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Casio G-SHOCK GW-BX5600-1A1ER Tough Solar Black Strap Watch - W17539
Ref. GW-BX5600-1A1ER
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Stepping up in the same dial colour
The GW-BX5600 is where the 5600 square finally gets everything at once. Earlier members of the line forced a choice: the solar-charged GWM5610 kept the older segmented LCD, while the Bluetooth G-B5600 gave up atomic timekeeping. Module 3578 resolves that by running a Memory-in-Pixel display — sharper and more legible than conventional LCD — alongside Multiband 6 radio sync and Tough Solar charging in the same 44.1mm footprint. The brick-pattern border on the solar panel is a deliberate callback to the original 1983 case design, legible only once you know to look for it. At 51 grams the watch is almost weightless on the wrist, and at 13.4mm thick it sits flatter than most resin G-Shocks manage at this rating. The -1A1 designation means every surface goes black: negative-mode MIP, black bezel, black strap, so the only moment of contrast is the Super Illuminator backlight, which trips automatically when you tilt your wrist toward you in the dark. There is no painted lume — the electronic backlight is doing that work entirely, and it covers the whole dial rather than a handful of markers.
- Reference
- GW-BX5600-1A1ER
- Brand
- Casio
- Collection
- G-Shock
- Case size
- 44.1mm
- Case thickness
- 13.4mm
- Case material
- Resin
- Case shape
- Square
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Mineral
- Movement
- Solar
- Functions
- Chronograph, Date, Stopwatch, Countdown timer, Alarm, Backlight, World time, Solar powered, Radio controlled, Bluetooth, Dual display
- Water resistance
- 200m
- Bracelet / strap
- Rubber strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 49.1mm
Learn more about Casio
Tadao Kashio founded Kashio Seisakujo in Tokyo in 1946 as a machine shop. The company's first success was a finger ring that held a cigarette, and its second was the 14-A of 1957 — the world's first all-electric compact calculator, which used solenoids rather than gears.
Casio entered watchmaking in 1974 with the Casiotron, a digital watch with an automatic calendar that knew the varying lengths of months. The company approached watches as an electronics manufacturer rather than a horological one, and that difference produced the G-Shock.
The G-Shock came from a single engineer, Kikuo Ibe, who broke a watch his father had given him and set out to build one that could not break. The specification was three tens: survive a ten-metre drop, ten bars of water pressure, and ten years of battery life. It took over two hundred prototypes, and the solution was suspending the module inside the case on a cushioned internal structure rather than mounting it rigidly. The DW-5000C shipped in 1983.
It became one of the most durable product designs in any category, adopted by militaries, emergency services, and skateboarders alike, and Casio has since added solar charging, radio and GPS timekeeping, Bluetooth, and full-metal and carbon variants.
Casio also produces the Edifice, Pro Trek, and Oceanus lines, and remains an independent Japanese public company.
- 1946
- Tadao Kashio founds the company in Tokyo.
- 1974
- The Casiotron is Casio's first digital watch.
- 1983
- The G-Shock DW-5000C survives Kikuo Ibe's three-tens brief.
- 1994
- The Frogman extends G-Shock to ISO dive certification.
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A watch built to be worn hard and got wet.
Strengths
- 200m water resistance, rated for actual diving
- 49.1mm lug-to-lug keeps the 44.1mm case wearable
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Second time zone for travelling
Worth knowing
- 44.1mm sits at the larger end
Compare alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | GW-BX5600-1A1ER |  RA-TX0202B10B |  R8873645001 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £159 | £219 | £159 |
| Case size | 44.1mm | 42.8mm | 44mm |
| Water resistance | 200m | 200m | 50m |
| Movement | Solar | Solar | Solar |
| Strap | Rubber strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| This watch |
|
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 200m it is rated for swimming, snorkelling and recreational diving.
Will the glass scratch?
It can, over time. Mineral glass handles daily wear but will pick up fine scratches that sapphire would not.
Does it need a battery?
No. It charges from light, and the cell behind that is designed to last a decade or more.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 49.1mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16.5cm (6½ inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
F.Hinds is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
Who are F.Hinds?
F.Hinds has been run by the same family since 1856 and is now in its fifth generation, with more than 115 shops across England and Wales. They are a member of the Responsible Jewellery Council and an Authorised Diamond Dealer.
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