Hands-On: G-Shock GA-2140RX-7A 40th Anniversary Clear Remix Edition

How’s that? A G-Shock in the shape of Audemars Piguet’s most iconic model, sporting a module numbered like Patek Philippe’s most iconic watch? I can’t believe that’s a coincidence. I think Casio is joking with the watch industry on the other end of the spectrum. Of course, there is nothing wrong with that, though Casio will never admit it.

My love for transparency

I’ve always had a weak spot for transparent products, not just watches. Of course, we all — well, those who are old enough — remember the original 1985 Swatch Jellyfish. Otherwise, you may be familiar with the “Clearly” re-editions that are currently available in Swatch’s Core Collection.

Image: Falsotecho

But I also remember having the transparent yellow Swatch Twin Phone. Although there are no copper telephone wires in my house to connect it, I hope it’s still anywhere in the attic. As an avid collector of fountain pens, I’m also attracted to demonstrator models like the Aurora 88. But, on the less snobby side, Lamy’s Vista is one of my favorites and one that I often use for writing/note-taking. I’ll also use it as a prop in the pictures of today’s article, together with a glass of water. Such is my love for transparent products.

The “CasiOak”

Back to the Casio G-Shock GA-2100. I still remember when the G-Shock GA-2100 debuted in 2019. Fans of G-Shock and enthusiasts of mechanical watches alike were impressed by this new release and quickly and understandably dubbed it the “CasiOak.” It sports the familiar octagonal bezel shape of the Royal Oak but also retains its identity as a G-Shock. While the GA-2100 designers wanted us to believe that they had created an evolved ana-digi version of the iconic DW-5000, the resemblance with a Royal Oak was evident. Casio first presented three models, including two different black versions and a bright red one. As of today, Shockbase teaches us that, including the metal sub-series, the CasiOak series now consists of nearly 120 different models.

40th Anniversary

But we’re not just looking at a watch from the massive “CasiOak” series. The GA-2140RX-7A is also part of the special 40th Anniversary collection. As most of us will know, the first Casio G-Shock, invented by Kikuo Ibe, was presented in 1983. So, as of last year, 2023, that was 40 years ago. It was a good reason for Casio to party, and thus, no fewer than 27 special-edition 40th Anniversary models were presented. And let’s not forget the one-off G-Shock G-D001, which was auctioned and also tagged “40th Anniversary.”

Why the G-Shock GA-2140RX-7A?

With so many CasiOak and even 40th Anniversary editions, why did I choose the GA-2140RX-7A? There were several reasons. First, the GA-2140RX-7A is part of the Clear Remix series, so it is one of the series within the 40th Anniversary collection. Jorg described all Clear Remix models in this article. With my fondness for transparent products, it’s easy to understand why I found this lineup attractive. However, as an avid G-Shock “Square” collector, I usually would have opted for one of the Squares in the Clear Remix collection, but this time, I didn’t.

Daan’s GA-2100SKE-7

There were two reasons — legibility and Daan. Before the Clear Remix series existed, I had looked at a transparent Square but was disappointed by the readability. This is a crucial reason for me to choose a G-Shock or not. For the same reason, my collection contains only G-Shocks with positive displays. The second reason, however, was Daan. Back in November, we had a Fratello Talks episode on G-Shock, and Daan was wearing his transparent CasiOak GA-2100SKE-7A. That made me want a transparent CasiOak.

It’s transparent, yes, but not overly so

Jorg already wrote in his article that the GA-2140RX-7A feels the least transparent of the Clear Remix series, especially in comparison to the Squares and the Third Eye model. And there’s a reason for that. With the introduction of the CasiOak, G-Shock announced its next evolution in the concept of shock-resistant watches — Carbon Core Guard. The Carbon Core Guard structure delivers superior shock resistance by leveraging the properties of carbon fiber (shock resistance, rigidity, and resistance to degradation), improving toughness, and making a shock-resistant watch as light as possible. But it has another property that prevents the watch from being more transparent — carbon is black. On the other hand, the transparency of the GA-2140RX-7A offers a good view of the actual Carbon Core Guard, an essential part of CasiOak’s structure.

Functionality

Like other CasiOak models, the GA-2140RX-7A sports the commonly known functions. The watch’s hands primarily show the home time (hours and minutes). This is also available at the push of a button in a digital 12- or 24-hour format in the small LCD window. Otherwise, the month and date (in that order only) will show there, as will the seconds (at all times). A small hand at 9 o’clock indicates the day. Other functions that are available via the LCD screen are an additional time zone, a stopwatch, a countdown timer, and five alarms, plus an optional hourly time signal.

With a button press, a clear white light illuminates the hands, dial, and LCD in all modes to enhance readability in dark conditions. Besides this very effective light source, (only) the hour and minute hands are lumed. A quirky feature is the option to move the hands out of the way of the LCD screen (and back) to enhance its readability. For transparent GA-2100 models, I noticed that Casio changed the module number from 5611 to 5711. I haven’t found any differences in functionality between the two, so I think it’s safe to say that the difference will be something aesthetic. You’ll find an online operation guide for module 5711 here.

The 45mm GA-2140RX-7A on my 17.5cm wrist

Conclusion

The G-Shock GA-2140RX-7A didn’t disappoint. I enjoy wearing it more than I had thought I would upfront. Even with a few other more sophisticated and luxurious watches at hand, I put the CasiOak on my wrist more often than I expected. I love the golden touches, like the gold-colored metal keeper on the transparent resin strap. I also like the four golden stars on the dial, indicating 40 years of G-Shock.

If I have to mention a little downside, it would probably be the readability, something that is usually so essential for me. Of course, it is inherent to the design of the watch. A watch with a transparent dial and white hands can never offer the same contrast as one with a black dial, like Daan’s. Also, although the GA-2140RX-7A sports a positive LCD, which I specifically looked for, it’s still difficult for me to read. This isn’t the watch’s fault this time, though. Unfortunately, my eyes have become less effective over the years, leaving the display and all of its functionality nearly useless for me.

The G-Shock “CasiOak” GA-2140RX-7A is sold out on most (if not all) official Casio/G-Shock websites. However, at the time of writing, it’s not too difficult to find a new GA-2140RX-7A at an official retail point or online store. The official price is €149, which I think is fair for a special watch like this.

Please let me know your thoughts about transparent products in the comments below and how the G-Shock GA-2140RX-7A holds up!