The other two watches sit either side spec and pricewise of the GW-5000u. They are the GWM-5610u 'below' it and the all metal, black, DLC coated GMW-B5000 'above' it. The inverted commas are because the terms 'above' and 'below' do not necessarily mean they are lesser or greater watches than the GW-5000u. They have different use scenarios and then of course, there is the matter of personal taste and style.
What's been upgraded/updated in the GW-5000 to give it its 'u' status?
• Bright white LED backlight
• Adjustable 1.5 or 3 second afterglow for light
• Current time display in stopwatch and countdown timer mode
• 24-hour countdown timer is settable in units of seconds and not only hours and minutes
• Adjustable date format (M.DD or DD.M) and adjustable day of week language (English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian)
• Quick return to timekeeping mode by holding down Mode (C) button for more than 1 second
• Home city time and world time display swap in world time mode by pressing the top two buttons (A and B) at the same time
• 5 world time settings (48 cities), 31 time zones, the additional 2 time zones are for the cities of Fernando de Noronha (-2) and Kathmandu (+5.75)
The hardware
So much for the software upgrades. For those not already familiar with the hardware, the standouts are:
Full metal, DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coated, screw-down case back, module housing and lugs. Sturdy metal lugs are quite useful (and not often mentioned in reviews of this model) particularly when changing bands. I have gouged resin lugs in the past trying to shoehorn in difficult to fit bracelet spring pins.
The rest is the "wetsuit" part composed of upgraded resin/polyurethane compounds that give a sharkskin-like smoothness and comfort to the wearing experience. To top it off style wise is the largely "stealth" monochrome colourway. This watch would not look out of place peeking out of the wetsuit sleeve of a Bond villain’s henchman wielding a spear gun in an underwater chase/fight scene. Hopefully that paints a picture.
Comparisons
While all 3 watches share the key functions of atomic time syncing (provided you live within range of one of the atomic time clocks in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Japan and China) solar charging of the rechargeable battery via the “Tough Solar” panel surrounding the display, waterproof to 200m and have shock protection of the internal module from a drop of 10m (a conservative estimate as fanatical amateur testers have found), they vary in other ways.
The GWM-5610u
By comparison to the 5610u there are a few but significant differences:
• The 5610u is more colourful. It is a nod back to one of the original designs which, in itself was Japan's nod to the German Bauhaus movement both in angular design and use of colour. This gives it a happier, more playful impression. It would look at the GW-5000u and, in the Joker's voice, enquire: "Why so serious?"
• The module case and lugs are resin, not stainless steel
• The case back is of a thinner metal and is a screw-in design with four screws.
• The resin band and bezel compounds feel stiffer and cheaper.
• Its weight of 52gm makes it significantly lighter than 74gm of the 5000u
• The software/functional side on 5610u and 5000u are identical. In fact all 3 watches in this comparison share the 3459 module.
- The price of the 5610u is more affordable by a factor of 2-3 times depending on the deals one finds with each of them.
The GMW-B5000 all metal
• As the title suggests, the B5000 is the only one of these three that is fully metal. In addition, it is unique among the stainless steel squares in that the case back, module, bezel, and bracelet are all DLC coated. That gives it a very classy sheen as its alternating polished and matte surfaces move in and out of the light.
• This particular model's display varies in two ways to the other two. It has a negative, STN (Super Twisted Nematic) display. One cool feature of the negative STN display is, that in certain light angles the numerals appear to have a rainbow colouring. Quite lovely.
• While all 3 models use an LED light, the B5000's combination of STN and negative display result in a more even illumination than the either the 5610u or the 5000u. Another aesthetically pleasing aspect of the negative display is that, when illuminated, it features sky blue numerals over a midnight blue background. All in all, a very classy feeling and looking package.
• Weight wise, it is, unsurprisingly, the heaviest of the bunch at 154gm - over double the weight of 5000u and triple the weight of the 5610u. That puts it firmly into steel diver's watch territory in terms of wrist presence. Some may feel this is a desirable or less desirable thing depending on use case and preference.
Why choose the GW-5000u?
Simply, because it is a great digital watch. In terms of time, date, world time, alarm, stopwatch and timer, the upgrade to the "u" version has fixed some of the minor issues of the previous iteration and has everything you really need unless you want to get into fitness or smartwatches. The upgraded world time features make switching between time zones a double button press away and its stealthy appearance keeps it off the radar of luxury watch theives. So, a great travel watch in other words.
It has that "Goldilocks" happy medium of style and features. The GW-5000u's slightly increased weight presence over the 5610u, while not noticeably heavy at all, is just enough to engender a quality feel. Its lovely DLC screw-down back, case and lugs, monochrome colourway and clear display combine to make an understated "stealth wealth for the rest of us" impression. Initally, in the box, it may appear underwhelming but once you put it on and wear it around for a while you may understand why it has its loyal following.
Regarding the display, while it is not an STN display like the B5000, it appears slightly more defined than the 5610u at some angles (unfortuantely my phone cam photos fail to show that). This is due not to the numerals but the slight shading difference in the background screen itself, if that makes sense. That, combined with the monochrome colour accents make it seem more defined. So, all in all, more of a slightly beneficial optical illusion than a technical upgrade to the display.
Anything worth changing about it?
Well, it's a matter of taste but I may eventually find a Casio resin link bracelet for the 5000u. Not so much for any comfort gains (the existing resin band is very comfortable) but a bracelet is effortless and quick to take on and off and visually more appealing. Other than that, its just a great, highly functional, understatedly classy watch that I would highly recommend.
As the saying goes: "It's the kind of thing you'd like, if you like that kind of thing." Personally, I do. I have zero interest in mechanical watches (although I have had in the past). These simple G-Shocks run rings around them functionally in terms of accuracy and easily useable features. I love the "80's futuristic" design that always makes me smile in its naive, positive unpretentiousness. Then of course there is the legendary G-Shock durability.
Functionally, the 5610u matches it. However, the visceral experience of putting on the 5000u after wearing the 5610u feels like step up in class. The all-metal B5000 has a few extras like Bluetooth connectivity and short reminder message possibilites but that may even be a negative for some. Likewise with its weight. For me, its great for going out for a few hours but overall the 5000u is better suited as an "all the time" watch. Or, at least as Bob Dylan once sang, “Most of the time”…
So why own all three?
For me, I have noticed that, once I have found something I like design/function wise the only thing left to organise is use case scenarios. This is probably why I have several Fender Telecaster guitars. Love that design over other electric guitars. They only differ in pick-up choices, wood and fretboard preferences and so on. That way, every time I pick one up, I find myself in instantly familiar territory in terms of playability. All that remains are choices for a given use case.
What might those use cases be for each watch?
5610u: The happy beater watch. So light, you will forget you are even wearing it. I have fitted mine with a no-name plastic link bracelet which is feather light and cost $14. While stiffer, possibly less comfortable (but fine) and less “classy” looking than the Casio link version, it survived in the jungles of Columbia for 7 months which included wet seasons (they have 2 each year). Its a watch that feels like a loving pet - always glad to see you and ready to go. A fuss and worry free, fun and capable watch true to the G-Shock ethos.
At the other end of the scale, the B5000 is classy and comfortable. A watch that wouldn't look out of place with a business suit or out to dinner at a silver service restaurant. To the casual glance, many people may mistake it for a smart watch due to its all-black metal stealthiness and dark, negative display.
For the private enjoyment of a very well-made G-Shock that can be worn most of the time (or even all of the time), well, that's the 5000u. It may be something only the wearer appreciates or perhaps a fellow fanatic with an observant eye. The thing is though, if you own one, you will appreciate it every day. It will be your private enjoyment, your guilt-free pleasure. After all it won’t break the bank, make you question that you have an addiction that is ruining your life or put you into jeopardy with your partner.
Rather, it is its humble ordinariness that disguises its inner quality, it becomes the Cosmic Joke that only the wearer gets. The stuff of which Mona-Lisa smiles are made.
