CasiOak: which G-Shock 2100 to buy, from $155

The $350 to $400 metal models look heavy, but they carry the exact same 200 metre water resistance and 3 year battery as the resin watch. The extra money buys stainless steel, not better mechanics.

The one upgrade worth paying for is the $229 solar GA-B2100, which sets its own time from your phone.

Quick facts

• on within: 14 G-Shock watches read for this note, $155 to $400 CAD, read 9 November 2026.
• Starting price: $155 CAD for the GMA-S2100 in pink.
• Water resistance: 200 metres across the 2100 family.
• Standard battery life: 3 years on two SR726W cells.
• Original launch: April 1983 for the DW-5000C, 2019 for the GA-2100.
• Boutique stock: 63 G-Shock and Casio watches at Due West.

The resin GA-2100 is the one most people need

Casio engineer Kikuo Ibe set out in 1981 to build a watch with a 10 year battery, 10 bar water resistance and a 10 metre drop. That effort delivered the DW-5000C in April 1983, and the GA-2100 arrived in 2019 with a Carbon Core Guard structure. Every watch in this guide sits at Due West at 431 Queen St W in Toronto.

The standard resin case includes a double LED light and a 3 year battery. You can pick up the G-Shock GA2100CM-5A in camo for $199 CAD, while the G-Shock GA2100LXB-1A in black runs $205 CAD. The all pink G-Shock GMAS2100PR-4A brings the entry price down to $155 CAD (the camo dial saves six dollars if you prefer print over monochrome).

Solar and Bluetooth: the GA-B2100

Paying $229 CAD for the G-Shock GA-B2100BEG-1A in black adds Tough Solar charging and automatic Bluetooth time sync. That 24 dollar step over the black resin case buys solar power and a time that sets itself.

You keep 200 metre water resistance. It is the one upgrade in the 2100 line we would pay for.

The extra money buys stainless steel weight, not better timekeeping.

Metal: what the GM-2100 adds

The metal GM-2100 jumps to $350 CAD for the G-Shock GM2100M-1A G-Steel in black. It reaches $400 CAD for the black ion plated G-Shock GM2100BM-1A G-Steel in black. Much like another octagonal watch we priced, the steel bezel gives the watch presence under a jacket sleeve.

The battery is the same as the resin watch: about 3 years on two SR726W cells. You get steel, not solar.

If you want the square instead

If analog hands feel fussy, the classic square form offers higher technology for similar money. The G-Shock GWBX5600-1 in black costs $250 CAD and packs Tough Solar, Bluetooth sync, radio controlled Multi band 6 time calibration, and a crisp memory in pixel LCD.

For resin purists who do not want hands sweeping over the digital readout, the GWBX5600-1 is the most complete of the 14 watches we read.

Before you buy

Go in the early afternoon so you can check how the case sits on your wrist. Decide whether you want solar sync before picking standard resin.

Common questions

What is a casioak?

The CasiOak is the fan nickname for Casio's G-Shock 2100 series, which launched in 2019 with an eight sided bezel. It pairs an analog handset with a digital screen, drawing design cues from the 1983 DW-5000C. The series starts at $155 CAD for resin models and reaches $400 CAD for stainless steel.

How long does casioak battery last?

The standard battery in a resin GA-2100 or steel GM-2100 lasts approximately 3 years on two SR726W cells. If you want continuous power, the solar GA-B2100 runs on light through Casio's Tough Solar technology. The GMAP2110B uses a single CR1025 cell to reach that same 3 year mark.

Does casioak have multiband 6?

None of the 2100 watches we read lists radio controlled Multi band 6. The GA-B2100 handles automated time calibration via Bluetooth connection to a smartphone instead. If you want Multi band 6 radio time, the square GWBX5600-1 includes both radio calibration and Bluetooth for $250 CAD.

Every business above is independent, was verified open as of August 2026, and nobody paid to be here. If one has closed or moved, tell us at hello@shopwithin.co and we will fix it.

within carries the world's best boutique shelves. Toronto is open now and more cities follow. The quizzes will read your taste and the journal has the rest of the city.