Published:
Readtime: 4 min
Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here.
Host, actor, and rapper Action Bronson has unveiled his latest collaboration, and it’s not a pair of New Balance sneakers. Baklava has teamed up with watchmaker G-SHOCK to create a limited edition G-SHOCK GA2100 “Desert King” (USD$200) that will be released on Thursday, August 21st, at 10 a.m. EST at his website, specializinginlife.com.
The GA2100 carries the legacy of the brand’s most indestructible watches, including the original DW-5000 (1983), from which its octagonal bezel has been taken, and the AW-500 (1989), which the GA2100 channels through its minimal design. You’ll notice the inclusion of a Carbon Core Guard structure, designed to give maximum strength while keeping the slim and compact form factor intact. The result is a 48.5 mm × 45.4 mm × 13.2 mm that weighs just 53 grams.
No collaboration is complete without some branding, but we’re pleased that the two parties have restrained themselves from going overboard. You’ll find a small Baklava logo above the digital readout; another is on the caseback. Otherwise, it’s a fresh G-SHOCK colourway on a cloth strap, contrasting a desert tan case and bezel with a healthy dose of red on the watch’s functional elements. Combine this with a sharp price, limited edition hype, and a heritage brand, and it’s a great addition to any watch enthusiast’s collection.
- Case size (L× W× H): 48.5 × 45.4 × 13.2 mm
- Weight: 53 g
- Case and bezel material: Carbon / Resin
- Glass: Mineral Glass
- Band: Cloth
- Construction: Shock-resistant, Carbon Core Guard structure
- Water resistance: 200-meter water resistance
- Power supply and battery life: Approx. battery life: 3 years on SR726W X 2
- Functions:
- World time: 31 time zones (48 cities + coordinated universal time), daylight saving on/off
- Calendar: Full auto-calendar (to year 2099)
- Alarm/hourly time signal:
- 5 daily alarms
- Hourly time signal
- LED light colour: Red
- Accuracy: ±15 seconds per month
- Mute feature: Button operation tone on/off
- 12/24-hour format
- Hand shift feature (Hands move out of the way to provide an unobstructed view)
- Regular timekeeping:
- Analog: 2 hands (hour, minute (hand moves every 20 seconds)), one dial (day)
- Digital: Hour, minute, second, pm, month, date
We’ve always loved the three-dimensional molding of a G-SHOCK, but the GA2100 just takes that further with a dial that features a minute-mark-notched dial ring, three-dimensional index cuts, a mode dial, and an irregular-shaped LCD that’s seen here in red with red illumination. The dial design looks busy at first glance, but balances function thanks to the LCD readout. When that’s too basic, the watch has a two hand (hour, minute (hand moves every 20 seconds) function that resembles a traditional analogue piece.
The watch’s core (literally) is the Carbon Core Guard Structure. This carbon fibre-reinforced resin case protects the module, which is the watch’s movement, helping it tell the time. It’s traditionally fragile, but not in a G-SHOCK. It maintains a lightweight feel through a high-strength construction that offers superior weather resistance.
Design-wise, if you told us this was a Travis Scott collaboration, we’d probably believe you. The combination of desert tan with red functional elements and black highlights leans into the notion of the outdoors. Bronson has doubled down on the tactical advantages of a battery-operated watch like this GA2100, saying the watch is “ENGINEERED FOR THOSE WHO SEEK TO DISCOVER THE UNDISCOVERED,” in an Instagram post.
To get your hands on the Action Bronson Baklava G-SHOCK GA2100 “Desert King,” (USD$200) head to Bronsons specializinginlife.com website on August 21st, at 10 a.m. EST or 12 p.m. Thursday 21st AEST for residents here in Australia.
Comments
We love hearing from you. or to leave a comment.