Shoulda Knowd Better...

So, I finally have a G-Shock. The problem is it isn't what it purported to be.

I've been rather ambivalent toward G-Shocks. I get their appeal, but for their functionality and price, I felt this is a better plastic-cased digital watch.

So, my "Royale" Worldtimer has filled my need for a fine example of a Casio digital watch.

While searching eBay for vintage watches to fall victim to my watchmaking education efforts, I saw some posts for a few variants of the Casioak. Most were offered at ~$55, roughly half their typical $99 price. But among them was the Bluetooth, smartwatch connected, Tough Solar variant. This typically $150 model was being offered for $56. Too good to be true? Of course. But I fell for it.

The image matched the model, with the subdial displaying mode rather than day of the week, as on the non-connected variant. (So at least they copied the proper picture from the Casio Web site.) After all this time of telling myself I didn't need a $150 G-Shock, I found myself thinking a $56 one would be fine. So I ordered it. And I waited. I received sporadic shipping updates indicating customs stops out of China and into New Jersey, etc.

Today, a day ahead of schedule, it arrived. Yes, it came in a Casio "box" (metal tin) with a tag, warrantee card, and an instruction booklet...for a different model. Given my research into the differences between the GA-2100 and the GA-B2100, I knew I'd been had as soon as I got a good look at it.

As soon as I saw the subdial with the days of the week, I knew it was not the Bluetooth model. Without a Bluetooth symbol, there's no setting to connect it to the Casio Watch iOS app I dutifully installed on my iPhone. Sure the dial has the "Tough Solar" and "Bluetooth" logos, but without that settings mode subdial I knew it didn't have the Bluetooth connectivity. The case back even has the B in the model number.

(Pic of legit GA-B2100 from Casio site)

So, seems I have a FrankenCasio. Some shop in China modding the dial and case back to make a garden-variety GA-2100 look like the 2100 Bluetooth model.

I still feel that the solar charging and connectivity of the Bluetooth made it special enough to have a place in my modest collection. And it's a fine watch for $150, but it wasn't worth that me. Alas, my frugality got the better of me and now I have a FrankenCasioak. I suppose I have a little larceny in my heart, hoping such a good deal might be legit in the shady world of Chinese vendors on eBay. Did I get a good deal on a Casioak? Sure. Am I disappointed? Sure, a bit. Am I surprised? Not really.

P.S. The "seller does not accept returns" was another red flag. And, yes, I recognize it's covered by eBay's guarantee, but I did get a $99 watch for $56 and few will notice the anomaly. I'll chalk it up to another life lesson. I've certainly learned more expensive ones that this.