G-Shock G-Steel GST-S330AC-3ADR - Watch Review
Every day tool watches for Everybody
G-Shock has always been known for its range of bright, resin tool watches. They’re perfect for pretty much any informal occasion. Whether you’re looking to add a dollop of colour and personality to your outfit or if you really need a reliable timekeeper in the field, there’s always something for everybody in the G-Shock line-up.
Having made digital/analogue tool watches for a good part of 35 years, it should go without saying that Casio has gotten pretty damn good at making these watches. Iconic and instantly recognizable, G-Shocks are in a league of their own when it comes to tough, reliable, functional and aesthetically striking digital tool watches.
A refined piece?
These watches may be many things, but refined isn’t exactly one of them—or is it? Well, enter the G-shock G-Steel GST-S330AC-3ADR. Quite a mouthful isn’t it? It’s the watch that answers the question: what if someone wanted a G-shock more than for its robustness and bright colours?
From a fashion standpoint (which, granted, was never the initial intention of these watches, but who can deny that G-Shocks are as much of a fashion icon as they are tool watches?) the GST-S330AC-3ADR is a handsome watch, blending the reliable toughness of G-Shocks into an aesthetic that’s much more refined and even smart, adding a nice touch of flair to anyone’s modern style. With its multi-faceted case in stainless steel and resin, a black textured Ion-plated (IP) bezel, contrasting gold fonts and hands, it’s a truly striking watch that’ll easily spruce up any outfit.
The Functions
In terms of functionality, the watch comes with an array of different useful functions; a 1/100th of a second chronograph, countdown timer, battery level indicator, as well as a full auto-calendar. All of these functions can be conveniently accessed via the ‘mode’ button at 8 O’clock. And as far as time-telling goes, like most G-shocks these days, it uses a combination of analogue and digital displays to tell the time. With the traditional hour and minute hands telling the time, the three subdials indicating the seconds, a second-time display of either home/local time, month, day and date. So pretty much all the info you will ever need at a quick glance. And if you couldn’t already guess it, all the other functions stated above are displayed via the 3 sub-dials as well.
The Movement
The GST-S330AC-3ADR is powered by Casio’s tough-solar movement, offering a battery with an operating lifespan of between 8 to 19 months without any exposure to sunlight on a full charge. It's an incredibly useful and reliable movement and with the solar charging, means that you won’t have to fret too much over replacing its battery every now and then. In addition to its features, the watch also has a clever ‘power-saving mode’ which switches off the digital displays automatically after the watch has been left in the dark for a period of time. Allowing for an extended battery lifespan when the watch is not in use or in the dark.
The Verdict
The GST-S330AC-3ADR is a great addition to the G-Shock line-up, giving itself a unique dimension, thanks to the inclusion of the leather strap, which is a rather nifty material on its own too—a hybrid of synthetic leather and wear-resistant resin. It gives the watch a really interesting look. It’s actually functional too, being pretty water-resistant and able to withstand significant abrasion with minimal scratching or damages done to the material. It is certainly as good-looking and tough as the watch it is attached to.
Despite all these refined features, however, the watch still is what it is underneath; robust, comfortable to wear and easy on the wrist. It’s still a true blue-blooded G-Shock that’s certainly worthy to be sitting in anyone’s collection. If you’re looking to add something refined, robust and stylistically unique to your wardrobe/collection, then the GST-S330AC-3ADR is certainly the watch to go for.
