Casio's new feature-loaded Mudmaster and Frogman with sapphire finally arrive in the US

Casio’s tan-accented Frogman and Mudmaster have finally reached the US, a few weeks after their September debut in Japan. The Frogman GWFD1000BC-1 costs $1,500. The Mudmaster GWGB1000-1A3 is $880. Both are now live on Casio’s US store with a "New" badge for October.

Americans do pay a premium for the wait. Japan lists the Frogman at 198,000 yen and the Mudmaster at 132,000 yen, both including 10 percent consumption tax. If you take the tax out, that comes out to roughly $1,137 and $758. So the US is asking $363 more for the Frogman, about 32 percent, and $122 more for the Mudmaster, about 16 percent. American prices exclude sales tax, which makes the gap even bigger.

Also, the $880 Mudmaster pairs with a phone over Bluetooth and talks to the Casio Watches app. The $1,500 Frogman does not. It gets Multi Band 6 radio and nothing else.

The Mudmaster comes equipped with the Triple Sensor suite, meaning compass, barometer, altimeter and thermometer. Its case runs 58.7 x 52.1 x 16.2 mm at 114 g, built from bio-based resin and steel around a Carbon Core Guard. The bezel is black ion plated, the steel is DLC treated, the band is matte olive green.

The Frogman goes the other way. Digital only, 59.2 x 53.3 x 18 mm, 181 g, a steel case and ISO-rated 200 m diving certification. Its depth gauge reads to 80 m, it stores 20 dive logs, it sounds an ascent rate alarm and it draws a tide graph. The composite steel and resin bracelet extends in two steps, so it fits over a wetsuit as well.

Both sport Tough Solar, both use sapphire with anti-reflective coating, and both hold plus or minus 15 seconds a month without a radio signal. Whether the Frogman earns its extra $620 depends entirely on whether you dive.