The latest addition to the full-metal G-Shock lineup is the GM-B2100. The release is more than simply a conversion of the GA-2100, one of the hits of recent years, into a full-metal version. The craftsmanship and attention to detail in evidence in the new model contain evidence of how the design and functionality of the series continue to evolve, as well as hints for what the future may hold.Photographs by Yu Mitamura
Text by Yuzo Takeishi

Released in 2019, the GA-2100 (right) proved a worldwide hit, with its octagonal bezel giving it a distinctive appearance and usability. The original iteration is now joined by the GM-B2100 (left), which brings a full-metal overhaul to the appearance of the watch as well as featuring further evolutions to design details and functions.
The GM-B2100 marks the latest addition to the full-metal series. Its exterior design is practically the same as the design of the previous three models. Resin versions of the G-Shock are produced by injection molding, in which resin is injected into a metal mold. In the full metal series, however, the watches are made by pressing and forging stainless steel plates. The complex shape of the G-Shock watches means they cannot be produced in a single press, and the full metal series uses more than 10 pressing stages. Other processes, including annealing and polishing, are carried out between each pressing. These are repeated more than 10 times before the application of the final polishing process, so t...