The Casio MTG-B2000BDE With Carbon Dual Core Guard Structure

It is quite a common feeling to find yourself overwhelmed by any new Casio G-Shock release. Why? Well, these watches are replete with niche functionality and occasionally unintuitive control systems. While perseverance (and reliance upon the instruction manual at first) is necessary, you will be rewarded with an everyday watch that will serve you well no matter the situation.  The Casio MTG-B2000BDE is a dutiful daily option. That is thanks, in large part, to the watch’s Carbon Dual Core Guard Structure. You’ve probably heard this term before in regards to G-Shocks, but let’s dive in and find out exactly what is meant by it.

Before we get to the focal point of this review (the Carbon Dual Core Guard Structure), let’s rattle off the functions you can expect to find on the Casio MTG-B2000BDE watch.  This watch has Tough Solar (so it is solar-powered), an LED light function with afterglow, time calibration signal reception with up to six daily updates when necessary/available, the possibility to manually call for a signal update, the latest signal data, Bluetooth connectivity, auto hand home position correction, dual time, 27 time zones with auto summer time adjustment, a one-second stopwatch function that records up to 23:59:59, a 24-Hour countdown timer, a daily alarm, a fully-automatic calendar up to 2099, a day and date display, power-saving hands, and a Hand Shift feature, which moves the hands out of the way to provide an uncluttered view of the sub-dial info.

Carbon Dual Core Guard

Crucially, the Dual Core Guard Structure employs a mixture of materials, resulting in an incredibly robust and resilient shield for the watch’s quartz module without sacrificing wearability. The watch employs an external metal housing and a carbon-fiber core that surrounds the module. Carbon fiber’s strength comes into play here, of course, but its use is most beneficial because of the overall weight reduction possible. Had a watch of this size been made entirely of metal, it could have easily been unwieldy. The weight of such a piece would surely be distracting. Given the fact Casio designs its watches to be used in active situations, the lightweight core was a welcome upgrade.

Aesthetics in play

Of course, Casio is enjoying experimenting with metals these days. Recent cases (such as the Phoenix handily reviewed by Lex here) have pushed the boundaries of metal aesthetics. Here, with the Casio MTG-B2000BDE, we see an altogether stealthier approach taking center stage. And while the color black may not sound all that striking on paper, the way the polished metal surfaces of this jutting, angular, uncompromisingly aggressive sports watch claw attention toward themselves means this watch couldn’t be described as anything but “in your face”.

The chunky metal bracelet is one thing. It continues the style of the case all around the wrist. I personally prefer this one on the red rubber strap. On my 16.5cm wrist (as seen in the pictures in this article), the strap is a touch overlong, but it has that perfect kind of tool vibe I think anyone naturally attracted to G-Shocks will identify with.

A special watch

This is not your regular tool watch, however. It is most certainly a statement piece. G-Shock is going through an interesting phase of experimentation. These are not humble watches. It is as if the technology has reached a level of competency that has allowed the brand more freedom to trial extravagant looks. And I must advocate seeing these pieces in the metal before passing judgment.

When I first saw the Phoenix, for example, I thought it was ridiculous. I laughed out loud. Wrongly, I believed there was no way on this green Earth that I would wear that watch. And then I saw it in the metal and everything changed. I didn’t love it enough to part with a thousand Euros, but I did absolutely adore it. It is so much fun and the case architecture is so interesting! It isn’t just the colors. The Phoenix calls you back to it time and time again, not because of its petroleum skin, but rather because of the way those colors are brought to life by the angles of the case. That’s what this model, the Casio MTG-B2000BDE, has that marks it as unusual for a black watch. If you like this kind of style, get it on your wrist and see if it connects with you.

Conclusion

As you might have guessed, this is a pretty sizeable watch. A 51×15.9mm case with a 55.1mm lug-to-lug may sound terrifying on paper, but even on my tiny wrist, it wears rather comfortably thanks to those articulated lugs. The strap is clearly too long for me, but the bracelet is adjustable, so if I were to add this model to my collection, I would have to wear it on that set-up.

Personally, I still prefer the resin-cased models from the brand, but I must admit I’m getting more and more charmed by these Ion-Plated metal pieces with the Carbon Dore Guard system. They are something different but very clearly retain the DNA of the G-Shock concept. Take this piece, for example: despite it clearly being pitched at a more “luxury” clientele, it still boasts TRIPLE G RESIST (Shock resistant, Centrifugal force resistant, Vibration resistant), Neobrite lume, a sapphire crystal, 200 meters water resistance, and, of course, the tough-as-nails dual core construction. The €1,199 is about the ceiling for this kind of tech from Casio, but you sure do get a lot of it wrapped up in this package. If you’re interested in this watch and others like it, find out more here.