Casio's new rugged G-Shock with vibration alerts now available to buy

The GD-350 platform dates to 2013, and it has survived thirteen years for one simple reason: it vibrates. This feature has become pretty scarce across the G-Shock range. The newest version of this lineup has now moved from preorder to open sale on Casio UK at £100, roughly $135.

The vibration is more considered than a buzzing motor. Casio builds shock absorbers into the caseback specifically to transmit the pulse into the wrist rather than dissipating it through the case. The alert applies to both the countdown timer and the five alarms. Users can choose between vibration or a tone-plus-LED flash. Thanks to these simple features, the watch is genuinely usable in situations where a beep is unwelcome (and useful for anyone hard of hearing).

However, size is the big trade-off. At 53.4 × 50.8 × 18 mm and around 75 grams, this is among the largest digital G-Shocks Casio still sells. The 18 mm height is the figure to pay attention to rather than the diameter. The upper-right indicator window is styled after a submarine radar scope — the rest of the design is just built around it, in a way.

Aside from that, the GD-350S-1 features world time across 35 zones and 100 cities, a 1/100-second stopwatch, a 24-hour countdown timer with a dedicated start button, Super Illuminator LED lighting with selectable one, three or five-second duration and an auto-light tilt function, plus 200 meters of water resistance. Accuracy is rated at ±15 seconds a month. The CR2032 cell is quoted at roughly five years.

The £100 figure includes VAT, which puts the underlying price nearer £83. Casio has not confirmed US pricing, and the watch is still listed on Casio International.

Buy the Casio GD-350-1CR on Amazon.