I just got this watch yesterday, so this review cannot address issues of longevity or service life. However, I noticed there are no reviews on Amazon of this particular model as I was shopping and comparing, so I thought I would provide my comments here. I did a lot of comparisons and research when selecting this watch.
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br /Overview:
br /Before I get into a lot of details, my quick impressions - better than expected! It looks better than it does in any pictures I found, in which the watch looks solid black with a blue face. There is a lot of dark subdued green hues, as well as black, that give the watch a subtle military look. The face is only blue when illuminated; otherwise it looks a bit gray/green, which I like. I also love the nylon-resin band. The buttons are well designed. They are not easy to hit accidentally, yet I find them easy to use when I want to. The atomic timekeeping works well so far (I live in the Phoenix, AZ area). I did a manual receive yesterday, and the watch successfully received time synchronization while I slept last night (which is very easy to confirm when you get up). The functions are plentiful and easy to figure out by referencing the manual. If you have had another G-shock the functions will be very familiar.
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br /Check the manuals:
br /When I started looking at different brands I remembered an original G-shock I had a long time ago. I gave it to my son. I checked and was very interested in the solar power and atomic timekeeping. The biggest problem was deciding on which model. I found the technical specifications listed on Casio's website were a bit misleading. There are some functions that are listed only for certain models, yet when I downloaded the owner's manuals I found all the models I compared had them. For instance, some list the ability to turn daylight savings time on and off. I was concerned about models that did not list that capability since I live in AZ and we don't use DST! I found by reading the manuals that all the models I was considering has that capability - they probably all do. If you are very concerned about a particular function, I recommend downloading the manuals from Casio.com. You have to get the module number (not model number) for the watch, then you can download the manual from the support page.
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br /More on the band:
br /I was worried because I wasn't sure what a "nylon resin" band would be like. I am familiar with the resin band, like on my original. I went to a local Walmart to see if they had one. I found a similar watch with a nylon strap with a Velcro closure. It was okay, but I wasn't thrilled with it. I ordered the Green Atomic thinking that was the strap I was getting. I was very pleasantly surprised with this strap. It is not a cloth like nylon at all. It is more like resin band reinforced with nylon - so it is comfortable, seems like it will be very strong, and it is not the kind of material that will absorb sweat and other moisture (which was my concern). I like to go from working out to the steam room, to the shower, and then to work - all while wearing a watch. I was worried about having something that would soak up sweat.
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br /Lightweight vs Heavyweight:
br /In looking at the various solar atomic models, it seems to me there are some that are lightweight (like the green atomic), and some that are metallic and very heavy. My Citizen Aqualand was very heavy, so I didn't think I would mind that, but I went to a local store and put on one of the MTG series G-shocks and didn't like it. I prefer the lighter styles, like this one.
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br /Main Function Difference:
br /One of the biggest considerations was the set of functions. All the Casios have a lot of functions. In the G-shock atomic solar watches - the main difference is that some have the time recorder (which allows you to hit a memo button to record up to 30 different times) and others (like this model) have a countdown timer. I really like having a countdown timer with alarm - I miss that from my old G-shock. I really couldn't think of much use for the time recorder.
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br /The little things:
br /I was a little sorry to see no display of the day of the week. I may be the only person who forgets what day of the week it is, but I was sad to see it was not included in the display. I was pleased to find out (accidentally - I did not find this in the manual) that I can toggle between the date display and the day of week by hitting the "B" button while in timekeeping mode!
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br /Reliability:
br /As I already mentioned, mine is brand new. I scoured the Internet for reviews and found a couple of people who posted problems with solar models dying on them. They also mentioned that once out of warranty, battery replacement on these models is more than the watch. I am curious about that and I am thinking of contacting Casio and asking about that. I also found some reviews of solar models that have held up for a long time and are still running. Although this isn't a cheap watch, it is not terribly expensive either. I am comfortable taking a "risk." These G-shocks seem to have a very good overall reputation for reliability and ruggedness.
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br /Summary:
br /If, like me, you like the G-shock and are anal about knowing exactly what time it is - the atomic G-shock is a great watch. Trying to wade through all of the various models can be difficult, but if you narrow down what you want:
br /1. Analog vs digital
br /2. Light vs heavy
br /3. Time recording vs countdown alarm
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br /You can narrow down your choices more quickly. So far I am thrilled with my choice, and I don't expect that to change.

Let me start by saying ....very word of the reviews all the 7 people wrote before me ......100% true . This watch is actually cool . When I saw the watch for the first time on amazon, I was really skeptical about buying it . I googled the model and tried to find out , if there were some other websites( ebay , kenmar watches , watchgear ..etc) having other pictures/ shots in different angles which would give me little more clear picture of how the watch actually loooks . Is it too green , is it black .....? Well I would like to quote what someone else who mentioned before , it has dark green hues mixed with black ....that how I would describe the watch . It Looks so so cool .The portion above the dial where it's written G-shock + the area where you have "G" button ....that area is more like a black matte finish ( grayish black I would say ) ...and the side of the dial is like dark olive green ,,,,like camouflage green , but a darker shade .The band is very nice and sturdy , its not all fabric , its got resin reinforced with it + the fabric seems to have been treated to make it harder and less absorbent . The watch dial is very clear and you can make out everything very clearly . I tried all the functions and they work just fine . I received the automatic time signal to sync my watch ....pretty neat , did not have to place it next to that window ...its synced it right on my wrist . ..Well I am very very happy with this timepiece ...I would recommend it to anyone . It is cool , very rugged , but not too big ( like the pathfinders ) it fits nicely on a average wrist ....mines not too big and its perfect for it . 5 stars for it anyday ......Happy Shopping

This review is probably premature, since I haven't actually received the watch yet. But after days of research, and 2 trips to Macy's to try the thing out, I'm pretty confident that this is one of the top choices of the current slew of G-Shock/Atomic/Solar Casio watches.
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br /The one thing the GW002 has that the GW500 and the MTG920 don't have is a Countdown Timer. For those of you like me who grew up with that little feature on older Casios, it beats the pants off of the "Time Memo" feature of the other 2 styles. I can't imagine a use for a time stamp anyway, especially one you cant attach text to.
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br /I also found the color to be unique - it's kind of a greenish-gray or grayish-green - either way, it's nice-looking in person. Also, the band was very comfortable. The description calls it "nylon", but it's actually nylon impregnated with resin. I like these bands better than the metallic ones for two reasons: 1) lighter weight; 2) my arm hair always gets caught in metal bands.
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br /Final thoughts: If you must have a metal band or an all-black watch, then the MTG920DA-1 is for you (at the highest price of this trio, $85). If value is your goal, then you can't beat the price of the Black/Gray GW500A-1V for only $59. In my case, I was willing to spend an extra $20 on the GW002KA-3V based on its style and Countdown Timer function.

I was very happy with the purchase of this watch. When it arrived, it was actually less bulky than I expected, which was a plus. All of the time zone functions, the stop watch, timer, auto light and alarm work the way I expected. The price was right, the watch is comfortable to wear and looks great, if you like a rugged, military style appearance.
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br /I have not been diving with the watch yet, and probably will not wear it for diving. My main interest in this watch is its ability to sync with the Colorodo atomic clock. As a mariner, it is useful for navigation to have the exact time, and the sky wave travels much further than the stated range, across the Atlantic. A signal was picked up near the Canary Islands.
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br /My only complaints: The auto daylight savings time setting is not updated for the new daylight savings dates (you have to change it manually for it to be correct); and that the band is made partially out of a synthetic fabric type material that I know will eventually absorb moisture and start to smell, expecially in a salt environment.
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br /Overall, very happy with the purchase.
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br /J.G.

This is the perfect pilot's watch. It has Zulu time, local time, a stop watch, date, etc. Best of all, you never have to remember to set or wind it! The controls for activating the stop watch are easily accessed, unlike my experience on a previous Casio RC/solar. It seems thinner than the original, so it is comfortable to wear.
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br /I recommend it highly.

I just got this watch in the mail today. I researched all the watches for a couple days and picked this one. When I bought it there were no reviews on the internet so I took a chance. On first impressions the watch looks pretty tough and good quality. I am crazy about time and always knowing what the time is. It was important that I got an accurate watch so I wanted one with the atomic function. I heard that the atomic part really drains the batteries so I thought having solar would be a benefit. I am a little worried about the battery and it dieing on me. I know from experience that the more "stuff" they put in something the more chances of something going wrong. I decided to take the chance and try the solar out.
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br /I agree with the other reviewer that you should download the manuals for the watches you are interested in. I almost didn't buy this watch because I really wanted the countdown feature. I didn't see it listed anywhere in the tech details on amazon or on Casio's website, but it does have it!
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br /I am very happy with the buttons on this watch. My last watch had buttons that stuck out and I was always hitting them on accident. This watch has big easy to press buttons that are kind of pushed down in the watch and won't be hit by accident.
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br /My only complaint with this watch (so far) is the band. It is a really nice band but I guess I am a little odd. I love having a watch but don't like wearing them. I always carry a watch with me in my pocket. I want all the features of a watch like this that is meant for your pocket! I looked at actual pocket watches but they are always analog. I was hoping that since this watch had a nylon band it would fold easily and fit in my pocket. Wrong, the band is pretty stiff and it naturally curves to fit your wrist. Of course this is nothing against the watch, it is actually really nice if you are "normal" and like wearing watches. After awhile I may try to take the band off, maybe even cutting it if needed.
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br /Overall, my first impressions are this is a wonderful watch. It looks cool, has great features, is just the right weight, and it feels tough. It even came to me fully charged with the accurate time already set. So far I am impressed with the solar since it was in a box with no light for several days and is fully charged. We will just have to see how long the battery lasts... Go buy it!

I purchased this watch for an upcoming round-the-world trip. It's the first digital watch I've owned. I've had this watch for 2 days now, and I love it. It will really come in handy for travel because it's got 29 time zones, 4 one time alarms, a re-occuring snooze alarm, an hourly notification (can turn this on or off), a setting for daylight savings time, a countdown timer (useful for train schedules), and a stopwatch. It's got a power save feature that saves on battery usage if turned on. Mine came charged half-way, and after two days shows a full charge. Under normal usage, it will stay charged. The auto-backlight feature is really awesome...it illuminates (1.5 or 2.5 seconds) when you tilt your wrist to view the time, but only in the dark. You can also press the big button on the front for illumination. The atomic feature will not work overseas (because it's too far from Colorado), but the time can also be manually set if needed. If the setting is turned on, the watch will make a few attempts to update the time in the middle of the night. Mine has yet to do this, but I don't keep the watch near a window like the manual suggests. I manually attempted an update on my front porch which worked just fine. I had to read the manual to learn how to change the settings, but I found it easy to configure after that. The three "dials" on the watch face show the "seconds" count, battery charge, and atomic signal strength. Also, this thing looks totally cool in dark green and black. My friend saw this watch and is buying one too.

This is my third or fouth G-Shock. I buy them because they are indestructable. My last one, after about 10 years, was running fine but the case was coming apart, problbly because I never think about it...(like clean it once in a while.) I really like this one. It is easy to use, sets itself every night if I put it on a window sill and is very comfortable for a large watch. I would not hesitate to recommend this watch to anyone.

I love CASIO watches. My 7-year old watch just went to sleep for the last time. The features of this watch: Auto everything, made my day.
br /I love the "Radio-controlled Atomic Timekeeping" The watch was pre-set when I got it and the time is still solid as a rock. Never again will I have to wait for CNN to begin to set my watch. I'm sure (after having another Casio) that the watch will work for years without loosing a second.
br /Being solar-charged is its second advantage. My last Casio lasted through three battery changes, this one all I have to do is occasionally bring it out to a light.
br /It has a neat little countdown timer. So if I want to spend 30 minutes on the computer, it tells me when I'm done.
br /There is also a stopwatch. It is your basic stopwatch but it's useful.
br /There are a couple dozen time zones, so if I want to know the time in Japan or Italy I can find it. But I haven't left the Pacific Time Zone for ten years.
br /The reason I only gave it three stars is the soft volume of the alarm. My last Casio was loud enough to wake me up. This one is barely audible. Most of the time any slight background noise is enough to cover the alarm. I use the alarm to take my pills. My last Casio with its alarm was literally my lifesaver, this one with its so-called alarm may or may not be as effective.
br /I highly recommend this watch to people who want a precision time piece. If you want it for its alarms, get something else.
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I purchased this watch through Amazon a month ago. It is not overly big and has performed well. I work with my hands so I don't like a watch that cuts into you as you work. I wear the face down so this can be a problem with some pieces; espeacially over size watches. I haven't figured out how to lengthen the light-up time while in battery save mode. The watch goes to sleep in this mode while you sleep to conserve on battery time which is good as it is a solar watch. Even though I wear the unit under my wrist it still seems to stay charged. Still.. a longer period to view the watch at night would be nice. I don't recall the write up saying it was solar but It works for me. No problems with the Atomic clock signal. I would probably prefer a smooth band for easy cleaning but this twotone band is nice looking. It is injection molded to look like a woven product(Trad Swiss Army syle) but is simply soft plastic like all the rest. If I had one critic it would be that the time numerals are not large enough. I could do without the second countdown and the signal indicator. You need the battery indicator. On the upside; the indented buttons keep the watch from inadvertant changes which is a big improvment over the last Timex I had.

I just rec'd my watch today and I'm very happy with it . I already bought GShock GW 530 but I have to return it because there is no countdown timer which I use a lot at my work. While surfing in the internet I saw this watch in Amazon.com And I like the look of the watch right away. But it is definitely better in reality. The combination of greenish-gray and black on the band is way better than all black. I highly recommend this watch to people who needs a durable watch especially to their workplace or sports.

I bought this for my athletic boyfriend. He loves it! All the accessories (light, atomic clock, etc) work great. The band is not the tacky rubber like most athletic watches. Great buy!

I've only had this watch for about 5 days, but I love it. It is so comfortable that I can't even tell I'm wearing a watch. Very nice looking too; sure, the face is somewhat large, but that's to be expected for a G-Shock watch, and it isn't as large as some I've seen. Nice to be able to toggle between the month-date and day. Never had a watch with a solar battery before, but I love the idea of not having to change the battery. So far the battery seems to stay at peak charge easily, with minimal exposure to sunlight. (indoor light works too) As a die-hard techie, I think it's really cool that the watch receives a time calibration signal automatically each night from Fort Collins, Colorado; in the morning you can easily check to see exactly when the signal was received. You can also do a manual receive of this signal if desired. Very cool! I am into some outdoor sports, and this watch will be perfect for that. Nice to know that the vibration protection would also allow me to take up motocross, or use a chain-saw, if desired when wearing the watch! :) Glad I purchased it.

When I saw the watch on Amazon, I was really skeptical about buying it. I wasn't too sure about the color and design, but figured since it got a 5-Star rating and was a reasonable price, why not. I received my watch today and I'm very happy with it. It looked even better when I was about to touch it and play around with the functions. The combination of a green (dark olive green) and black band, mixes with G-Shock sleek, durable and quality design, makes this the perfect watch for the G-Shock enthusiast and everyday person. It is very comfortable to wear and is the most advanced G-Shock I've ever owned. My only complaint is that I can't display the day of the week and the date at the same time. Being solar powered makes it a plus for environmentally friendly people. From what I can tell, the battery charges easily, with minimal exposure to sunlight. The automatic time calibration is very cool and a great feature, as I'm a stickler for time accuracy. This is a highly recommended watch. Good luck!

All of the features on this "full featured" watch work as advertised. It is a bit large, but that shouldn't be a surprise when you consider everything that is in it. Most pleasant surprise was how easily the time updates -- obviously the signal from Ft. Collins is very strong here on the east coast. The only (very minor) negative is that you must select whether to display the day of the week or the date, can't do both at the same time.

I owned one other Baby-G watch that lost its battery life prematurely. I bought this watch for sport and casual wear. The band has unusual grayish-olive cast to it and the face readouts are clear. It is set up nicely for modal changes and the buttons are sensitive. But the best part is the long lasting (dare I say infinite?) life of its battery. It is charged by solar light and it saves the charge when put in a dark place. It keeps accurate time by resetting itself via a satellite signal from Colorado. How "green", not to mention cool, is that?

Works pretty good, but when try to synchronize to obtain the real time, needs to be in a place without any type of interference so thats impossible inside a city, but is a awesome watch.

All functions are working perfectly. Looks good too. The layout of the screen could be designed to utilize the space more efficiently, but oh well, I guess you can't have everything.

Had this watch for about a month...everything Casio said it was...wish manual had bigger type (56yo eyes) Hope it lasts as long as my last one. (10 years) A great watch for the money!

I bought this for my husband who wanted a G Shock watch for Christmas because he wanted something more casual than his Omega watch. HE LOVES IT! He loves the straps and everything about the watch. He also likes the color. We highly recommend the watch.

I purchased this watch to replace my original G-Shock which I had for 17 years and stood up to a lot of abuse. This watch is sleeker than the original and looks a lot better. I tried the auto light feature and liked it at first, but it soon got annoying because the light would turn on unnecessarily as I was driving at night. The automatic setting of the time is very nice and seems to work well. I have had it in water, and have worked out with it and it has continued to work well. I am interested to see how well the rechargeable battery holds up over the years.

I searched the Casio web site, until I found the watch I wanted. This watch was priced at $130.00. I found it on Amazon for $70.00. I very happy with the product and the shipment from Amazon. I'm in Afghanistan and it is working perfectly so far.
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It will not receive the NIST transmission if I leave it in the car in the garage overnight, but I would not expect the weak Colorado signal to pass through so many levels of bunker. Inside the house, here in North Atlanta, it picks up the signal just fine.

I got this watch through Amazon, free shipping.
br /It took over a week to process and only a day for delivery.
br /Item shipped out of NJ.
br /Other than taking 9 days to get it, I love the watch. I have a small wrist and this G-Shock watch doesn't look too big on me. I also like the band. It's not made of rubber. It's something like green nylon but stronger.
br /It has all the features I need, sw, countdown, alarms and it's easy to learn.

I bought this watch 2 years ago. I really like the features and the band which does not break. I have about 4 other Casio watch's, w/o the band that are still working. This watch has a band that will flex but not break.
br /The downside to this watch is that after 2 years the back light has stopped working and the alarms do not sound. The battery is fine. A quick check of my options shows that repairing the solar style watches cost almost as much as a new watch. My advice is find a Casio model you like that doesn't have the solar battery charge feature, stick with a standard battery. The solar is a gimmick in my opinion.

There are three circular indicators on the face of this watch. I'm puzzled by the one on the left. It's not mentioned anywhere in the manual. Does anyone know what its function is?

GREAT LOOKING BAND AND CASE. NUMBERS ARE A LITTLE SMALLER THAN MY OTHER G-SHOCK WATCHES, YOU HAVE TO TOGGLE BACK FOURTH TO SEE DAY AND DATE OVERALL VERY PLEASED WITH THE WATCH.

I would like to emphasize the comfort of this watch. I'm not one who likes wearing anything weighty.. Nor do I like jewelry. It took me months to get used to a lightweight wedding band.
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br /This watch fits my wrist well. The design and arced support near the face on the upper part of the band, in combination with the nylon/resin strap contours so well to my wrist. Therefore, once I put it on and cinch it up - it stays where I put it. Further, it is not at all heavy or noticeable as I wear it day to day...
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br /It's overall appearance is durable and tough. The face appears slightly larger than the average watch - which it is. But the watch looks good with the normal sized LCD screen emphasized, and the rugged outer not too prominent. It is a functional, tough, quality timepiece.
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br /The function buttons are not too complex.. It's easy to toggle from timekeeping to alarm, to stopwatch, to timer. I especially like the countdown timer. I can think of lots of uses for it. And, I I LOVE that the watch has a smart functioning LCD that lights itself up when you bring your wrist in front of you and turn it 40 degrees to view it. Voila! No more straining to figure out the time in difficult lighting.. There is a criticism in one of the reviews that the alarm function is not very loud. There is some truth to that if you are comparing it to and alarm clock or a church bell.. But it's plenty loud enough to get your attention if you are awake. If you were napping and expected it to wake you.. I'm not sure you would have much luck with that.
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br /Overall, I rate this watch an exceptional value. If you're on the fence about which one to buy, I'll add my vote for this one..

I have several digital watches and even the "classic" casio g-shock, but this is the first g-shock that looks well made. When I look at it, it reminds me of a top of the line Nikon or Canon SLR Camera. Both watch and camera are well designed, purpose built devices with no glitz. The bits and pieces, including the plastic ones, have been put together in a simple, direct manner without the cheesiness that one comes to expect from digital watches. The band has a very good feel to it, as if it was more than an after thought. The lettering on the watch face is in clear white letters in a simple font. The buttons are slightly recessed and are imbued with enough color contrast to the surrounding housing to be recognizable without calling too much attention. The case of this rugged watch is fairly large and not for the timid, but because of the dark well rounded body, it does'nt call too much attention to itself. In other words, it looks like a well made tool rather then a computer chip embedded in cheap plastic. Congradulations Casio this is the first g-shock that doesn't look as if it belongs on some video game character!

I really like this watch. It just feels right and looks great.
br /Just had a few issues catching the atomic signal in some areas.
br /Recommended.

Had this watch for about 2 months now wearing it daily. The nylon mesh is sewn onto the resin core of the band. But it doesn't soak up sweat and hasn't stained yet. Still looks new. The atomic time keeping, solar recharging pretty much makes it maintenance free. I like the stopwatch - it counts the hours as well as minutes, seconds, 1/100th of a second. Highly recommended.

I like this Watch very much.It is easy to see,solar powered and radio controlled. All funtions work. I can not testify about it's durability-I just got it.
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br / Brian

I just received the watch in India, today. As soon as I opened the packaging - I could not help but look at this fine piece of beauty. I must admit I had checked reviews on the Internet for this piece for almost a year. The problem was that living in India, no one was willing to ship it here. That's when I found vPOSTAsia. Anyone living far away where shipping from US merchants is a big issue - try vPOST, you won't regret it!
br /As far as the watch is concerned, it looks NEAT. It has all the featuers one would actually look forward to in a watch, without any of the hanky-panky stuff. The watch band is very different - its made of a resin-rubber material with a bucke like normal G-Shock watches. I will try put up an image of the band.
br /So, if you're in two minds about this watch - I suggest that you stop thinking and go get it!!!

I bought this as a gift for a loved one and she loves it! Yes, it's a little big for a woman, but she's a teacher and needed all the stuff that it can do, plus she wanted a watch that would never die or need to be reset. When we received it, she put it on and I started reading the instructions and we discovered that it did so much more than we even knew about! You can set it so that the light automatically comes on when you tilt your wrist to look at the time, but it doesn't come on all the time when you are moving, because it knows when it is in just the right position... it's not a motion sensor it's a position sensor. It has something like 24 city world time... you just push a button and it shows you what time it is in Hong Kong, or Moscow, etc. I can't even think of all the stuff it has(stopwatch, timer, etc). The point is, we were completely satisfied with this purchase and THEN SOME! One of the rare purchases I've made that turned out to be better than what I expected. The retailer got it in the mail very fast and we received it within a couple days of ordering it.

This was a good buy for the quality watch it is, but think twice if you are getting it as a gift. It came crammed into a strange little box that was obvoiusly not meant for this product. The box was dog eared and creased, and when I saw it, I envisioned a barrel full of watches at Amazon with employees stuffing them in any old box that was handy. For myself, this would have been a decent purchase, but it did not make an impressive looking gift. It appeared to be something cheap from the thrift store. Very dissappointing.

I was disapointed that it had no day of the week display. I am very happy with my casio atomic solar watch that has a day of the week display.