G-Shock & Pro Trek / The rankings
The best G-Shock collabs: buy the base model, because that is what you are actually getting
A collaboration changes the bezel, the band, the dial print and the box. It never changes the module, the crystal or the water rating. So the useful question is not which collab is best — it is which watch is underneath.
By Mike M.Updated Researched from the maker's manuals and spec sheets
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Our top pick
G-Shock DW-5600E
The square is the canvas: $99.95 list, 52 g, 200 m, a five-year cell and a full-dial EL backlight. Most collabs you have seen are this watch.
#ad · Price as of November 12, 2026 · Disclosure for the link to G-Shock DW-5600E
Quick picks
The rankings at a glance
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G-Shock DW-5600E The square is the canvas: $99.95 list, 52 g, 200 m, a five-year cell and a full-dial EL backlight. Most collabs you have seen are this watch. | The most collaborated G-ShockReplaceable cell | 9.4 /10 | |
| 2 |  G-Shock GA-2100 Carbon Core Guard, 11.8 mm, 51 g, 200 m, $110 list. The octagon Coca-Cola and C2H4 built on. | The modern collab canvasReplaceable cell | 9.3 /10 | |
| 3 |  G-Shock GMW-B5000 (full metal square) Full stainless steel with Tough Solar, Multi-Band 6 and Bluetooth. Where the expensive limited editions live. | The premium collab baseSolar, no charger | 9.6 /10 | |
| 4 |  G-Shock DW-6900 $99.95 list, the big EL-backlit display, 200 m. The FCRB and Midnight Organic base. | The three-eye canvasReplaceable cell | 9.4 /10 | |
| 5 |  G-Shock GM-5600 (steel bezel square) A steel bezel on the resin square at 73 g, $220 list. C2H4 used this one in 2025. | The steel-bezel canvasReplaceable cell | 9.3 /10 |
#ad · Prices come live from Amazon, last checked November 12, 2026. Scores are ours, built from the makers' manuals, battery tables and spec pages. Product photos come from Amazon; anything still on a stock frame is labelled on its card. Tap a row for the full write-up.
What a collab actually changes
This page is going to be less exciting than the search that brought you here, and more useful. A G-Shock collaboration changes four things: the bezel color and print, the band, the dial or display face, and the packaging. It changes none of the following: the module, the crystal, the water rating, the shock resistance, the battery type, the stated battery life, or the case dimensions.
That is not a criticism. It is how the collabs work, and it is why they can exist at all — Casio ships a proven module in a new shell. But it means the honest way to shop is to identify the base model first, decide whether you want that watch, and then decide whether the artwork is worth the premium over it. A Thisisneverthat DW-5600 and a plain DW5600E-1V are the same watch with different resin.
The five base models, and what each one is
Read this table as "what you own when the hype wears off". All five are 200 m, shock resistant and mineral-crystal; list prices are G-Central's, read on the date in the Sources list.
| Base model | Why collabs use it | Power | Weight | List price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DW-5600 | The 1983 square: cheapest canvas, most recognizable shape | CR2016, approx. 5 years | 52 g | $99.95 |
| GA-2100 | The octagon: thin, modern, huge mainstream appeal | Two cells, approx. 3 years | 51 g | $110 |
| DW-6900 | The three-eye display: the most graphic dial Casio makes | CR2016, approx. 2 years (5 on module 3529) | 67 g | $99.95 |
| GM-5600 | Steel bezel on the square: a metal canvas at half the weight | CR2016, approx. 2 years (5 on module 3525) | 73 g | $220 |
| GMW-B5000 | Full metal: where the expensive limited editions go | Tough Solar, 10 months dark / 22 in power save | 167 g | $600 |
Note what is not on that list: no Rangeman, no Mudman, no Pro Trek. The sensor watches get the occasional collaboration — the Mudmaster GWG-B1000 has had a Team Land Cruiser Toyota Auto Body edition — but the collab world lives almost entirely on the square and the octagon, because those are the shapes a graphic designer can work with. If you want sensors, you want a compass model and you will be buying it in black.
Collabs that have actually shipped recently
These are examples rather than recommendations, because availability changes weekly and we will not pretend otherwise. Everything here is documented by G-Central, the specialist Casio site, with its base model named:
- MoMA — a DW-5600, $135, limited to 1,000 pieces, sold through the museum's own shop. The purest version of the collab idea: a $99.95 watch, a design credit and a run number.
- Coca-Cola — the GA2100CC-3A, $200, a limited edition marking the drink brand's 140th anniversary. A $110 watch with a $90 badge.
- Thisisneverthat — the DW-5600TNT-7 at $155, a streetwear collaboration.
- C2H4 — a second limited edition on the GA-2100, following a GM-5600 collaboration the year before.
- F.C. Real Bristol, BlackEyePatch, Midnight Organic, Toyo Tires, NIGO, Mother, Pokémon — all on DW-5600, DW-6900 or GA-110 bases.
- Team Land Cruiser Toyota Auto Body — the GWG-B1000TLC-1A Mudmaster, the rare case of a collaboration on a sensor watch.
Where limited editions are sold, and it is not Amazon
This is the practical part. Limited G-Shocks are sold through Casio's own US store, the partner's store (the MoMA shop, a streetwear retailer, a football club), and authorized G-Shock dealers — usually on an announced date, often within hours. Amazon listings for a sold-out collab are typically third-party resellers, at a markup, sometimes gray-market and occasionally counterfeit.
So: follow G-Central or Casio's own release calendar if you want a specific collaboration, and use the buy buttons on this page for the base model, which is always available and always the same watch underneath.
Is the premium worth it?
Sometimes, and you should know what you are paying. A MoMA DW-5600 at $135 is a $35 premium over the base watch for a numbered run and a design credit — that is a reasonable price for a design object. A Coca-Cola GA-2100 at $200 is a $90 premium on a $110 watch, which is most of the watch again.
On this site's rubric none of that premium buys anything: the crystal, the water rating, the cell life and the case are identical. What it buys is a bezel you like and a story. If that is worth the money to you, it is worth the money — just do not let anyone tell you the collab is tougher.
Resale, gray market and fakes
The decade pick
In detail
The picks, in full
Rank 1
The most collaborated G-Shock
G-Shock DW-5600E
The square is the canvas: $99.95 list, 52 g, 200 m, a five-year cell and a full-dial EL backlight. Most collabs you have seen are this watch.
EvidenceResearched · every row sourced
| Power class | Replaceable cell. A replaceable coin cell measured in years. No charging, no electronics to update, and the cheapest thing on the watch to service. |
|---|---|
| Battery (cell) | CR2016, approx. 5 years |
| Glass | Mineral |
| Bezel & case | Resin case and band |
| Water rating | 200 meters; shock resistant |
| Weight | 52 g |
| Size | 48.9 × 42.8 × 13.4 mm |
What the 9.4 score weighs
- Battery & power independence (25% of the score)
- Durability of materials (25% of the score)
- Serviceability & lifespan (20% of the score)
- Field usability (15% of the score)
- Value per decade (10% of the score)
- Mission fit (5% of the score)
What the spec sheet supports
- In production since 1987 with a module refresh in 2023; parts and straps will exist for the rest of your life.
- A five-year coin cell is the longest-stated battery on the site.
- Small enough for any wrist and any cuff.
Good to know
Mineral crystal on a flat face with a low bezel; it scratches.
#ad · Price as of November 12, 2026 · Disclosure for the link to G-Shock DW-5600E
Rank 2
The modern collab canvas
G-Shock GA-2100
Carbon Core Guard, 11.8 mm, 51 g, 200 m, $110 list. The octagon Coca-Cola and C2H4 built on.
EvidenceResearched · every row sourced
| Power class | Replaceable cell. A replaceable coin cell measured in years. No charging, no electronics to update, and the cheapest thing on the watch to service. |
|---|---|
| Battery (cell) | SR726W × 2, approx. 3 years |
| Glass | Mineral |
| Bezel & case | Carbon Core Guard construction: carbon and resin case, resin band |
| Water rating | 200-meter water resistance |
| Sensors | None. World time (31 zones), 1/100-second stopwatch, timer, 5 alarms, Double LED light; module 5611 |
| Weight | 51 g |
| Size | 48.5 × 45.4 × 11.8 mm |
What the 9.3 score weighs
- Battery & power independence (25% of the score)
- Durability of materials (25% of the score)
- Serviceability & lifespan (20% of the score)
- Field usability (15% of the score)
- Value per decade (10% of the score)
- Mission fit (5% of the score)
What the spec sheet supports
- 11.8 mm and 51 g in a 200 m G-Shock: the least intrusive tough watch Casio makes.
- A carbon-reinforced case near the bottom of the price list.
- A three-year cell in a case any watch shop can open.
Good to know
Analog hands over small digital windows: slower to read than a square.
#ad · Price as of November 12, 2026 · Disclosure for the link to G-Shock GA-2100
Rank 3
The premium collab base
G-Shock GMW-B5000 (full metal square)
Full stainless steel with Tough Solar, Multi-Band 6 and Bluetooth. Where the expensive limited editions live.
EvidenceResearched · every row sourced
| Power class | Solar, no charger. A solar cell that recharges from any light and never meets a charger. The rechargeable cell is a watchmaker-replaceable part. |
|---|---|
| Battery (cell) | 10 months with normal use and no light after a charge; 22 months stored in total darkness with power save on |
| Power | Tough Solar, solar rechargeable battery |
| Glass | Mineral on the stainless steel models; the titanium editions use sapphire |
| Bezel & case | Stainless steel case, bezel and band; screw-back case (titanium variants also sold) |
| Water rating | 200-meter water resistance, shock resistant |
| Sensors | None. Multi-Band 6 radio time calibration, Bluetooth Mobile Link, full auto LED light; module 3459 |
| Weight | 167 g in stainless steel; titanium variants approx. 104-106 g |
| Size | 49.3 × 43.2 × 13 mm |
What the 9.6 score weighs
- Battery & power independence (25% of the score)
- Durability of materials (25% of the score)
- Serviceability & lifespan (20% of the score)
- Field usability (15% of the score)
- Value per decade (10% of the score)
- Mission fit (5% of the score)
What the spec sheet supports
- Solar and atomic in a full stainless steel case: the square with nothing to charge and nothing to set.
- Twenty-two months of stated power-save running in total darkness, the longest dark figure of any square here.
- A screw-back steel case is the most serviceable construction Casio uses on a square.
Good to know
167 grams. This is more than three times the weight of a resin DW-5600E and you feel every gram of it.
#ad · Price as of November 12, 2026 · Disclosure for the link to G-Shock GMW-B5000 (full metal square)
Rank 4
The three-eye canvas
G-Shock DW-6900
$99.95 list, the big EL-backlit display, 200 m. The FCRB and Midnight Organic base.
EvidenceResearched · every row sourced
| Power class | Replaceable cell. A replaceable coin cell measured in years. No charging, no electronics to update, and the cheapest thing on the watch to service. |
|---|---|
| Battery (cell) | CR2016, approx. 5 years on the 2023 module 3529 version now sold as the DW-6900U; the older module 3230 version was rated at approx. 2 years |
| Glass | Mineral |
| Bezel & case | Resin case, bezel and band |
| Water rating | 200-meter water resistance, shock resistant |
| Sensors | None. 1/100-second stopwatch, 24-hour countdown timer, multi-function alarm with flash alert, full-dial backlight; module 3529 on the DW-6900U now sold, module 3230 on the older reference |
| Weight | 67 g |
| Size | 53.2 × 50 × 18.7 mm |
What the 9.4 score weighs
- Battery & power independence (25% of the score)
- Durability of materials (25% of the score)
- Serviceability & lifespan (20% of the score)
- Field usability (15% of the score)
- Value per decade (10% of the score)
- Mission fit (5% of the score)
What the spec sheet supports
- The biggest, most readable display in the cheap tier, backlit across the whole dial.
- Once stated by Casio to be its best-selling model, so straps, bezels and modules are everywhere.
- The newer module 3529 version is rated at about five years on a cell instead of two.
Good to know
18.7 mm thick and 53.2 mm tall: the least wrist-friendly watch in the cheap tier.
#ad · Price as of November 12, 2026 · Disclosure for the link to G-Shock DW-6900
Rank 5
The steel-bezel canvas
G-Shock GM-5600 (steel bezel square)
A steel bezel on the resin square at 73 g, $220 list. C2H4 used this one in 2025.
EvidenceResearched · every row sourced
| Power class | Replaceable cell. A replaceable coin cell measured in years. No charging, no electronics to update, and the cheapest thing on the watch to service. |
|---|---|
| Battery (cell) | CR2016, approx. 2 years (module 3229); the June 2023 module 3525 versions are rated at approx. 5 years |
| Glass | Mineral |
| Bezel & case | Stainless steel bezel on a resin case, resin band |
| Water rating | 200-meter water resistance, shock resistant |
| Sensors | None. 1/100-second stopwatch, timer, multi-function alarm, flash alert, EL backlight (LED on newer models); shares the DW-5600 module |
| Weight | 73 g |
| Size | 49.6 × 43.2 × 12.9 mm |
What the 9.3 score weighs
- Battery & power independence (25% of the score)
- Durability of materials (25% of the score)
- Serviceability & lifespan (20% of the score)
- Field usability (15% of the score)
- Value per decade (10% of the score)
- Mission fit (5% of the score)
What the spec sheet supports
- The steel bezel at 73 g, less than half the weight of the full-metal square.
- It runs the DW-5600 module, so parts, straps and service knowledge are the deepest on the site.
- The newer module 3525 versions push the cell from about two years to about five.
Good to know
No solar and no radio time at $220, which the $165 GW-M5610U both has.
#ad · Price as of November 12, 2026 · Disclosure for the link to G-Shock GM-5600 (steel bezel square)
How to buy a collab without regret
1. Identify the base model first. The reference tells you: DW5600, GA2100, DW6900, GM5600, GMWB5000. Then read that watch's specs, because those are the specs you are buying.
2. Work out the premium. Collab price minus base list price. If it is $35 for a numbered MoMA edition, fine. If it is most of the watch again, decide deliberately.
3. Buy on release, from Casio or the partner. Not from a third-party listing after the fact. The markup and the counterfeit risk both live there.
4. Accept that the resin is consumable. Straps and bezels fail on every G-Shock. A limited edition's resin is limited too, so plan on the watch eventually wearing standard parts.
5. If the function matters more than the print, spend the premium on solar instead. It is the one upgrade that changes how you own the watch.
The bottom line
Our recommendation
Buy this one
The square is the canvas: $99.95 list, 52 g, 200 m, a five-year cell and a full-dial EL backlight. Most collabs you have seen are this watch.
#ad · Price as of November 12, 2026 · Disclosure for the link to G-Shock DW-5600E
The runner-up
Carbon Core Guard, 11.8 mm, 51 g, 200 m, $110 list. The octagon Coca-Cola and C2H4 built on.
#ad · Price as of November 12, 2026 · Disclosure for the link to G-Shock GA-2100
How we scored this
What we checked to build this ranking
Every pick here is researched against the documents that decide whether a watch lasts: the maker's own battery table read mode by mode, what the lens and case are actually made of, the water rating, whether a MIL-STD-810 line is on the record and in whose words, and how long the maker keeps updating the line. Each one is then scored on a public rubric weighted for a decade of ownership, and every figure links to where it came from.
That is why the order on this page is worth following: it is built from specs you can open yourself, and commissions never set a score or decide a pick. The rubric and its weights are published.
Questions
Frequently asked
What is the best G-Shock collab?
The best-value ones are on the DW-5600 square, because that base watch is $99.95 with a five-year cell and a module in production since 1987, so the premium is all design. The MoMA DW-5600 at $135, limited to 1,000 pieces, is the clearest example. Availability changes weekly — check Casio or the partner's own store.
Are G-Shock collabs worth the extra money?
Only for the design. A collaboration changes the bezel, band, dial print and box and changes nothing about the module, crystal, water rating or battery life. You are paying for artwork on a watch you could buy plain, so price the premium against the base model's list price and decide from there.
Which G-Shock model do collabs use most?
The DW-5600 square, by a wide margin, followed by the GA-2100 octagon and the DW-6900. Those three are the cheapest, most recognizable and most graphic-friendly cases Casio makes. Sensor models like the Rangeman and Mudman almost never get collaborations.
Where do you buy a limited edition G-Shock?
From Casio's own store, the collaborating partner's store, or an authorized G-Shock dealer, usually on an announced release date. Third-party listings for sold-out editions are typically resellers at a markup and carry a counterfeit risk, which is why the buy links on this page point at the base models instead.
Do collab G-Shocks hold their value?
Some trade above list after selling out, which is a collector market rather than a watch market. We do not rank watches on resale — this site scores them on whether you can still be wearing the thing in a decade, and on that measure a collab scores exactly the same as the plain version of the same watch.
Keep reading
Related on Bezel & Bearing
Receipts
Sources
- G-Central — G-Shock collaboration releases (partners, base models, prices, limited-edition runs) (checked 2026-09-28)
- G-Central — G-Shock DW-5600 spec sheet (checked 2026-09-20)
- G-Central — G-Shock GA-2100 spec sheet (checked 2026-09-26)
- G-Central — G-Shock DW-6900 spec sheet (checked 2026-09-26)
- G-Central — G-Shock GM-5600 spec sheet and list price (checked 2026-09-28)
- G-Central — G-Shock GMW-B5000 spec sheet and list price (checked 2026-09-28)
- CasioFanMag — GMW-B5000, module 3459 battery operating times transcribed from Casio's operation guide (checked 2026-09-28)
- G-Central — G-Shock prices surge around 10% across its U.S. catalog (September 2025) (checked 2026-09-28)
Battery, glass, case and water figures come from the maker's own owner's manuals, spec pages and press releases, linked on every product so you can open the page they came from. Prices are set by Amazon and change often, so each buy button takes you to the current one. Read the full method.