Hands-On: G-SHOCK MT-G MTGB2000 Watch

G-SHOCK is well-known in the worlds of watchmaking, everyday carry, adventure, the military, and more for building some of the most formidable timepieces ever imagined. And while many of the core watches in the brand’s lineup still look and act like the formidable wearables we’ve come to expect, G-SHOCK has also been expanding their catalog to bring its signature range of features into timepieces that are a bit more refined and innovative.

That venture has resulted in a variety of impressive models, including the new MTGB2000 we were fortunate enough to get our hands on for the following hands-on look. While we wouldn’t necessarily call this a departure from the brand’s modus operandi — perhaps a fusion of their ideals is a better claim — it does serve to stand apart from many of G-SHOCK’s well-known staples. To clarify what, exactly, that means, we’ve taken the MTGB2000 to task in the following deep dive.

For those who don’t know, G-SHOCK’s first-ever offering was the now-legendary DW-5000C — the watch that ushered in shock-proofing at a time when timepieces were relatively fragile items meant to be handled with care, thus reshaping the future of the watchmaking world forever (and for the better). Nowadays, the brand is perhaps more well-known for its extensive collection of ultra-rugged outdoor-ready offerings, like the Rangeman, Frogman, Mudmaster, etc. To outsiders, looking at where the brand started and seeing how far they come might seem like two opposing sides of the same coin. We’d suggest, however, that the new MTGB2000 brilliantly blends the ideologies of G-SHOCK into a tremendous combination of style and substance. A balancing act of color, material, and finish.

Even a cursory glance at this timepiece can illustrate just what we mean. For instance, at 51mm, the case is a good deal smaller than the 60mm-diameter Rangeman — making the MTGB2000 a bit more wearable, especially for those that plan to put it on in the morning and keep wearing it until the sun has long-since set. Furthermore, the hybrid-metal construction — including the clever resin-backed link band that makes this entry as much as 15% lighter than previous iterations — is perfectly suited to casual and even semi-formal events, but it still boasts many of the stylistic hallmarks G-SHOCK is known for. All told, we’d liken this watch to, say, a Chevy Corvette. That is to say: it’s eye-catching, handsome, and grown-up — but it isn’t without a mean streak, as well.

G-SHOCK is no stranger to innovation, and the MTGB2000 is no exception to that. Along with its spectacular stylistic blend, it also features a unique construction that helps set it apart. That starts, perhaps most obviously, with its striking stainless steel case with its black IP bezel. For reference, this case mates the brand’s Carbon Core Guard with its Metal Core Card to create a new Dual Core Guard structure — combining an integrated carbon monocoque case with exterior metal parts that are simultaneously striking in their appearance with hairline and sallaz polish finishings, and remarkably durable and protective (a major boon for the movement within). While that might’ve been enough to make this a watch worth picking up, the brand didn’t stop there.

Alongside the new Dual Core Guard Struture, G-SHOCK also took this MT-G watch’s band to task and completely revamped it. Now, each metal segment surrounds lighter fine resin parts that, together, make this classically-styled band a whopping 15% lighter than ever before and, therefore, making the entire watch more wearable. But that’s not the only innovation therein; the individual links also now boast a clever slide lever mechanism that makes replacement and sizing simpler and quicker than ever before. It’s probably worth mentioning that, with its formidable case and a weight of just under 5.5 ounces in total, there is still a bit of heft to this watch — enough that the uninitiated may be surprised — but considering everything you get along with it, we’d call that a worthwhile sacrifice any day of the week.

A G-SHOCK watch wouldn’t truly be a G-SHOCK watch if it didn’t have a suite of complications and other features to go along, would it? Well, we don’t hope to find out and, with the MTGB2000 we don’t have to because it is loaded to the gills with everything we’ve come to expect from the brand’s offerings and more. That includes old standards like a built-in light, chronograph functionality, day-date tracking, and (of course) unrivaled shock resistance. It also means it comes with MULTIBAND 6 functionality — meaning this watch will use one of six calibration signals around the planet to keep it dead-on accurate at all times no matter where you travel to or whether or not you have access to a cellular signal.

If you do have access to cellular data, however, we’ve got some great news: the MTGB2000 also boasts Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity and compatibility with the G-SHOCK Connected app — lending a bit of smartwatch-level functionality to an already impressive analog timepiece. Along with helping to ensure the watch stays accurate, the app also makes utilizing the watch’s impressive suite of features all the simpler, as you can access them directly from your phone. Of course, a seasoned pro knows that it’s all-the-better to become intimately acquainted with all of those functions sans smartphone. Still, the ease-of-use angle definitely helps shorten that learning curve by quite a bit.

It’s hard to pin down the kind of person that would want to wear this watch — not because it requires specificity, but rather because we can imagine so many folks that could benefit from such a formidable and refined timepiece. On the one hand, it boasts a huge number of useful features — the kinds you’d expect to see in a mil-spec outdoor adventure watch (the kinds G-SHOCK is known for). On the other, it’s a bit smaller, more innovative, and perhaps even (on a surface level) more traditional in its appearance — which, in this case, is a very good thing — making it a superb alternative for those who want a more wearable, everyday option. In any case, the $1,000 MTGB2000 is an exceptional step forward for the likes of G-SHOCK and, if it’s any indication of what’s over the brand’s expansive horizon, we’re very much looking forward to what comes next.

Purchase: $1,000