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Here in the wild year of 2025, you can buy watches made from all sorts of sci-fi sounding materials: titaniums of all types, fancy plastics, stalwarts like stainless steels, and yes, bio-ceramics. Casio and their iconic built-tough subbrand, G-SHOCK, have never been strangers to experimenting with the affordable end of material innovation, and in a new collaboration with environmental nonprofit The Surfrider Foundation Japan, they’ve taken up bio-based resin and mixed-color molding to create the new G5600SFJ-9.
As is the case with all of G-SHOCK’s watches, the G5600SFJ-9 boasts a plethora of durability-first features. The brand’s Tough Solar and Super Illuminator tech power the digital readout, while the case enjoys shock resistance and 200 meters of water resistance. G-SHOCK fans will be pleased to see expected functions like a 48-city world timer, a 1/100-second stopwatch, a countdown timer, daily and hourly alarms and time signals, and both 12 and 24-hour time formatting. While none of this is particularly groundbreaking, it is reassuring to see G-SHOCK’s consistency across their frequent collaborations.
Speaking of collaboration, The Surfrider Foundation Japan—a marine-focused nonprofit that celebrates the intersection of conservation and surfer lifestyle—lends its logo and #oceanfriendlylifestyle slogan to the face, caseback, and band loop. For thematic cohesion, the watch’s bright yellow hue is intended to bring to mind a sunrise on the coastline, and the bio-resin material used in the case and environmentally responsible packaging tie it all back to sustainability. According to G-SHOCK, the mixed-color molding process makes each watch unique in its patterning and presentation.
It’s easy to dismiss digital watches for their banality and focus on function over form. Still, G-SHOCK holds a special place in many enthusiast hearts (including my own) for a reason: they might not reinvent the wheel, but they do love to give it a fun new shade of paint. The G5600SFJ-9 collaboration is a prime example of the brand’s penchant for thoughtful collaborations and fun new versions of their beloved timepieces.
The G5600SFJ-9 retails for $150 and is available at the G-SHOCK website and select G-SHOCK retailers.
