Marathon GPM Government Black Mechanical Reference WW194003BK, Rough & Tough, A Review (plus Video)

Prior to the Covid-19 lock-down in Kuala Lumpur, I got myself a well-known military watch from a famous Canadian brand, Marathon. The Marathon GSAR Government Diver Automatic WW194006 was purchased from Gnomon Watches of Singapore back in March 2020 (The link to that watch can be found here). That watch is a famous dive watch by Marathon. 

Another iconic design by Marathon is the GPM or General Purpose Mechanical model, a field watch. I decided to get one also and I chose the reference WW194003BK for the collection. This watch is a subject of this review.

This field watch is issued to entitled military personnel especially those serving with ground forces. A no-frill timepiece, the watch provide the two basic tenets of is specifications - accuracy and simplicity. The specifications is based on the US Government Standard MIL-W-46374 specifications which states that a timepiece fulfilling this standard must need to have: 15 jewels (or more) mechanical movement; at least 36 hours of power reserve; has a hacking mechanism; shock resistance; water resistance of at least 30 meters or more; have nylon straps; and have luminous hands and markers that have to glow for 8 hours or more in total darkness. There are other requirements but the one listed above are the primary ones under the standard.

Casio G-Shock G-SQUAD MOVE GBD-H1000-1A7 - Good First Attempt, A Review (plus Video)

Casio has done it again. The Casio G-Shock G-Squad Move GBD-H1000-1A7 is the next step in intelligent watches. Unlike the ubiquitous smartwatches by Apple, Samsung and many more, the Casio G-Shock G-Squad Move GBD-H1000-1A7 (or the GBD-H1000 for short) remains a watch as it core with additional functionalities to increase its capabilities.

Prior to this model, Casio launched the Casio Pro-Trek WSD-F series in 2016, designed for the great outdoors. This series has in its core the Google Wear OS which makes it a mini-computer for the wrist. Charging the watch was via a magnetic USB charging cable. A load of applications can be downloaded for all kinds of activities such as hiking, fishing and tracking. A touch screen makes it easy to manipulate and control the vast number of applications that can be uploaded. This particular model fits perfectly with the definition of a smartwatch.

In 2018, Casio launched the G-Shock Rangeman GPRB1000 series. This is basically a high-end hardcore G-Shock plus additional sensors such as the Bluetooth and GPS. Casio has taken a different approach on the GPRB1000 series compared to the Protrek WSD series. For the new generation Rangeman, Casio kept the 'watch' as the core instead of creating a 'smart watch'. This factor alone resonates strongly with fans. Casio also introduced a dual power charging system: the traditional solar photovoltaic cell as well as a wireless USB charging cradle.