Casioak GA-2100SU-1AER G-Shock Watch (Module 5611)
Casio GA-2100SU-1AER G-Shock & Casioak Modification
13/2/2022
Hello Casio watch owners and lovers from around the world.
In this is the next project, I will be modifying this watch with a full custom case and strap!! I will firstly explain the watch and it's functions
The watch is here (and it was a very fast delivery indeed), however I still need to order the modified case and strap!!
When I wrote the post about the Casio GMA-S2100-1AER, I did say that I would not buy a GA-S2100 watch as it would be too big for my small wrist. However, the watch above came at a very competitive price so I snapped it up. This particular watch is the GA-2100-1AER Camo version with the RED "G-SHOCK" logo printed on the dial. That may seem a trivial detail to note for anyone other than myself. The reason for the red print will become clearer later in the post. Getting back to the size of the watch, I actually find this watch more comfortable than the smaller GMA-S1200. It is actually only 3mm smaller. As I said the price of the watch was good enough to sell it straight on and make a small profit. When the watch arrived, I did the wrong thing and tried it on and fell in love with it.
Above is a picture of both the GMA and the GA watches and without getting a ruler out, I cannot physically see any difference apart, other than their obvious different styles. You can also see both watches have the same internal module 5611, which have exactly the same functions and operate in the same manner. Again both watches have a hexagonal inner protection tin that only differ in artwork. The tin is another guarantee the watch is a Genuine Casio model.
In the picture above, I have placed a Casio GW-M5600 along side the GA-2100 for a size comparison. The GW-M is not a small watch but it is smaller than the GA-2100 but both feel very comfortable on my small wrist.
The picture above shows the GW-M5600 along side the GMA-2100 and I can now see that the GMA is smaller than the GW-M. Maybe that's why I felt the GMA was a little uncomfortable, even for my small wrist. I have to say though, after wearing the GW-M for more than a decade, I have become very comfortable wearing it and the GA-2100 feels exactly the same.
The orange arrow above is pointing the watch model number that is stamped on the stainless steel back cover. However be aware, some fake Casio's may also have the same markings but they will not be uniform with fading in the stamp set. The number stamped at the very bottom of the back cover is not a serial number but a Genuine Casio batch number. This is another good indicator that the which is indeed genuine. The green arrow is pointing to the quick release watch pins that Casio have been generous enough to fit. Again, this is another good indicator the watch is genuine.
When Casio released this model of watch back in July of 2021, it was an overnight success and with good reason. It was a great looking watch, a complete new design and above all it was a "G-SHOCK". It also has such a wide range of colours and designs that it attracted a diverse range of people from divers to nurses and wouldn't look out of place at all. In the months that have passed since, this watch has become even more popular due to aftermarket suppliers releasing a modified case and strap that looks like a Audemars Piquet Royal Oak watch.
An original AP Royal Oak above. Estimated cost £45,000+, if you can get one.
Above is the modified case and strap from Hontao, which completely moves the watch to another level. It looks so expensive and I love it. However, these modified cases and straps are not cheap. You can expect to pay £80 to £130 depending upon the style you chose. I have read many excellent customer reviews about these sets, and I want one.
I personally, am not a fan of metals straps, so I may choose a metal case and rubber strap combination as shown above.
In the picture above is another metal case and rubber strap combination. There is a massive range to choose from.
For the purposes of showing the display, I am using the GMA-2100 as both watches have the exact same functions and operations and this picture was already done. So, the red arrow is pointing to the day indicator and in this case it is, Sunday. The yellow arrow is indicating the month and date on the upper LCD panel. The green arrow is pointing to the lower LCD panel which, at this moment is displaying the seconds. The orange arrow is pointing to the print just below, the lower LCD segment and read;- MUTE, ALM, SIG. If there is a small marker illuminated over any of the print this means, the buttons are muted. One of the 5 alarms is set to go off, or the hourly chime has been activated. All of these controls can be set in each function to either an on or off selection.
The operation of this watch, is very simple.
By pressing button "C" once, is the world time menu.
Pressing "C" again is the stopwatch menu and is started and stopped by pressing button "D".
Pressing "C" again is the timer function and can be set to 59:00 minutes.
Pressing "C" again is one of the 5 daily alarms that can be set.
Pressing "C" again is back to the date menu.
To adjust any of the above functions mentioned above, simply use button "C" to go to the required menu then press and hold button "A" until the character starts to flash. Then use buttons "B" & "D" to go up and down in value.
Every other function is adjusted in the same simple manner.
The New Case and Strap
I did a lot of research before ordering the strap and case. There was quite a few aftermarket suppliers to choose from with a multitude of designs and prices. During the research, I had found that the Hontao strap had the best customer reviews so I started to search. The Hontao design was not the cheapest and yet not the most expensive to choose from. It simply had the best reviews and a lot more information available to peruse. I ordered the case from Amazon on the 13/2/22 and it was coming from the USA to England. Obviously I was tracking the item from time to time and I was advised it would be delivered on the 19/2/22. The case and strap cost £117 including delivery, which I think is a fair price considering.
After impatiently waiting for 3 days, it finally arrived. Above is a picture of the new case and strap with the aftermarket suppliers name arrowed in red.
When I opened the outer box, there is a plastic bag containing all the tools required to do the adjustments. There is also a G-Shock type tin, which holds the case, strap and new screws.
As you can see the case and strap are well protected and packed, a lot like a genuine G-Shock.
With the protective coverings removed (and there was a lot of it), the strap and case can be seen in it's true glory. I have to say, I am blown away by the quality and the feel of the whole piece. It looks and feels amazing in my humble opinion.
Another reason I was attracted to this design is that it is all one piece. The watch core simply slips in the back and is secured in place by 4 screws (yellow arrows above). This means the watch has no stresses from the strap and therefore cannot cause any damage to the inner watch. As you will see, the watch pins are no longer needed for this design.
Before I installed the watch into the case, I decided it would be better to adjust the strap size first for my small wrist. The strap can be adjusted by simply removing links and unlike most watches that use pins, these links are hold together by small screws arrowed above.
To ensure the watch sits correctly on the wrist, I tried to remove equal amounts of links from each side but it ended up with 3 taken from one side and 2 from the other to achieve the correct size. I also have to say, I do love the screw type link pins and a very easy to adjust.
With the strap adjusted to the correct size, it was time to liberate the Camo style case and strap from the G-Shock.
To remove the strap simply slide the quick release pins (red arrow) to remove both parts of the rubber strap. The blue arrow is indicating the silver operation buttons that differ to the black buttons of the GMA-S2100.
With both sides of the strap removed, I could remove the 4 screws securing the outer case to the watch (arrowed yellow) using the driver supplied in the kit. The pozi head screws must be replaced with the slot head screws provided in the kit (blue arrow), again the driver is provided.
After removing the pozi head screws (blue arrow), the outer case can be peeled
over the function buttons to remove as can be seen above.
I then inserted the watch core into the new case. There was a slight click that is an indicator that the watch is seated correctly. The red arrow is indicating where the new screws are to be used to secure the watch to the case, again using the driver provided in the kit.
The whole operation, from start to finish is easily less than 20 minutes and is very easy. A super straight forward exchange I personally think could be done by anyone. Everything tool and part needed for the modification, is supplied in the kit. The original case and strap are also straight forward to remove, requiring minimal knowledge.
As you can see from the picture, it looks (to me at least) gorgeous and a lot more expensive than it actually is. I love it and believe it or not, it is very comfortable to wear and reassuringly heavy. The strap does not pull the hairs on my arm no does it look too big for my small wrist. It's looks great.
Yes the strap, case and watch are not cheap but, in my humble opinion are worth every penny. For less than £200 in total, this is a lot of watch for the money. I have looked at watches around the £400 mark that don't have half the safety features and functions of this watch.
I have to say, I am very impressed with the kit and the quality of the whole thing and I'm sure it will protect my G-Shock for many years to come.
I hope you have enjoyed and maybe learned a little from this project on the G-Shock and until my next post,
Take care!!
18/2/22
Casio Tribe 2022
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