Collecting Casio G Shock Watches

Watch collecting is a fairly new hobby, but one that many people get really excited about. One of the most popular type of watches to collect are Casio G-Shock watches. Not only because the G-Shocks are fantastic watches, but because there are so many limited edition colors and models out there.

Basically, Casio G-Shock watches are tough, durable watches that stand up to pretty much anything. People have frozen them in ice, boiled them in water, and dropped them from a roof down to concrete and the watch still worked like it was right out of the box! If you want to get your hands on some G-Shocks and start a collection, here's some guidelines.

Collect them because you like them, not because you want to resell them. There just isn't enough of a market yet for buying and reselling, so make sure that whatever G-Shock models you buy are ones that you really like, and will wear.

Set yourself a budget as to what you feel each watch is worth. There are no set prices for the different models, so basically they go for whatever the collector thinks they are worth. There are rarer, limited edition watches that will command a higher price. Do some research first and see what they tend to go for.

Know which ones you want, and which ones you don't. There is a ton of information about Casio G-shock watches online, from detailed histories of the brand to comprehensive lists of each and every model number and date of manufacture, to fan pages and forums. Look around and see which G-Shocks appeal to you, and build your collection around them. There are spreadsheets you can download from collector forums that list the start and end production dates, the original retail price, and model and module numbers. Information like this is essential if you want to collect.

The earliest Casios are made in Japan, and will say so on the watch, but they were also made in Taiwan, Korea, Malaysia and China. If you are just started your collection, don't worry too much about where the watch was made.

Beware of fakes, especially with newer G-shocks. Certain models, like the Frogman, have been copied a lot and there are many, many pseudo-Casios for sale on internet auction sites passing as real ones. Limited edition G-Shock watches are primarily dated from the 1990's onward, so if you are collecting pre-1990 Casios then you won't have a problem with fakes. Again, visit the collector's forums and download the spreadsheets so you have the real information at your fingertips.

Above all, be patient and picky in your searches. It's tempting to bid on every G-Shock you see on eBay, but it's better to choose carefully and wait for the models you really want to come around (and they always do, eventually). It will take longer, but you will have a better collection as a result.

Casio G-Shock watches are great to collect, because even the vintage ones will still work! Once you get your first few models, you'll be hooked...and well on your way to a stellar collection.