Casio G-Shock GW-225C-1 Master Blue Frogman

Yes, another new watch, and a Frogman no less. But really, I had no choice. I've been watching these on eBay for six months or more, and while I didn't want one as badly as I did a Dawn Black Frogman or Glorious Gold Frogman, I did think it was very good looking. Additionally, only three G-Shock 25th Anniversary Frogmen models have been released, so this completes my set. Prices of these watches just seemed to be going up and up, so when I saw an online retailer got a few in stock, I jumped on the opportunity. It's getting to be difficult to decide whether to pre-order special G-Shocks and pay full retail or a little more even, or wait until after they are released and hope for a decent (20-30%) discount. If they never make it to retailers that discount, then you're stuck buying from the secondary market or speculators and will pay a lot more. It used to be you could count on waiting, finding what you want (provided it was released in the U.S.A. in my case) and get a good discount, but that seems to be increasingly risky. So, I consider myself lucky that I got one of these. Honestly, it's much nicer than I expected with some subtle details that I hadn't noticed in photographs. When I initially heard of the Master Blue Frogman and saw a few pictures I thought the case was a dark blue. It is actually black, and the only blue on the watch is the "G-SHOCK" text above the display and the blue tint of the LCD. The most unique feature is the black PVD case and buttons instead of the typical titanium-colored case and polished buttons. The decorative "screws" at 1 and 5 o'clock are also given a black finish, although not as dark as the buttons and case. The caseback is polished gold-tone, the same as the other 25th Anniversary Frogmen. A different finish would have been nice there as well, but I don't mind it. There are two other Master Blue models, an atomic Mudman and atomic Gulfman, but those seem to be just as scarce and more expensive than the Master Blue Frogman, so I don't see myself adding them to my collection anytime soon. (I did purchase two of these and am selling the brand new one on the Watchuseek sales forum. If you're interested, let me know.)

Casio Pathfinder PAW-1300T-7V

Today I'm wearing my newest Pathfinder, a PAW-1300T-7V. PAW for Pathfinder (in the world outside the U.S.A. these are called "Protrek" and the model numbers start with PR,) 1300 for the series (newer than my 1100,) T for Titanium, 7 for silver accents, and V for international (non-Japanese) version. This has all the functions of my PAW-1100T but weighs less and is much slimmer (only 11.5mm thick, while the 1100 is over 14mm thick.) This was the ultimate Pathfinder, all the functions available in a Pathfinder in a package that made it very wearable under most conditions. Of course, Casio couldn't rest on their laurels, so the PAW-1500 series is the newest King of the Hill, which adds tide graph, moon phase and 200m water resistance to the long list of features. I'm not sure if I'll get a 1500 or just wait for whatever comes next. It's almost certain that Casio will keep improving their technology and packing more features into smaller, more durable packages.

Non-Stop G-Shocks: GW-205K-2DR I.C.E.R.C. Frogman

Today's watch is the last Frogman I currently own, a GW-205K-2DR. It's another I.C.E.R.C. model and was released in June of 2005. Like most of my Frogmen it's titanium, Tough Solar and has Multi Site Memory. This one sets itself apart from the rest with its unique color scheme; a dark blue, slightly translucent bezel with a very light grey-blue band, both in a matte finish. It also has what looks like a sperm whale in the EL backlight and the I.C.E.R.C. logo on the polished titanium caseback. It's a very cool and unique Frogman and I'm happy to have it in my collection.

Non-Stop G-Shocks: GW-225E-7 Glorious Gold Frogman

Today I'm wearing the same watch I wore all weekend, my new GW-225E-7 Frogman. It's part of the "Glorious Gold" series, the latest 25th Anniversary release. While it has been released in the U.S.A. as well as abroad, I purchased mine directly from Japan and finally got a spiffy 25th Anniversary carbon fiber-look "trunk" instead of the usual red, white and black anniversary tin. While the trunk is kind of neat, and I'm happy to have one now, I wouldn't pay anything extra to get one as the novelty wears off rather quickly. Anyway, the watch is really nice. I think I like this one better than the Dawn Black Frogman. Actually, I'll qualify that: For daytime wear, especially in the summer, I prefer the lighter look of the Glorious Gold. It's also overall a little flashier as you can see the gold-tone titanium case through the translucent bezel. The Dawn Black Frogman would probably be more suitable for nighttime wear, or anytime you want something more subdued. Both are really simple and solid designs, but at the moment I prefer the Glorious Gold.

Non-Stop G-Shocks: GW-200TC-2V Frogman

Today I'm wearing my final Triple Crown of Surfing Frogman, the GW-200TC-2V. It's like the other two models, except instead of having a strap and detailing in red or olive green, this one has navy blue. I don't have much else to say about these that I haven't said before. There has been some confusion recently about the casebacks on these models. They are highly polished and look very similar to polished stainless steel, but they are made from titanium, just like the case is. I pulled out my other two Triple Crown Frogmen and took some group shots which you can see below.