CASIO G-SHOCK GM-5600UB-1DR DIGITAL BLACK WATCH

Is the whole case metal?

No, and that is deliberate. The bezel is a stainless steel cover finished in black ion plating; the case beneath it is resin. You get the look and the cool, solid feel of metal where your eye and fingers meet the watch, while the resin core keeps the weight down to 73 grams and keeps the shock-resistant construction working the way it was designed to. A fully metal case of this size would be considerably heavier to wear all day.

What is an inverted LCD?

A display with the contrast the other way round — light figures on a dark field rather than dark figures on a pale grey one. It gives the face a deeper, more finished look, which is what carries the all-black finish across the whole watch. In bright daylight a standard LCD is marginally easier to read, but the backlight evens that out in low light.

How does the backlight work, and what is the flash alert?

The Super Illuminator is a white LED with an afterglow, so the display stays lit for a moment after you release the button. The flash alert uses the same light differently: it pulses along with the buzzer for alarms, the hourly signal and the end of a countdown, which helps somewhere loud or somewhere you would rather catch a light than draw attention. Note that Casio lists no luminous treatment for this reference, so the display does not glow on its own — you press the button to read it at night.

Is the battery really five years?

Casio specifies approximately five years on a CR2016 cell, helped by there being no analog movement drawing power. It is an approximate figure and heavy use of the backlight, stopwatch and alarms will shorten it. When it does run down, bring the watch to any City Chain outlet — having it changed by a service centre keeps the case seal correctly reseated, which protects the 200-metre rating.

Will it fit my wrist?

Casio lists a compatible band size of 145mm to 215mm, which covers most adult wrists. The square case is 49.6 × 43.2mm and 12.9mm thick at 73 grams — it has real presence in the hand because of the metal bezel, but it stays compact on the wrist. The resin band fastens through holes with no in-store sizing step.

Can I swim or snorkel with it?

Yes. 200-metre (20 BAR) water resistance covers swimming, snorkelling and surface water sports. It is not a scuba diving watch — the rating is a laboratory pressure measurement rather than a depth you should descend to — and you should not press the buttons while the watch is submerged. Rinse the bezel with fresh water after swimming in the sea or a chlorinated pool.

What warranty does this watch come with?

The GM-5600UB-1DR comes with Casio's official 1-year warranty when purchased from City Chain Singapore, an authorised Casio retailer.