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While G-Shocks and digital watches of the like don’t often make it to the pages of worn&wound, we can’t deny their popularity. People of all stripes and interests go wild for G-Shocks, and unsurprisingly, a fairly robust community of G-Shock enthusiasts has developed online. Having spent some time looking at the G-Shock forums and sites, we discovered that there are some AMAZING G-Shock mod tutorials out there, covering everything from basic case refinishing to more complicated mods that require cracking open the watch case. So, to make it easier for worn&wound readers to get their fill of G-Shock mods, we’ve put together a collection of some of our favorites.
The first mod up is one is close to our hearts. For those long time readers, you know we are big fans of the nylon NATO strap. It’s a classic look that works with just about every watch on the planet. Unfortunately, if you own a G-Shock, NATO’s aren’t an option. Well, you can always use these strap adapters from CountyComm, which are cool but a bit bulky. Or, you can follow this tutorial put together by Andy over at the G-Shock wiki. He took matters into his own hands, filed down the lugs on his DW-5600 20 20mm and screwed in some new holes for lug bars. The simple, tactical look of his G-Shock looks great with the black Maratac Mil Series strap he chose to put on the watch. We also like that to pull this project off, it will cost you less than $50, assuming you have the appropriate tools on hand.
Up next is a we came across on the Seiko and Citizen watch forum. A poster that goes by the name sharkfinDave, had his eye on a special edition Murakami G-Shock Frogman watch, but didn’t have the over $3,500 it would cost to get one. But rather than admit defeat, Dave decided to roll up his sleeves and get to work making his own version of the limited edition piece. Starting with a more modestly priced non-special edition Frogman, Dave disassembled the watch and boiled the plastic case in water with plenty of red dye (only about 30 seconds). Then he applied some white model paint to the bezel markings, and that’s pretty much it. For a full rundown of the process and supplies, check out Dave’s post.
This mod is great for a number of reasons, first being that it’s genius. In this particular case, Dave was trying to copy a specific watch color, but this method is great for just creating a unique G-Shock that stands out from the crowd. Such a simple idea that produces great results. Here’s another post from watchuseek using the same methodology. The second reason this mod is so great is that it worked really well. Dave got fairly close to the Murakami Frogman with his DIY project, so I’m sure he could fool a few G-Shock fans from a distance. And for everyone else who hasn’t the faintest idea what the Murakami Frogman is, Dave’s watch just looks amazing. A job really well done.
Here’s another mod that involves a bit more technical knowhow, or bravery depending on how you see it. cmoy on the watchuseek forum posted a comprehensive tutorial on how to invert the digital display on your G-Shock by replacing the polarizing polarizer inside. In other words, how to switch the display from black text on white to white text on black. This can really give black watches a super stealthy look or just give your G-Shock some more character.
So, to pull off this mod, you will basically have to open the case of your watch, remove the display and replace the polarizer. Now what’s neat about this is that the polarizer that comes in your watch can invert the colors of the display itself, just by rotating it 90 degrees. However, as was the case with cmoys G-2300, his display is rectangular, so just rotating the polarizer that came with the watch didn’t work. He had to order one new. Needless to say the project came together really nicely, and the G-2300 looks great with a blacked out display. If you trust yourself enough to open up your watch and mess with the important stuff, then this mod may be the one for you.
So there you have a roundup of some pretty great mods for the family of G-Shock watches. If there are any G-Shock fans out there who have moded a watch, or play on trying one of the mods listed here, send us some photos. We’d love to see your work.
By Blake Malin
