best he could come up with. But hey I'll give it a shot.Although I do agree with you that why give up all together soda,coffee,&tea if you really enjoy the taste.Out of all the addictive stimulants, you could do a h*ll of a lot worse then have coffee. Well I guess it's just h20 for awhile. But if I don't feel better, I'm going to smack the good dr over the head with my mr coffee pot.
Heh! Don't expect to be able to quit 'cold turkey'. It took me a couple of weeks to wean myself off, and while I did it, I found the habit - not to mention just the simple the ritual of making and drinking it - such a loss that I started it again.
I've got 2 months clean from caffeine!
I am using the 12-step program to keep off the caffeine. I found it was the only way to stay clean. I had to come to the realization that my addiction was similar to that of any drug addict. The process is the same. The only difference is that it's socially acceptable & not life threatening, BUT it is a threat to sanity & sense of well-being. I'm working my 3rd step with my sponsor now. There is a lot more to lose if I relapse now. It takes more than just your own will power to quit... at least that's what I have found. I highly recommend quitting for anyone that desires a quality life & a full experience in everything they do!
Doesn't the twelve-step program involve going around and apologizing to all of the people you've wronged in your past bingeing? How do you do that with coffee... Anyway, good luck, quitting is a bitch, I know too well.
I am addicted to soda
I am addicted to soda. When I see a Coke or Pepsi logo, I urge for soda. I want to stop, but I have no will power. I also drink soda as a "quick pick me up". Hrlp me stop! I drink 3-5 cans per day. I know it is bad, but how do I stop.
Whew. Good luck, Diane!
Other thoughts
After reading all the other posts, a few comments:
1) Caffeine has a bitter taste. It is well known that some people enjoy bitter tastes more or less than others. Also, it is popular to combine bitter with sweet. (coffee with cake, coca-cola, etc). Barq's unique flavor comes from the caffeine. This is why caffeine free versions of popular sodas are not as satisfying.
2) Decaf coffee and tea contain significant quantities of caffeine. Herbal teas that say caffeine free contain no caffeine.
3) Sprite is the only caf-free soda that is a satisfying substitute for me. It has a very, very strong acidity that substitutes for the taste of caffeine. However, I now think it is etching my teeth (sob).
4) Someone PLEASE, PLEASE develop a non-drug food alternative to caffeine!
Thanks for your comments, Rich.
My beliefs about caffeine
I'm a caffeine addict as well, though for me the effects of caffeine are more serious than the addiction. I believe that most people (i.e. nearly every person in the US) is probably addicted to caffeine, but either doesn't know it,or doesn't care.
For me, and certainly for many others, it caffeine is a mood altering drug. One key factor that makes it more dangerous than other drugs is that the addict can't tell they are suffering bad effects. You know when you're drunk, you know when you're high, but you don't know when you are being angry, violent, or depressed as a result of caffeine -- at least, I can't tell. After the three-day let down period, I can sometimes figure it out. I can tell, though, that my fatigue level is increasing on a daily basis, and that I'm gradually developing a shorter and shorter temper.
Here are some of my beliefs. Some of these have been corroborated by research, some of them MIGHT be contradicted by research, and many need to be researched:
IB means I Believe. You decide if you believe it too.
IB a single cup of coffee contains too much caffeine. Cutting back to a single cup may improve your sleep a little, but you will still be under the effects of caffeine all the time.
IB most people don't know what it's like to feel normal, or get a good night's sleep.
IB caffeine is cumulative. Therefore, a single cup of decaf might not be "too much", but a single cup every day is too much
For a while, I could "control" my addiction with hot chocolate. Today, the caffeine in hot cocoa is too much for me. IB that the more an addict gets away from caffeine, the stronger it's effects will seem to him.
IB Caffiene is far too powerful a drug to be uncontrolled. If it were just coffee, that would be one thing, but now (IB) soft drink manufacturers, iced coffee makers, and others are intentionally increasing caffeine levels.
IB soft drink makers are trying to addict kids the way cigarette makers used to do, without any notice from the public. Barq's root beer has 'bite' -- the bite is caffeine. Sunkist Orange, all kinds of cocoa drinks, the cola drink in Lunchables, A&W cream soda, and many other drinks you would not suspect contain caffeine (chocolate and coffee drinks don't list it as ingredients)
Wow, Rich. That's quite a lot that you had to say.
My beliefs about caffeine (cont/d)
(These two posts are under 4000 characters combined, but was rejected as a single post)
Psuedophedrine and acetiminophen (Sinus Tylenol) helps me "come down" from caffeine (on the second day, sometimes the third). However, this could create an additional addictive behavior, so be cautious. Psuedophedrine is said to be chemically similar to caffeine
Some aspirin makers recently started saying their "aspirin" was more effective than other asprins. These "aspirin" products (and some non-aspirin products) contained caffeine. IB they were more effective because the headaches they "cured" were actually caffeine addiction headaches. These people would probably get a headache every day using this product.
IB most recurrent headaches are caffeine induced in most people.
IB caffeine is a performance enhancing drug, and it is a mood altering drug, and it is highly addictive, and therefore should carry a surgeon's general warning label, at the least.
IB my Air Force career was ended prematurely because of the effects of severe caffeine overuse. This was before I realized that I was overusing caffeine, and also before people recognized caffeine as a drug. Caffeine free sodas were not available at that time, because no one thought twice about caffiene.
IB that my current personality and behaviorial problems that I have at work and with individuals are the residual effects of caffeine addiction. I know that the conflicts become worse after several days of extremely light caffeine use (a single daily cup of cocoa).
I believe that the vast majority of American citizens (at least) are addicted to caffeine, and are under it's affects all the time. It is impossible to be sure what gains might be made if we could have a caffeine free society.
Uh-huh.
Addicted to caffine & need ADVICE
Hey, um i kno wthis might sound weird, but i drink ATLEAST one can of diet coke in a day if not 2 or 3 (<< yesterday i had 3), and then i NEED CHOCOLATES to function. Infact yesterday i found myself going through our cabinets lookings for chocolate, as I am overweight my mom no longer buys anything. So yesterday i ate a whole 12 piece pack of ferrero rocher, and this wasn't the first time. I feel as if i need the chocolate to function.. can you please help me and help me find a way to stop these urges!? I have random mood swings and everything and my parents just don't understand.. but i really think i need a way to quit as I am only 16 and I have been like this for a full year now
See a doctor, young lady. Some crank with a website is not someone to whom you should be turning at such a time of crisis. And all the best with your efforts.
comments on your site
Hi Michael,
I typed in Pics of Vancouver in google.com and came across your site. I have enjoyed it immensely. I am hoping to move to Canada (from the U.S.)and I enjoyed reading your comments. Two things: I recommend City of Glass, a coffee-table pic book by Douglas Coupland. Also, I was wondering if you have seen the Canadian film "Speaking Parts." It was made 86-90..not sure, but very entrenched in the '80s. I did not see a review of it, but I would be curious to see your reactions. I love the film. Have a good one, Ben
Thanks for the tips! The movie rings a bell, I'll have to watch for it.
An American moving to Canada; there's a switch. Good luck, and lemme know when your "welcome" is due.
coffee
Gano Cafe is a great alternative to regular coffee and decaffeinated.
Made from Brazilian coffee beans and Ganoderma.