# New Casio Oceanus GPS hybrid



## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

Open this with Chrome browser:
???? - ?????GPS???????????? - OCEANUS - CASIO
There's quite a bit of detail if you click on all the links on that page. "Hybrid" seems to mean that it has both GPS and the normal 6-station RC that's in all the other Oceanus watches.

It's already on eBay for $2000+, apparently for immediate shipment.
New CASIO G-SHOCK OCEANUS GPS Hybrid Solar OCW-G1000-1AJF Mens Wrist Watch | eBay


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## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

chris01 said:


> Open this with Chrome browser:
> ???? - ?????GPS???????????? - OCEANUS - CASIO
> There's quite a bit of detail if you click on all the links on that page. "Hybrid" seems to mean that it has both GPS and the normal 6-station RC that's in all the other Oceanus watches.
> 
> ...


Chris< don't we have a thread for RC/GPS watch with this one in it? Running out the door so i have no time to search.


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## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

ronalddheld said:


> Chris< don't we have a thread for RC/GPS watch with this one in it? Running out the door so i have no time to search.


No, this is a completely new one. The earlier announcement was the (IMO) ugly G-Shock. Confusing, because the eBay item is incorrectly described. It's not a G-Shock, but an Oceanus, in the same style as all the other current Oceanus models. I haven't yet had time to check whether the two hybrids share the same time module.


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## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

Yes I now see it is a different model for approximately double the price. I wonder if the module is the same in both watches?


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## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

ronalddheld said:


> Yes I now see it is a different model for approximately double the price. I wonder if the module is the same in both watches?


G-Shock GPW-1000: 66 x 56 x 18.8 mm, 126g, JPY 100K = £600
Oceanus OCW-G1000: 51 x 46 x 14.7 mm, 106g, JPY 200K = £1200

It seems very likely that they use the same, or very similar, module, perhaps with minor differences in functionality. Can't find anything explicit, though.

This could push the Morgenwerk into a poor second place.


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## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

chris01 said:


> G-Shock GPW-1000: 66 x 56 x 18.8 mm, 126g, JPY 100K = £600
> Oceanus OCW-G1000: 51 x 46 x 14.7 mm, 106g, JPY 200K = £1200
> 
> It seems very likely that they use the same, or very similar, module, perhaps with minor differences in functionality. Can't find anything explicit, though.
> ...


Why? None of those Casios are TC, and IMO the looks are worse.
Module 5410 for the WaveCeptor.


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## artec (Oct 31, 2006)

I entirely agree with RonaldHeld on whether the Oceanus is preferable to the Morgenwerk. The MW is much better-looking (I know, opinion, that's mine!), much cleaner dial, though obviously less information, TC, and size, at least the MW001. On the other hand, the Oceanus, it seems, is either here already or will be very shortly.
Good for Casio, anyway, though that one's not on my list.


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## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

artec said:


> I entirely agree with RonaldHeld on whether the Oceanus is preferable to the Morgenwerk. The MW is much better-looking (I know, opinion, that's mine!), much cleaner dial, though obviously less information, TC, and size, at least the MW001. On the other hand, the Oceanus, it seems, is either here already or will be very shortly.
> Good for Casio, anyway, though that one's not on my list.


The MW1 seems generally neater than the Oceanus, but I worry about the two 'blisters' for the antenna. We shall see. I don't think there's much difference in size, as they mention 43mm diameter for the bezel. Maybe the 46mm includes the crown. Much, much smaller than the G-Shock. Interesting to see that the GPS antenna is a small square object that sits under the solar cell.

I really like the Oceanus range, having two already, and I might just go for the GPS and sell one of the others.


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## dicioccio (Jul 14, 2011)

I am happy to see Casio entered the fight for GPS watches: this is a good thing for we, the customers, because we'll have more options.

I don't know anyway why generally Casio Oceanus line is so underestimated, even by a lot of users here at WUS: I have one and I can assure the finish is the top and it works flawlessy.

The style is a matter of taste of course and I would prefer a cleaner dial, such as the new Citizen GPS.

The great issue with all these GPS wristwatches is anyway the size which is always too much for me, especially the thickness. About the Morgenwerk, I read a lot of discussions about it but the truth is that no-one has yet seen it...


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## migo (Jun 4, 2006)

Is there any mention of Tough Movement? With a GPS/RC watch having the hands knocked out of alignment would be really annoying without self correction. With a TC watch at least you can just adjust the time so it's right (assuming the movement is otherwise still functional).


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## everose (Jan 15, 2010)

I'm almost certain all three recently announced Casio GPS Hybrid models share the same* module including the MR-G version. (*i don't think the Oceanus has the LED light though) I think its no bad thing that Casio are introducing a choice of style, design, finishing and pricing for their new GPS/RC module.

(MR-G image from ablogtowatch)












migo said:


> Is there any mention of Tough Movement?


Yes they have them.


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## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

Given what I see I would prefer the Astron.


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## artec (Oct 31, 2006)

In one of the sections of the first link provided by Chris I think there is a brief mention of "tough solar", though the rather peculiar English makes difficult to know what is meant.

I don't know whether the English version of the text on the Casio site is the result of computer translation or someone's idea of contemporary English, but it could do with some help, couldn't it? It's not impossible to figure out the meaning, as it is in some sets of instructions, for example, but it seems surprising to me that they don't hire someone to tidy up the language.


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## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

artec said:


> In one of the sections of the first link provided by Chris I think there is a brief mention of "tough solar", though the rather peculiar English makes difficult to know what is meant.
> 
> I don't know whether the English version of the text on the Casio site is the result of computer translation or someone's idea of contemporary English, but it could do with some help, couldn't it? It's not impossible to figure out the meaning, as it is in some sets of instructions, for example, but it seems surprising to me that they don't hire someone to tidy up the language.


The 'tough movement' is Casio's term for a movement that is supposed to check the hand positioning at regular intervals, and to adjust them to zero if they've been knocked out of alignment. The solar bit is obvious. One thing I dislike about my Oceanus S100 is "TOUGH MOVT." in the centre of the dial. Completely unnecessary.

Don't blame Casio (or me) for the mangled English. It depends on which automated translation you use. I use Chrome browser, as it will translate pages on the fly. Unfortunately there are frequent instances of text being presented as a graphic, which can't be translated. I have never seen any pure English text from Casio about the Oceanus range.

BTW, I asked Higuchi for a price - not bad at all - and he says it will be available in October.


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## TobusRex (Apr 18, 2014)

Wow, those Oceanus models are stunning.


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## dicioccio (Jul 14, 2011)

chris01 said:


> The 'tough movement' is Casio's term for a movement that is supposed to check the hand positioning at regular intervals, and to adjust them to zero if they've been knocked out of alignment. The solar bit is obvious. One thing I dislike about my Oceanus S100 is "TOUGH MOVT." in the centre of the dial. Completely unnecessary.
> 
> Don't blame Casio (or me) for the mangled English. It depends on which automated translation you use. I use Chrome browser, as it will translate pages on the fly. Unfortunately there are frequent instances of text being presented as a graphic, which can't be translated. I have never seen any pure English text from Casio about the Oceanus range.
> 
> BTW, I asked Higuchi for a price - not bad at all - and he says it will be available in October.


As I wrote, I see many users that have not a great opinion of these Oceanus watches and, in my very personal opinion, it's more a matter of brand awareness rather than something related to a true analysis of the product quality. Probably, if Casio would have invested a lot more on their top of the range line they would have earned a better reputation. I see a lot of people talking about the quality of Seiko GS or The Citizens but I don't see all that difference with the Oceanus models. Probably Casio positioned its brand in a lower segment, far from luxury market and this contributed a lot to this "underestimation". It's the power of marketing...

@Chris: I dislike the "tough mvt." in the center of the dial, maybe a "superlative chronometer official certified" would have made the watch more desirable (you know what I mean)


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## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

dicioccio said:


> As I wrote, I see many users that have not a great opinion of these Oceanus watches and, in my very personal opinion, it's more a matter of brand awareness rather than something related to a true analysis of the product quality. Probably, if Casio would have invested a lot more on their top of the range line they would have earned a better reputation. I see a lot of people talking about the quality of Seiko GS or The Citizens but I don't see all that difference with the Oceanus models. Probably Casio positioned its brand in a lower segment, far from luxury market and this contributed a lot to this "underestimation". It's the power of marketing...
> 
> @Chris: I dislike the "tough mvt." in the center of the dial, maybe a "superlative chronometer official certified" would have made the watch more desirable (you know what I mean)


When they sold the Oceanus range in the US, Casio dropped their own name from the dial. A wise move, but the marketing was probably lacking, so Oceanus was never a significant brand. In Japan, they're proud of who they are.

I find all this descriptive text just plain silly. Brand name only is quite sufficient, even if you do sell very expensive automatics. The Japanese are obsessive about this stuff on many consumer goods, sometimes using completely meaningless English phrases.


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## ken_sturrock (Oct 24, 2010)

chris01 said:


> ...The Japanese are obsessive about this stuff on many consumer goods, sometimes using completely meaningless English phrases.


Any excuse to trot out my favorite non-watch picture ever posted to WUS:


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## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

ken_sturrock said:


> Any excuse to trot out my favorite non-watch picture ever posted to WUS:


Can't argue with that!


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## dicioccio (Jul 14, 2011)

What the hell does that mean ????


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## artec (Oct 31, 2006)

Having owned examples of all three, Oceanus (though obviously not the latest one), GS and The Citizen, I can't agree with dicioccio about the relative positions of the three on the Quality scale. It's not so much the physical finish that loses ground on the Casio as it is the design. It's fussier, not as clean; not as much effort seems to have gone into perfecting the symmetry and internal relationships. There's an element of taste, as opposed to opinion, in any opinion on this topic, but the Oceanus designers seem to have been looking for little bits of this or that to add, rather than making efforts to clean things up. 
If the Oceanus' market position is a bit lower than those of the other two, I think it's more because of the products than anything else.


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## dicioccio (Jul 14, 2011)

My dear artec, this is exactly what I am saying for a long time: you are confusing quality with design.

The quality is simply the fit and finish, the use of high quality materials and the care for technical advanced solutions. It is something that can measured and is objective and not personal, nothing more nothing less.

When you talk about the design, the balance of the elements, the symmetry: you can call it "opinion" or you can call it "taste" but it is subjective and personal.

You cannot deny this and for sure I am not interpreting anything.

Let's apply this, for example, to Rolex: the design of a Rolex watch is generally great but often the quality is not so great. Therefore many times I think that the price is justified only by the marketing done by Rolex and not by the intrinsic quality of the watch.

Not let's move to Casio: the Oceanus line is technlogically very advanced, by far the best of any RC watch. It has by far the best movements completely fly by wire, with excellent reception, great functionality and perfect hands alignment. It simply has nothing less than the other manufacturers and some (if not a lot) more features. The materials used are titanium with excellent coating (equal is not better than the others), sapphire crystals with anti reflecting coating and a very strong and durable lume that no other (GS and Citizens) have. The polish of the surfaces is excellent and the bracelet has very strong links that, after one year of hard use, didn't move by a micron.

These elements compose the quality of the product and they can be measured.

The desing is a completely different story. You can like it or not, you can love the symmetry or the lack of symmetry and so on and so on.

But the design cannot justify at all why my OCWS100 cost nothing more than 500$ while a GS or a Citizen are nothing more than 2000$. So I ask you: where are these 1500$ of difference ? Can you really spend so much for a GS that has no perpetual calendar and no independent hour hand, with has no or a very weak lume (just to say 3 important characteristics) ? The lack of design can be discussed and can be a matter of taste and arguable. But the lack of functions and the measurement of the quality is not a matter of taste and is objective.

That is why, at the end of this long post, why I don't understand the positions of the people like you that continue to use the design to justify the difference of price while the quality is at least the same. I would like to know your position about many strange watches with very questionable designs that are sold for more than 10000$: would you still talk about desing now that you don't like it anymore ?


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## Fer Guzman (Feb 10, 2012)

^ I have owned 2 MRGs, 1 oceanus, and own a chronomaster. You cannot compare the quality between the lower end oceanus and a $2k GS or Chronomaster everything about it is lower in quality. Even comparing the quality of an MRG-8100B I can tell you the coating of the titanium on my chronomaster was better, the lume was much better, the hands seemed a little better in quality, and parts of the bracelet where much better quality. 

I wouldn't expect an Oceanus to be at the same level as a GS or Chronomaster because it's cheaper, but an MRG is more expensive and was a tad behind in quality I thought. Having functions is also subjective because not everyone cares about certain functions.


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## dicioccio (Jul 14, 2011)

Fer Guzman said:


> ^ I have owned 2 MRGs, 1 oceanus, and own a chronomaster. You cannot compare the quality between the lower end oceanus and a $2k GS or Chronomaster everything about it is lower in quality. Even comparing the quality of an MRG-8100B I can tell you the coating of the titanium on my chronomaster was better, the lume was much better, the hands seemed a little better in quality, and parts of the bracelet where much better quality.
> 
> I wouldn't expect an Oceanus to be at the same level as a GS or Chronomaster because it's cheaper, but an MRG is more expensive and was a tad behind in quality I thought. Having functions is also subjective because not everyone cares about certain functions.


I respect your opinion but I disagree. Anyway I was comparing the Oceanus line with GS and The Chronomaster. The MRG G-Shock is another kind of watch.


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## Fer Guzman (Feb 10, 2012)

^the MRG line is more expensive than the Oceanus line therefore the build quality can be expected to be better, and I've had an Oceanus and it isn't GS or chronomaster quality. For example, lume on Casios, any casio, is way behind the lume on GS or the chronomaster that has lume.


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## Igorek (Jul 10, 2009)

Lately Casio have been doing very cool looking watches and I am not talking only about Oceanus but also Casio Edifice line, i dont see anything nice from Citizen nor Seiko.


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## Doggonit (Nov 22, 2014)

I love my Casio G-Shock GW4000-1A2. It's a great watch and Casio did a fine job designing the line. However, these Oceanus watches though beautiful, are marred by the overly fussy dial with too much text (yes, writing... not just necessary indications) on them. The "Global Positoning System" in the lower right quadrant is jarring and hideous, besmirching an otherwise quite attractive watch that I wouldn't mind having if they made a few changes to it. And heck, it's DLC coated! So nice but not nice enough!

And whats with the P/A indicator? What on earth does that refer to? And why did they have to mess up the day indicator so badly? There is an empty spot between Saturday and Sunday! Why did they put it on a subdial divided amongst eight points!? Insanity!


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## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

Doggonit said:


> I love my Casio G-Shock GW4000-1A2. It's a great watch and Casio did a fine job designing the line. However, these Oceanus watches though beautiful, are marred by the overly fussy dial with too much text (yes, writing... not just necessary indications) on them. The "Global Positoning System" in the lower right quadrant is jarring and hideous, besmirching an otherwise quite attractive watch that I wouldn't mind having if they made a few changes to it. And heck, it's DLC coated! So nice but not nice enough!
> 
> And whats with the P/A indicator? What on earth does that refer to? And why did they have to mess up the day indicator so badly? There is an empty spot between Saturday and Sunday! Why did they put it on a subdial divided amongst eight points!? Insanity!


Well, it's a good job that you haven't bought one. If you read the manual for the Casio 5412 module, the multi-function (including DoW) sub-dial is described, and it makes perfect sense to me. As does the 24-hour AM/PM indicator. DLC is on the black versions only, and I'm not sure whether you think that's a good or bad thing. I agree, however, that, in common with many Oceanus models, they do have a tendency to put too many words on their dials. "GPS" would have been sufficient. But have a look at a few Rolex dials if you want "jarring and hideous". The only deal-breakers I have with the OCW-G1000 are the size and the warranty issues.


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## artec (Oct 31, 2006)

I've just had a better look at the new Casio hybrid on Ebay and, for the first time, found the measurements. However, they were given as 46.6 (I think) x 51mm (I think!). I don't know, and it didn't say, which of these was diameter and which lug-to-lug, but I assume that the diameter was the 46.6mm. That's not as big as the first generation of the Seiko or Citizen GPS models but it's a lot bigger than the present generation...and, for my money, much too big. And while all the information on the dial makes sense and is doubtless useful, it does look fussy. I think the Astron is more neatly arranged, though nearly as complicated. This is largely a matter of taste, though, so some people will like it and others may not.

To my surprise, though, it's more expensive than the nearer competitor, the Astron. Is that difference in price justified by the extra RC capability? I'm not in the market but I think, if I were, I would want the Casio as my main watch and the automatic correction would be worth the extra few bucks. Neither of the other two can offer any automatic correction, either by GPS or by radio.


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## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

artec said:


> I've just had a better look at the new Casio hybrid on Ebay and, for the first time, found the measurements. However, they were given as 46.6 (I think) x 51mm (I think!). I don't know, and it didn't say, which of these was diameter and which lug-to-lug, but I assume that the diameter was the 46.6mm. That's not as big as the first generation of the Seiko or Citizen GPS models but it's a lot bigger than the present generation...and, for my money, much too big. And while all the information on the dial makes sense and is doubtless useful, it does look fussy. I think the Astron is more neatly arranged, though nearly as complicated. This is largely a matter of taste, though, so some people will like it and others may not.
> 
> To my surprise, though, it's more expensive than the nearer competitor, the Astron. Is that difference in price justified by the extra RC capability? I'm not in the market but I think, if I were, I would want the Casio as my main watch and the automatic correction would be worth the extra few bucks. Neither of the other two can offer any automatic correction, either by GPS or by radio.


Completely agree with your first paragraph.

Pricing - here are the best prices I've found:
Citizen F100 - £925 (tax paid) from local UK AD (UK list £1095)
Astron Chrono - £1550 (tax paid) from German AD - the one I'm getting (German list €2400/£1890)
Oceanus GPS - £1225 from a well-known Japanese supplier. I've added 25% to his price for shipping, UK tax, and courier's tax collection fee (Japanese list ¥200K/£1150 + tax) 
So for me the Oceanus is an attractive price, and would be my first choice on functionality, but size and JDM warranty excludes it.

Edit: just reread your last sentence -- the Astron will do automatic time correction from GPS, if the conditions are just right.


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## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

I do not care for the dial layout. All of those GPS watch are large by dress watch standards.


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## artec (Oct 31, 2006)

Chris01

You may be right, and I'm missing something, but I have the Astron book on my desk as I type this and I can't find anything that says the watch will do an automatic time correction. Under timezone adjustment (pages 13 and 14), it says ".....precise current time by just one button operation*" (The * refers to DST can only be set manually). Detailed instructions follow broken into 4 steps.

On the next two pages are instructions for manual time zone selection, in 3 steps. No buttons, just the crown. Then two pages on DST.

Then, on pages 19 and 20, manual time adjustment. Detailed instructions are given, again a 4 steps, starting with pressing the top left (11 o'clock) button....Nothing that I can see that says or implies that the watch will correct the time without input from the wearer.

What did I miss? I hope I'm wrong and yours will auto-correct! If I am and it does, I'll be glad to learn of it because presumably mine will, too!


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## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

artec said:


> Chris01
> 
> You may be right, and I'm missing something, but I have the Astron book on my desk as I type this and I can't find anything that says the watch will do an automatic time correction. Under timezone adjustment (pages 13 and 14), it says ".....precise current time by just one button operation*" (The * refers to DST can only be set manually). Detailed instructions follow broken into 4 steps.
> 
> ...


I have two downloaded PDF books: the 8X82 Handy Manual (18 pages) and the 8X82 Complete User Guide (59 pages). If your printed manual is different there are links to both on this page: Instructions (English) | SEIKO WATCH CORPORATION

*Handy Manual*
p.3-4 _Features _- see top right third box headed "Automatic time adjustment function"
p.31 _Specification _- see 8. GPS signal reception function ....
... Time zone adjustment, manual time adjustment, automatic time adjustment

*Complete User Guide*
p.4 _Features _- again, the top right box headed "Automatic time adjustment function"
This box also refers to p.24 _Automatic time adjustment_, where the process is described in some detail
p.57 _Specification _- repeats the info in the Handy Manual

Throughout, both books refer to automatic and manual time setting as alternative methods.
So I sincerely hope that you are completely wrong, otherwise I'm going to be very disappointed!

Just a thought - I assume we're both talking about manual and automatic adjustment of the *current local time*.
Time Zone from GPS has to be requested by pressing a button (or set manually), and DST is a purely manual function.


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## artec (Oct 31, 2006)

Good for you....I'm wrong and the Handy Manual does say that the Astron automatically adjusts its time reading when it "...senses sufficient brightness under an open sky...". I suppose when it senses a certain level of brightness it looks for a satellite. How often it does this in practice I don't know...and I guess I shan't find out because I'd have to wear it and I'm not going to. I know I'll be selling it in due course and I want to be able to say, truthfully, that I've never worn it. I didn't know there was a "Complete User Guide"; mine only came with the "Handy Manual".
I shall be very interested to read of your experiences, how often yours adjusts itself without help and so on. I did notice that mine, even un-worn and sitting on the dining-room table, was a lot closer to dead-on than the F100....which is supposed to run 5 sec per month versus 15 sec a month for an un-corrected Astron.
And in answer to your final paragraph, yes, we are, and yes, DST is manual only.


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## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

artec said:


> Good for you....I'm wrong and the Handy Manual does say that the Astron automatically adjusts its time reading when it "...senses sufficient brightness under an open sky...". I suppose when it senses a certain level of brightness it looks for a satellite. How often it does this in practice I don't know...and I guess I shan't find out because I'd have to wear it and I'm not going to. I know I'll be selling it in due course and I want to be able to say, truthfully, that I've never worn it. I didn't know there was a "Complete User Guide"; mine only came with the "Handy Manual".
> I shall be very interested to read of your experiences, how often yours adjusts itself without help and so on. I did notice that mine, even un-worn and sitting on the dining-room table, was a lot closer to dead-on than the F100....which is supposed to run 5 sec per month versus 15 sec a month for an un-corrected Astron.
> And in answer to your final paragraph, yes, we are, and yes, DST is manual only.


Glad to have cleared that up. How strange that you didn't get a full manual for such a complicated watch. I will report back when I get mine and have had the time to test everything.


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## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

If i did not sync my Astron for over 24 hours, when I went outside on a bright enough day, the watch would start to acquire GPS data.


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## lipjam (Apr 15, 2015)

Neither are the diameter. Casio give watch measurements based on lug to lug (51mm) and crown to side (46.6mm) so the diameter is going to be a smaller value. I have an older Oceanus (m700) and I was surprised how small it was. Much smaller in the flesh than the pictures online suggest. They also have a a claim to be the thinnest watches with radio controlled timing although the new GPS ones are thicker due to the extra tech that goes into this feature. I do agree with the others about the overly busy faces though. I need my glasses to read all the subdials. Suppose I need an aviation watch at my age as my eyesight starts to fail.


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## lipjam (Apr 15, 2015)

Sorry meant to reply with original quote. Hope you guys can forgive for repeating myself but makes better sense this way.


lipjam said:


> Neither are the diameter. Casio give watch measurements based on lug to lug (51mm) and crown to side (46.6mm) so the diameter is going to be a smaller value. I have an older Oceanus (m700) and I was surprised how small it was. Much smaller in the flesh than the pictures online suggest. They also have a a claim to be the thinnest watches with radio controlled timing although the new GPS ones are thicker due to the extra tech that goes into this feature. I do agree with the others about the overly busy faces though. I need my glasses to read all the subdials. Suppose I need an aviation watch at my age as my eyesight starts to fail.





artec said:


> I've just had a better look at the new Casio hybrid on Ebay and, for the first time, found the measurements. However, they were given as 46.6 (I think) x 51mm (I think!). I don't know, and it didn't say, which of these was diameter and which lug-to-lug, but I assume that the diameter was the 46.6mm. That's not as big as the first generation of the Seiko or Citizen GPS models but it's a lot bigger than the present generation...and, for my money, much too big. And while all the information on the dial makes sense and is doubtless useful, it does look fussy. I think the Astron is more neatly arranged, though nearly as complicated. This is largely a matter of taste, though, so some people will like it and others may not.
> 
> To my surprise, though, it's more expensive than the nearer competitor, the Astron. Is that difference in price justified by the extra RC capability? I'm not in the market but I think, if I were, I would want the Casio as my main watch and the automatic correction would be worth the extra few bucks. Neither of the other two can offer any automatic correction, either by GPS or by radio.


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## lipjam (Apr 15, 2015)

Another thing forgot to mention is the lack of light. Maybe the others manufacturers don't have them either but for my money I would expect one as was previously stated the lume is not great. I think the new ones have some sort of LED backlight that makes the face glow a cool blue but as I do not have one of the newer models I would be grateful if this could be confirmed.


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## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

A special treat for all Oceanus fans: listen to their 10th anniversary song. Open the link with Chrome browser to get the translated lyrics. Enjoy!

10th Anniversary SPECIAL SONG - OCEANUS 10th Anniversary - OCEANUS | ????? - CASIO

No, I couldn't make any sense of it, either.


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## artec (Oct 31, 2006)

Not much the wiser even after the translation! Still, I don't know of anyone else in the watch world that offers us a song.


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## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

artec said:


> Not much the wiser even after the translation! Still, I don't know of anyone else in the watch world that offers us a song.


There were definitely some time-related references in there but too obscure for me. I can imagine all the happy Oceanus workers lining up every morning for a song before work. Perhaps we need our own HAQ anthem ... or not!


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## Barn0081 (Jan 30, 2015)

lipjam said:


> Another thing forgot to mention is the lack of light. Maybe the others manufacturers don't have them either but for my money I would expect one as was previously stated the lume is not great. I think the new ones have some sort of LED backlight that makes the face glow a cool blue but as I do not have one of the newer models I would be grateful if this could be confirmed.


Nope, no led light,but the lume is fantastic.


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## lipjam (Apr 15, 2015)

Barn0081 said:


> Nope, no led light,but the lume is fantastic.


Thanks for confirming. Goodness you should know that is a fantastic collection of Oceanus you have. Which is your favorite?


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## hughesyn (Oct 9, 2014)

Moving slightly off topic, I like the Casio Oceanus OCW-S100-1AJF.
It looks like Casio's Grand Seiko!
Radio Controlled and solar, robust but smart looking. I don't know how easy they are to find though.


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## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

hughesyn said:


> Moving slightly off topic, I like the Casio Oceanus OCW-S100-1AJF.
> It looks like Casio's Grand Seiko!
> Radio Controlled and solar, robust but smart looking. I don't know how easy they are to find though.


Yes, my favourite travel watch - reliable sync where available, simple time zone adjustment, light, comfortable, good lume, and not conspicuous. Not sold officially outside Japan, but you can find them on eBay, from the two or three well-known Japanese dealers, and from Rakuten, etc.

One day, GPS watches will be as good as this.


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## G. I. (Feb 28, 2015)

Is that really 'Tough movement' title on the dial? MUAHAHAHA


----------



## hughesyn (Oct 9, 2014)

G. I. said:


> Is that really 'Tough movement' title on the dial? MUAHAHAHA


It makes more sense than the GS with 'Magnetic Resistant 40000 A/m' written on it.


----------



## dicioccio (Jul 14, 2011)

Like chris, I have the OCW-S100 and, for me, it's really a great watch. The look is a bit sporty and futuristic but not too weird.

From a pure functional point of view is simply wonderful: a true wear-and-forget watch.

You can also find it on Rakuten where probably you could buy it at a better price than from eBay.

I hope soon the GPS watches will be as this model...


----------



## lipjam (Apr 15, 2015)

G. I. said:


> Is that really 'Tough movement' title on the dial? MUAHAHAHA










No tough Mvt
Not even Casio... He he he he...


----------



## Barn0081 (Jan 30, 2015)

lipjam said:


> Thanks for confirming. Goodness you should know that is a fantastic collection of Oceanus you have. Which is your favorite?


I would say my top 3 would be ...

OCW-S3001C-1AJF









OCW-G1000B-1A2JF









AD-714 200 M









although i love them all


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## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

G. I. said:


> Is that really 'Tough movement' title on the dial? MUAHAHAHA


Ridiculous, isn't it, the way the childish Japanese plaster their consumer goods with inane techno-babble.

You'd never see the sensible Swiss do that.


----------



## tmathes (Jan 11, 2013)

chris01 said:


> Ridiculous, isn't it, the way the childish Japanese plaster their consumer goods with inane techno-babble.
> 
> You'd never see the sensible Swiss do that.


The Rolex IS better, it's "superlative". Sez so right on the dial!


----------



## dicioccio (Jul 14, 2011)

Not to mention it has ORIGINAL GAS ESCAPE VALVE and RING LOCK SYSTEM...

Woa !!!


----------



## Nightwind (May 10, 2015)

Hi my humble Astron SAST17 automatically sets time daily (and adjusts for seconds). The watch will do this once a day and will go back to the last time it successfully did an automatic sync with the GPS and use this as a proxy to determine when to do the next GPS sync. I know this because i step out of the house at 8;05am every morn and i can see it doing the automatic sync.

GPS sync takes alot of energy. As a benchmark my Garmin forerunner can last max 7-8hours before it depletes its charge (which is sufficient for my runs). So the Astron manages this in a very intelligent manner by doing a sync once a day. Even with this once a day sync, the error factor of the Astron is 1 second every 100,000 years. Additionally, to preserve the longevity of the battery, the Astron has 2 batteries. One is depleted completely before it is charged again to reduce charge cycles (and extend battery life), while the watch switches to the second backup battery.

If you cross a timezone, you will need to do a manual adjustment and press the button once to get a lock on 4 sattelites. But if you stay in the same time zone, the adjustment sync is automatic and it needs i think only 2 sattelites for second updates.

I tested the Astron by leaving it in the dark for 3 days so sleep mode was activated and the watch powered down. When i put it on and walked out of the house, within less than a minute the Astron automatically adjusted date, time, year, seconds. I did not have to press any buttons. It did all this automatically.

I simply love this watch and it looks so good. And the titanium feels great on naked flesh. I hope that lays your queries to rest. 

If you bought your Astron from a authorised Seiko agent, it will come with box and papers and full manual as well as a CD. But to be honest you dont need it. The watch is so intelligent you can just wear it and forget about it. In the past 2 years i have never ever had to press a button to make any adjustments. Except for the rare occasions when i cross time zones.



artec said:


> Good for you....I'm wrong and the Handy Manual does say that the Astron automatically adjusts its time reading when it "...senses sufficient brightness under an open sky...". I suppose when it senses a certain level of brightness it looks for a satellite. How often it does this in practice I don't know...and I guess I shan't find out because I'd have to wear it and I'm not going to. I know I'll be selling it in due course and I want to be able to say, truthfully, that I've never worn it. I didn't know there was a "Complete User Guide"; mine only came with the "Handy Manual".
> I shall be very interested to read of your experiences, how often yours adjusts itself without help and so on. I did notice that mine, even un-worn and sitting on the dining-room table, was a lot closer to dead-on than the F100....which is supposed to run 5 sec per month versus 15 sec a month for an un-corrected Astron.
> And in answer to your final paragraph, yes, we are, and yes, DST is manual only.


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## Alansmithee (Aug 8, 2014)

dicioccio said:


> Like chris, I have the OCW-S100 and, for me, it's really a great watch. The look is a bit sporty and futuristic but not too weird.
> 
> From a pure functional point of view is simply wonderful: a true wear-and-forget watch.
> 
> ...


Just to add in - I have watches worth much more but this is my go-to day to day watch plus my wife loves it more than any others - it just ticks every box.


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## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

Nightwind said:


> Hi my humble Astron SAST17 automatically sets time daily (and adjusts for seconds). The watch will do this once a day and will go back to the last time it successfully did an automatic sync with the GPS and use this as a proxy to determine when to do the next GPS sync. I know this because i step out of the house at 8;05am every morn and i can see it doing the automatic sync.
> 
> GPS sync takes alot of energy. As a benchmark my Garmin forerunner can last max 7-8hours before it depletes its charge (which is sufficient for my runs). So the Astron manages this in a very intelligent manner by doing a sync once a day. Even with this once a day sync, the error factor of the Astron is 1 second every 100,000 years. Additionally, to preserve the longevity of the battery, the Astron has 2 batteries. One is depleted completely before it is charged again to reduce charge cycles (and extend battery life), while the watch switches to the second backup battery.
> 
> ...


WHy is this Astron post in this thread?


----------



## csdkw0 (Sep 8, 2015)

Barn0081 said:


> I would say my top 3 would be ...
> 
> OCW-S3001C-1AJF
> 
> ...


Hi,

I have a number of questions concerning the OCW-G1000B-1A2JF (Oceanus hybrid GPS black/gold).

1. is the entire watch DLC coated ?
2. is the DLC coating quality comparable to the MRG-G1000B ?
3. how does the backplane attach to the case (screw-in,press-fit) ?
4. there is no backlight ?
5. there are no alarm sounds ?
6. is the warranty inferior to the MRG ? GPW ? MTG-G ?
7. besides backligt,alarm... are there other concessions/lost features to the other hybrid GPS lines

Regards,


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## Sibe (Apr 12, 2007)

There is also a new GPS Oceanus, OCW-G1100

Press Release Japanese

translated


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## hughesyn (Oct 9, 2014)

Sibe said:


> There is also a new GPS Oceanus, OCW-G1100
> 
> Press Release Japanese
> 
> translated


Looks good.
However, list price the same as The Citizen, I know where my money would go. Not that I really need another one...


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## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

none of us "need" another watch....


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## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

Sibe said:


> There is also a new GPS Oceanus, OCW-G1100
> 
> Press Release Japanese
> 
> translated


Unfortunately they haven't made it any smaller than the G1000 model. In fact, it's slightly thicker.


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## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

ronalddheld said:


> none of us "need" another watch....


Nonsense. Many people have at least one empty space in their watch box. Watch collectors, just like Nature, abhor a vacuum.


----------



## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

chris01 said:


> Nonsense. Many people have at least one empty space in their watch box. Watch collectors, just like Nature, abhor a vacuum.


I can agree with that.


----------



## igna (Nov 6, 2014)

ronalddheld said:


> none of us "need" another watch....





chris01 said:


> Nonsense. Many people have at least one empty space in their watch box. Watch collectors, just like Nature, abhor a vacuum.


room ≠ need


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## Sibe (Apr 12, 2007)

chris01 said:


> Unfortunately they haven't made it any smaller than the G1000 model. In fact, it's slightly thicker.


yeah, but it has the new fast motors for the sub dial and the 24 hour stop watch with 1 second resolution (like the new MTG G1000, which has of course also light, alarm and so on)

I wonder if there will be a MRG G1100 with the new motors?


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## Sibe (Apr 12, 2007)

more pictures and video of the new Oceanus OCW-G1000


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## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

Sibe said:


> yeah, but it has the new fast motors for the sub dial and the 24 hour stop watch with 1 second resolution (like the new MTG G1000, which has of course also light, alarm and so on)
> 
> I wonder if there will be a MRG G1100 with the new motors?


Like all the Citizens & Seikos, it's still too damn big. Knock off about 10% in each dimension and I'd have one.

It does look a fair bit neater and less busy than the older model. I like it.


----------



## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

Sibe said:


> more pictures and video of the new Oceanus OCW-G1000


Here's the English version of the Oceanus web site. I expect that it will get updated for the new model fairly soon:

OCEANUS - CASIO


----------



## A380 (Nov 20, 2013)

hughesyn said:


> Looks good.
> However, list price the same as The Citizen, I know where my money would go. Not that I really need another one...


Yes, it would go to the OCEANUS, as it is more than a match in quality, and it looks better.


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## gangrel (Jun 25, 2015)

LIst might be the same, but street price is MUCH lower. But much too bulky for my taste, and too busy.


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## Tom-HK (Jan 6, 2015)

A380 said:


> Yes, it would go to the OCEANUS, as it is more than a match in quality, and it looks better.


Looks are subjective, of course, but I have yet to see a side-by-side review of an Oceanus and a The Citizen that compares their 'quality'. I haven't got an Oceanus (I wouldn't mind one, though), but I have a The Citizen and whilst I may moan a bit about it not being as well finished in some respects as my Grand Seiko, I would still say its build and engineering quality is superb.


----------



## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

This just becomes another "mine's better than yours" argument, but one based on chalk and cheese. It is difficult to imagine two quartz watches that are less comparable in technology, features, appearance, size, and almost everything else. Buy the one you like but there's no need to denigrate the one you don't like.


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## A380 (Nov 20, 2013)

Tom-HK said:


> Looks are subjective, of course, but I have yet to see a side-by-side review of an Oceanus and a The Citizen that compares their 'quality'. I haven't got an Oceanus (I wouldn't mind one, though), but I have a The Citizen and whilst I may moan a bit about it not being as well finished in some respects as my Grand Seiko, I would still say its build and engineering quality is superb.


I think you won't regret a 3000 series Oceanus.


----------



## wbird (Feb 25, 2015)

What Citizen is being compared to the Casio?


----------



## Tom-HK (Jan 6, 2015)

wbird said:


> What Citizen is being compared to the Casio?


Their 5 SPY, thermocompensated 'The Citizen' (formerly 'Chronomaster') line.


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## gangrel (Jun 25, 2015)

And I rarely like multiple sub-dials, time zone markings around the bezel, and other clutter elements, so the Oceanus 3000 doesn't appeal. Then again, it's actually kind of hard to find a higher-end GPS watch that isn't overly busy for my taste. I think the Ciitzen F150 might be the closest. Mind...the blue/black combination of the Oceanus is interesting. I'm just going through a minimalist phase.


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## wbird (Feb 25, 2015)

The chronomaster vs Oceanus didn't see that one coming. I thought it was Oceanus vs Sat Wave vs Astron.

The gps battle would be more interesting, been looking at the Casio a lot because it has one feature I like that the others don't. It apparently has an algorithm that automatically adjusts for daylight savings time, after adjusting based on gps sync.


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## dicioccio (Jul 14, 2011)

Hello, I have some questions regarding this watch

1. Does the watch know the timezone where it is (same as Seiko Astron GPS) or does it not (same as the Citizen GPS where you have to tell the watch the timezone) ?
2. Does the watch use the combination of correction given by the GPS signal and the correction given by the radio signal to develop some kind of "auto recalibration algorythm" in order to gain a better accuracy when NOT corrected by GPS / RC ?
3. Does a correction given by a GPS signal able to tell the watch if the DST is ON or OFF ? I already know that if the correction is given by RC, the DST is automatically set.
4. Does anybody know if the GPS correction is faster than the Seiko GPS or faster than the most recent Citizen GPS (CC3000) ?
5. Which is the claimed accuracy without any GPS/RC correction ?

Thanks in advance for any useful info !!!


----------



## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

dicioccio said:


> Hello, I have some questions regarding this watch
> 
> 1. Does the watch know the timezone where it is (same as Seiko Astron GPS) or does it not (same as the Citizen GPS where you have to tell the watch the timezone) ?
> 2. Does the watch use the combination of correction given by the GPS signal and the correction given by the radio signal to develop some kind of "auto recalibration algorythm" in order to gain a better accuracy when NOT corrected by GPS / RC ?
> ...


By "this watch" it's not clear if you mean the original G1000 or the new G1100 model.

The user documentation for the G1000 (module 5412) is available in English here:
Timepieces(Watches) - Manuals - CASIO

I haven't seen anything yet about the module for the G1100.


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## rcs914 (Apr 30, 2007)

dicioccio said:


> I am happy to see Casio entered the fight for GPS watches: this is a good thing for we, the customers, because we'll have more options.
> 
> I don't know anyway why generally Casio Oceanus line is so underestimated, even by a lot of users here at WUS: I have one and I can assure the finish is the top and it works flawlessy.
> 
> ...


I have two of the US only model Oceanus watches. While they aren't good for traveling outside of the country, since they aren't multiband, what I gain is not having the timezones in tiny text around the outside of the chapter ring. I paid about $200 each for mine second hand, and I love them. If I am honest, I've basically worn the blue one on the bracelet for the majority of the past year. It was exceedingly difficult to find a three hand RC/Solar watch with a relatively clean dial at a reasonable price.

The features I love:

Radio controlled
Solar
Sapphire
Titanium (significantly higher quality and scratch resistant Ti than my old Seiko Kinetic) 
Clean dial
3 hand (not chrono)
Dual white LED (can substitute for a flashlight in the middle of the night)


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## wbird (Feb 25, 2015)

The dst on the Oceanus is set by gps location and an algorithm according to their website, and took about 15 seconds on a clear day next to a window in NJ. 

Don't know how that compares to the seiko my AD didn't have a seiko.


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## Pharmy (May 21, 2015)

Came across some photos of the new G1100 model. Looks really nice.
















Source


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## Barn0081 (Jan 30, 2015)

Pharmy said:


> Came across some photos of the new G1100 model. Looks really nice.
> 
> View attachment 5642713
> 
> ...


Hmmm, it's ok, but i'm not a fan of the colour.Nicer models will be released next month/year.

I'm sure the 2016 Baselworld limited model will be stunning ;-)


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## Barn0081 (Jan 30, 2015)

loving this limited edition,the OCW-G1100E-1AJF









out November. 500 pieces

https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fcasio.jp%2Fwat%2Fsearch%2Fwatch%2Fdetail%2F%3Fm%3DOCW-G1100E-1AJF%26n%3D6707&edit-text=&act=url


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## Pharmy (May 21, 2015)

Barn0081 said:


> loving this limited edition,the OCW-G1100E-1AJF
> 
> out November. 500 pieces
> 
> https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fcasio.jp%2Fwat%2Fsearch%2Fwatch%2Fdetail%2F%3Fm%3DOCW-G1100E-1AJF%26n%3D6707&edit-text=&act=url


That is very nice - I'm not a fan of gold but if it wasn't for that, it would be hard to resist.


----------



## artec (Oct 31, 2006)

There's altogether too much going on in both those models for my taste, aside from the colors. I like the use of the hours, + and -, to identify the time-zones...but I could do without the cryptic geography lessons...they seem redundant anyway. Maybe I'm influenced by the economy of my new MW!


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## Pharmy (May 21, 2015)

For completeness, this is the other model released alongside the G1100E, the G1100B:


----------



## Casio_mechs (Nov 26, 2012)

Pharmy said:


> For completeness, this is the other model released alongside the G1100E, the G1100B:
> 
> View attachment 5844906


Hello!

So I was looking around for owners of this watch and landed on this thread. So far this is the more aligned watch for my fancy

I wanted atomic, but the GPS is a +
I wanted Solar 
I wanted it to be all black.

The OCW-G1100B-1A ticks all the boxes for me. But there is just one thing I'd like to know! The wrist strap is titanium and the black is coated, but how resistant is the coating to everyday usage?

I take care of my watches, and will be putting it in a box when not in use (after work, to the gym, etc). I try and obviously not bang it around, but also I will take it off when typing at a computer.

As I want the watch to last as long as possible, I was suggested to go for the silver/titanium colour, but I REALLY prefered the black. Any suggestions then?

Thanks

PS* I will be shipping it from JP to UK


----------



## Pharmy (May 21, 2015)

Casio_mechs said:


> Hello!
> 
> So I was looking around for owners of this watch and landed on this thread. So far this is the more aligned watch for my fancy
> 
> ...


Hey there,

I don't own this exact watch, but do have a 2013 black DLC-coated Oceanus (S3001B). I got it second hand from Japan and have had it about a year now - so far the DLC coating has held up extremely well. The only spots you can see some minor wear on the coating are the inside of the bracelet around the clasp area, where there is metal on metal contact. I am pretty gentle with my watches, but I can't find a single mark on the outside of the bracelet or the watch itself, so the Casio DLC coating seems to be very durable. I'm not sure how different the coating would be on the newest models, but I imagine it's pretty similar.

If you're keen on the DLC model I would say go for it. I had a chance to try both the standard Ti and DLC models last week and they are both beautiful, but the standard Ti is fairly 'blingy' due to a fair bit of polished surfaces on the bracelet. The black model is definitely the one I'd go for.

Best of luck, and show us a photo when get it!


----------



## yankeexpress (Apr 7, 2013)

DLC holds up amazingly well. If you like it, buy it.


----------



## Casio_mechs (Nov 26, 2012)

Pharmy said:


> Casio_mechs said:
> 
> 
> > Hello!
> ...


Thanks!!

I am about to buy it now. Works out at £1300, a little bit expensive but for that price no other watch really interests me

I just hope I don't get stung on import charges too much


----------



## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

Casio_mechs said:


> Thanks!!
> 
> I am about to buy it now. Works out at £1300, a little bit expensive but for that price no other watch really interests me
> 
> I just hope I don't get stung on import charges too much


If you're in the UK you can count on up to 25% = 20% VAT on the watch (usually including the postage cost) + the courier's fee for collecting the VAT for HMRC + 20% VAT on the courier's fee. :-( Of course, you might just be lucky, but don't bet on it.

I don't think you should worry too much about the black finish. The only big disadvantage over plain metal is that if you scratch or wear it down to the shiny stuff it's just about impossible to hide it, while you can usually brush or polish the metal version. It's a beautiful watch so just treat it nicely!


----------



## Casio_mechs (Nov 26, 2012)

chris01 said:


> If you're in the UK you can count on up to 25% = 20% VAT on the watch (usually including the postage cost) + the courier's fee for collecting the VAT for HMRC + 20% VAT on the courier's fee. :-( Of course, you might just be lucky, but don't bet on it.
> 
> I don't think you should worry too much about the black finish. The only big disadvantage over plain metal is that if you scratch or wear it down to the shiny stuff it's just about impossible to hide it, while you can usually brush or polish the metal version. It's a beautiful watch so just treat it nicely!


Yeah, its looking closer to £1700 which is a lot more than I expected. Not sure about going through with this purchase as it's going to hit the pocket a lot harder than initially expected


----------



## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

Casio_mechs said:


> Yeah, its looking closer to £1700 which is a lot more than I expected. Not sure about going through with this purchase as it's going to hit the pocket a lot harder than initially expected


Frustrating, isn't it. That £400 would probably pay for a quick trip to Japan. Is that retail price or have you asked Higuchi et al?


----------



## Casio_mechs (Nov 26, 2012)

chris01 said:


> Frustrating, isn't it. That £400 would probably pay for a quick trip to Japan. Is that retail price or have you asked Higuchi et al?


Well the watch is in Coventry with customs now, so I should get an idea about what I have to pay by today or tomorrow.

I got the non-retail price from Katsu

I'll post back here with more custom information and hopefully some shots of the watch! :-!


----------



## Casio_mechs (Nov 26, 2012)

The watch is through customs (£127.50p customs charge ;-)) and will be delivered.

So I decided to read the manual of the watch, and I am confused about something

So there is World Time (set by manually pulling out the crown, and rotating it until you set your timezone), GPS Positioning and Time or just GPS Time

From the way I read it, I can't understand the difference with the 2 GPS settings:
GPS Positioning and Time as described by Casio


> GPS signal position information: Used to update Home City (time zone), time, and day settings.








GPS Time as described by Casio


> GPS signal time information: Used to update time and day settings.


Now I can understand GPS Signal Position, but GPS Time confuses me. If it gets the time and day from GPS, but not location, where does it think I am? Maybe I do not know enough about GPS, but as far as I know it will identify your position and give you information accordingly. I didn't know it can just set the time correctly

Now this leads me to the World Time. Say I am in London and I fly to NYC, do I do a GPS Signal Position update to let the watch know I am in NYC or do I change the timezone on the watch manually with the crown? I do not know if this is simply a manual vs automatic thing, or whether there is a fundamental technical different in doing either one

Maybe I am just slow! :-s


----------



## gangrel (Jun 25, 2015)

Casio_mechs said:


> The watch is through customs (£127.50p customs charge ;-)) and will be delivered.
> 
> So I decided to read the manual of the watch, and I am confused about something
> 
> ...


GPS includes a very high-accuracy time code. Position, IIRC, is actually derived from *differences* in the time signatures, as those can be used to compute distances. From distances, you can triangulate to position.

The difference, from the watch's perspective: the time code from one satellite is accurate to within a few hundredths of a second. That means you can set the watch very quickly, with just 1 satellite signal. Position requires 3 or 4, so it takes longer.

As for how the world time works, I would *assume* that it'll automatically switch between NY and London times when you go through GPS Signal Position. The world time thing might be there so you can switch in cases when you *can't* get a signal, but they may have something else in mind.


----------



## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

gangrel said:


> As for how the world time works, I would *assume* that it'll automatically switch between NY and London times when you go through GPS Signal Position. The world time thing might be there so you can switch in cases when you *can't* get a signal, but they may have something else in mind.


That's correct: the watch can get its current location if you wait long enough for sufficient satellites' signals. Then, providing that you're not in some awkward location, like the boundary between time zones, it will set the TZ correctly for you. In the real world, if you've just landed in a foreign country, you will probably find it a lot more convenient to manually adjust your destination TZ before you land, rather than having to stand outside the airport terminal in the rain waiting for a synch. You'll also need the manual setting if some country decides to change their TZ or DST schedule from the watch's currently defined values. So, use the position feature when you receive your new watch, then you'll probably not bother with it again.


----------



## Casio_mechs (Nov 26, 2012)

chris01 said:


> That's correct: the watch can get its current location if you wait long enough for sufficient satellites' signals. Then, providing that you're not in some awkward location, like the boundary between time zones, it will set the TZ correctly for you. In the real world, if you've just landed in a foreign country, you will probably find it a lot more convenient to manually adjust your destination TZ before you land, rather than having to stand outside the airport terminal in the rain waiting for a synch. You'll also need the manual setting if some country decides to change their TZ or DST schedule from the watch's currently defined values. So, use the position feature when you receive your new watch, then you'll probably not bother with it again.


Hi all, thanks for the replies! I am going to get some pictures up here soon. This is how I am using the watch at the minute

But touching on this subject again and actually using the watch has brought up another issue. I have set my timezone manually to London, but for some reason I cannot get a GPS Position or Time update (failed everytime), I can only get the time calibration signal via atomic clocks. So I am not sure whether this is because I have manually set the timezone, but the manual doesn't say anything about conflicting settings. I am also attempting to do this with clear skies and just in a normal road with no tall buildings So I am kinda stumped! It's not a HUGE deal right now but I would like the automatic updates to completely work

If anyone can spot anything I am missing, please let me know! Top of Page Module No. 5454


----------



## Tom-HK (Jan 6, 2015)

Is it possible that your watch is not fully charged? I see the manual says that "GPS reception requires large amounts of power" and "Perform it only when necessary". If the watch hasn't long been out of its box (and if you've tried synching several times already), then perhaps the battery hasn't had a chance to charge-up fully.

Edit : In fact, I see that's also mentioned in the 'trouble-shooting' section. Try charging for day or two.


----------



## Casio_mechs (Nov 26, 2012)

Tom-HK said:


> Is it possible that your watch is not fully charged? I see the manual says that "GPS reception requires large amounts of power" and "Perform it only when necessary". If the watch hasn't long been out of its box (and if you've tried synching several times already), then perhaps the battery hasn't had a chance to charge-up fully.
> 
> Edit : In fact, I see that's also mentioned in the 'trouble-shooting' section. Try charging for day or two.


The battery is fully charged (checked by pressing the C button). Hmmmm


----------



## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

Casio_mechs said:


> The battery is fully charged (checked by pressing the C button). Hmmmm


The only other obvious issue I can see is the possibility that you aren't in a suitably clear area. If you haven't tried already then stand in the middle of a field, away from trees.


----------



## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

Is there a manual versus automatic option?


----------



## Casio_mechs (Nov 26, 2012)

ronalddheld said:


> Is there a manual versus automatic option?


I have recorded some attempts of manual GPS aquisition. At this point in time, I think I will hire a Japanese translator to assist me in getting the watch looked at by Casio Japan


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## Hans Moleman (Sep 24, 2007)

I'd be tempted to take the watch off, set it to update time and position, and walk away from it. That pole in the middle of the field looks perfect for that.

That way there is absolutely nothing blocking its view of the sky. 

Return after a minute or two and see how it all went. 

But if you can't even update the time using GPS, then it looks bleak. That should be its easiest operation.


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## Torrance (Jul 25, 2016)

Hi Casio Mechs,
I have the same trouble with a G1100 purchased yesterday here in Singapore. No chance to get a GPS sync....also tried different locations. Watch indicates full charge (despite fresh out of the box).
Would be great to hear in case you solved the issue!

Thanks,
Torrance


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## Casio_mechs (Nov 26, 2012)

Hey mate

super sorry for the slow reply

so, I sent it back to Katsu, who sent it to Casio Japan. They tested it thoroughly and said it worked. That took 2 weeks. 

Then Katsu kept it for another 2 weeks to ensure it worked, which he confirmed. 

I get the watch back this week, try the GPS and guess what!!

Yep, doesn't work. 

Now GPS is global, I'm sure there isn't a chip that only works in Japan, but I fear something just isn't right. I'll carry on testing this week as I'll be visiting my mum who lives on a hill and we have lots of air space and low buildings. if it doesn't work, then I think I need to get a Japanese translator to sort out a return


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## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

Casio_mechs said:


> Hey mate
> 
> super sorry for the slow reply
> 
> ...


 Did you get confirmation that They checked out the GPS?


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## Casio_mechs (Nov 26, 2012)

ronalddheld said:


> Did you get confirmation that They checked out the GPS?


Well, I initially told Katsu the GPS was the problem, so I hope that is what they tested for. His English isn't great (nor is my Japanese, as it goes), but he said it is working all fine. But I will send him an email and confirm

Feeling like I threw £1500 down the drain


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## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

More disappointing news from Casio. They have now added a new Oceanus RC/GPS hybrid model, the OCW-G1200xxx. Apart from some cosmetic changes to the dial, it's just about identical to the earlier G1000 and G1100 versions. Still the same stupidly big case. Come on, guys, make one for normal-sized people!

(open the link with Chrome browser for translation)
OCW-G1200 - Full Metal GPS Hybrid Wave Ceptor - OCEANUS | ????? - CASIO


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## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

chris01 said:


> More disappointing news from Casio. They have now added a new Oceanus RC/GPS hybrid model, the OCW-G1200xxx. Apart from some cosmetic changes to the dial, it's just about identical to the earlier G1000 and G1100 versions. Still the same stupidly big case. Come on, guys, make one for normal-sized people!
> 
> (open the link with Chrome browser for translation)
> OCW-G1200 - Full Metal GPS Hybrid Wave Ceptor - OCEANUS | ????? - CASIO


Can't fit the electronics in a smaller case, or go with what sells?


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## chris01 (Jan 5, 2011)

ronalddheld said:


> Can't fit the electronics in a smaller case, or go with what sells?


Since it's JDM only, probably a bit of both.


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## Maljunulo (Aug 14, 2016)

The size is what keeps me away.

If they can reduce the volume, I think I would bite.


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## gangrel (Jun 25, 2015)

Let's not ignore just maintaining a single case size across the line.

Some of this is, I think, also related to all the features. Can't shrink down the case that much with this much going on. GPS in particular just screams for Rampaging Featuritis, the perceived need to cram everything under the sun in there. GPS makes auto time zone detection possible...so, well, of course, you do it, right? And throw in all kinds of extra junk on the dial or watch body. Astron has started to come out with simpler models, but still fairly large...and one has to think that is, in part, just a function of keeping production simpler.


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## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

Maybe the GPS and associated hardware cannot be made smaller at this time?


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## Maljunulo (Aug 14, 2016)

gangrel said:


> Let's not ignore just maintaining a single case size across the line.
> 
> Some of this is, I think, also related to all the features. Can't shrink down the case that much with this much going on. GPS in particular just screams for Rampaging Featuritis, the perceived need to cram everything under the sun in there. GPS makes auto time zone detection possible...so, well, of course, you do it, right? And throw in all kinds of extra junk on the dial or watch body. Astron has started to come out with simpler models, but still fairly large...and one has to think that is, in part, just a function of keeping production simpler.


I agree.

If they didn't have all the other whiz-bang "features" and could stuff it into a 38 or 39mm case, I probably wouldn't be able to resist.

The only problem I can see is the possibility that the long-wave antenna for WWVB et al might be on the ragged edge of working, and any reduction would degrade the signal to unworkability.


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## gangrel (Jun 25, 2015)

I have a Seiko Dolce RF. 39mm case. Therefore it's clearly possible, just considering the RF side alone. The GPS side...there, I don't know. I don't recall a GPS watch smaller than 41mm, I believe. And obviously, including both can't be any smaller. Don't know if the RF antenna can also be used for the GPS signal, but one would think they'd be separate anyway. The data formats are almost certainly different. Yeah, you could pass it through one code chunk, and if it doesn't match what it accepts, pass it to the other, so a single antenna might be possible.


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## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

RF and GPS antenna are certainly separate as they likely feed into different HW.


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## Bill R W (Nov 9, 2015)

gangrel said:


> Let's not ignore just maintaining a single case size across the line.
> 
> Some of this is, I think, also related to all the features. Can't shrink down the case that much with this much going on. GPS in particular just screams for Rampaging Featuritis, the perceived need to cram everything under the sun in there. GPS makes auto time zone detection possible...so, well, of course, you do it, right? And throw in all kinds of extra junk on the dial or watch body. Astron has started to come out with simpler models, but still fairly large...and one has to think that is, in part, just a function of keeping production simpler.


One of the things I like about the Morgenwerk M1 (in addition to the TC movement) is that the designers did not succumb to Raging Featuritis and hence it has a relatively simple face and is relatively simple to use. My M1-3 measures 43.8 mm x 14 mm, according to the MW website and 122 grams. Not small, but also not too bad in size. I would make it thinner if I could before changing the diameter.


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## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

The MW might be smaller and thinner without the ABC features. How many owners regularly use those functions?


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## gangrel (Jun 25, 2015)

On the 2-antenna issue for a hybrid...Casio absolutely uses 2.

GPS HYBRID WAVE CEPTOR - GPW-1000 - PRODUCTS - G-SHOCK - CASIO


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## Bill R W (Nov 9, 2015)

ronalddheld said:


> The MW might be smaller and thinner without the ABC features. How many owners regularly use those functions?


The M1 and M2 models do not have ABC functions and are somewhat smaller and thinner than the M3. I don't think that the Oceanus, Seiko and Citizen GPS watches have ABC features either, but they may be bigger partly to accommodate solar cells used for charging. So the M3 may be unique among GPS watches geared to timekeeping in having ABC functions (as opposed to GPS watches like the Garmin Fenix 3 that are geared towards sport use). Not sure if the Apple Watch 2 has ABC. Don't recall seeing it does.

I do use ABC functions. I find the altimeter and barometer functions useful when hiking and bicycling. I find the barometer function useful for watersports (signalling possible weather change) like canoeing, kayaking and pontooning.

When I need ABC functions, I often use my Tactix Bravo (a variant of the Garmin Fenix 3) because it also has GPS navigation features, such as recording distance and my track. If I want ABC features and do not need GPS, I tend to use a G Shock (Rangeman or Gulfmaster).


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## dicioccio (Jul 14, 2011)

I have personally seen the Oceanus GW1100 and I don't think it's so huge. Moreover I think it's unfair to compare it with the Seiko Astron, since the Casio has RC abilities where the Seiko doesn't. Of course we can argue about functionalities and aesthetics, but I don't see any big improvement in the Astron series (or smaller size). Also the Morgenwerk, which is a different beast, is not really smaller than the Oceanus or the Seiko. In fact we should consider also the extra space in the lugs...

In my opinion only Citizen offers actually GPS watches with "reasonable" size.

If we consider the quality of the finish, the Oceanus are very refined and the GW1100 and GW1200 have also a sapphire bezel very scratch resistant.


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