Try Me

G-Shock Watches: The new generation Casio from pounds 45.

To try out the New Generation Casio G-Shock digital watch I could have gone scuba diving, hiking, motor-biking, drag racing, body-boarding or mountaineering. Alternatively I could have jumped around hitting my wrist against the wall, or practised some judo moves with a Black Belt.

However, when I found out that journalists from a Japanese sports magazine had played softball with a watch placed within the ball to check its shock resistance and tied one to the rim of an off-road motorcycle to check its mud, sweat and dirt resistance I decided that no amount of strenuous bashing could top that.

The G-Shock watch has been around since 1981, and was worn by US soldiers in the Gulf war, but recently Casio has introduced a more fashion-conscious element to the range - the New Generation. They come in various sizes and colour combinations and last week they went on sale in the first dedicated store - the G-Shop - in London's Covent Garden.

The standard G-Shock is only for men (unless you are a woman with particularly large wrists), so it is good to know that the Mini G-Shock is suitable for more delicate wrists. Colours include canary yellow, pillar-box red, yellow/grey and purple/black combinations. Each has special features including an illuminated face, chunky buttons, a multi-function stopwatch and alarm. Limited edition watches by MTV and others will be on sale at the G-Shop in time for Christmasn

G-Shock watches retail from pounds 45, and are available from the G-Shop, 55 Neal Street, Covent Garden, London WC2; 0171-379 7856. For mail order and nation-wide stockists call 0181-450 9131.

Melanie Rickey