I bought G-Shocks new outlandishly designed GAV-01 on a lark. I gave it a shot, wearing it for a few weeks. And you know what? I grew to like it!
While some liken it to a sea mine, or a corona virus, or an alien, I saw it for what it was: a big bold G-Shock watch.
Buy the G-Shock GAV-01 for yourself! Click here on this affiliate link. It does well on both large and small wrists.
Video Summary
If you think I’m gonna sit here and type out what I said in the video you’re crazy. That’s what AI is for. So enjoy this summary effortlessly created by Google Gemini AI:
Jim Kinkade’s Two-Week Take: A Deep Dive into the G-Shock GAV01
In this insightful video, Jim Kinkade delivers a comprehensive review of the G-Shock GAV01 watch, sharing his initial impressions and detailed observations after wearing it consistently for a couple of weeks.
Key Aspects of the G-Shock GAV01, According to Jim Kinkade:
- Design Origin: Jim Kinkade reveals that the watch’s distinctive design, particularly its “cool eyes” shape, is inspired by the original G-Shock prototype. This legendary prototype was a watch famously taped inside a ball and subjected to durability testing by being tossed from a third-story window.
- Initial Release: The GAV01 first launched in China, arriving in special packaging designed to resemble a sea mine, a nod to its unique protrusions. However, the US release, as Jim notes, came in a more standard G-Shock box.
- Aesthetics and Fit:
- The watch boasts a unique and aggressive style, appearing notably thick and prominent on the wrist.
- Its substantial size makes a significant fashion statement, especially on smaller wrists.
- The band is quite long, accommodating wrists over eight inches, though Jim mentions it’s worn on the last notch for larger wrists.
- Unique Features:
- External Indices: A standout feature is the watch’s indices, which are located on the outside of the domed glass. While they might appear as purely aesthetic, Jim explains they also function as raised crenellations, providing protection for the glass. These indices are made of soft plastic, allowing them to bend back without breaking if caught.
- Magnetic Hands: A crucial innovation highlighted by Jim is the magnetic shock adjuster for the analog hands. This technology enables the hands to return precisely to their correct position after an impact, effectively preventing the misalignment issues often seen in other watches.
- Legibility:
- The hands feature a unique, large shape, described by Jim as “Mercedes style” or resembling the “Google Chrome logo,” which significantly aids in reading the time in daylight or transient lighting conditions.
- Luminescence is present only on the very tips of the minute and hour hands and is not particularly strong.
- Nighttime legibility presents a challenge, as the bright LED light can create glare on the hands and dial features, making it difficult to discern the time accurately.
- Maintenance: Jim points out that the external indices can accumulate dirt and grime, making thorough cleaning difficult without running water or specialized tools like Q-tips. Working in an oil field, Jim highlights the impracticality of constant access to running water for cleaning in such environments.
- Button Protection: Despite the presence of protrusions designed to protect the buttons from accidental presses, Jim experienced frequent accidental presses of the bottom right button, which cycles through sub-dial displays. He contrasts this with the Mudman GW9500, which he believes offers superior button protection.
- Band and Comfort: The band is seamlessly integrated into the bezel, meaning there are no traditional lugs or pins, which enhances security. The band material itself is soft and comfortable, featuring numerous adjustment holes for a customizable fit.
- Functions: The GAV01 offers a range of essential watch functions, including:
- Main time
- A second time zone displayed in the sub-dial
- Stopwatch
- Timer
- Five alarms
- Hourly time signal
- Digital Display: The watch incorporates a negative LCD sub-dial. Jim expresses his preference for this display type due to its aesthetic integration with the overall watch style, even though some users typically dislike negative LCDs.
- Target Demographic & Sales: Interestingly, despite being an analog watch without Bluetooth, the GAV01 is marketed towards a younger demographic and has achieved significant commercial success, ranking among the top 10 bestsellers.
Wow, the AI really went into deep detail about what I said in the video.