This black-and-blue G-Steel is close, but I still want the bracelet

Black and blue is an easy combination to sell me on, and this G-Steel looks pretty good in the clear front view. The blue details sit close to the edge instead of turning the whole dial into a bright accent. I like that. I am less convinced by the checker pattern across the face.

I have become a big G-Shock fan, but I don't like every G-Shock equally. The square is still the shape that feels most natural to me. This octagonal design is appealing in its own way, especially with a metal bezel, though I keep imagining how much more I would like it on a matching bracelet.

A darker GBM-2100

The exact reference is GBM-2100LXB-1A2. Casio's regional listing and the corresponding release coverage show the same black metal bezel, dark dial and blue highlights. The bezel gets a black ion-plated finish, while the supplied strap is black resin. This is a particular finish and dial execution within the G-Steel range, not proof of a completely new movement platform.

The blue treatment around the glass and the small blue details give it a little depth. The checker effect is the part I would need to see moving in daylight. It could provide a useful bit of texture, or it could make an already layered dial feel fussier than I want. A dramatic low-light campaign picture won't settle that question for me.

The analog hands and small digital display give the watch a lot to show in a limited area. I like the practical idea of having both, but legibility is still something I would want to judge on the actual watch. I haven't worn this reference, checked its viewing angles or compared its screen with another 2100.

Useful features, separate from the styling

Tough Solar, Bluetooth smartphone linking and 200m water resistance are listed features. The coverage also describes world time, a stopwatch, timer, alarms and dual LED illumination. Those make sense for a G-Shock, and solar power is something I would appreciate in normal use. They don't automatically make this specific dial treatment my favorite.

I have not verified an official US price, a US order date or current US stock. The exact reference is established on Casio's Thai site, but a regional listing is not an American launch promise. I am leaving the USD field unknown rather than converting a foreign number or borrowing a price from a different GBM-2100. Exact case measurements also need a retained, model-specific specification before I quote them here.

I give it 77 out of 120 bezel clicks. I like the color combination and the metal bezel. The patterned dial and resin strap keep it from becoming the version I would be most excited to own. A quieter face and a black bracelet would be much closer to what I want.