So, I’ve been messing around with my watches again, and this time I decided to give my G2100 Casio with the gray dial a bit of a facelift. You know how it is, you love a watch, but sometimes you just want to spice things up a bit. I started thinking about what I could do to make it look different but still keep that tough, G-Shock vibe.
First, I went online, just browsing, you know, to get some inspiration. I found a bunch of people talking about swapping out parts, changing colors, all sorts of stuff. There were a few ideas that caught my eye. Some folks were talking about these aftermarket bezels and straps that glow in the dark. That sounded pretty cool, a way to make the watch even more useful at night.
Then, I saw people doing these “military makeovers,” making their G-Shocks look even more rugged. That got me thinking about maybe changing the watch band. But then I remembered I already did a metal mod on another G-shock. And I didn’t want to do the same thing again.
Digging Deeper
I kept digging, and I stumbled upon this whole thing about upgrading the crystal. Apparently, you can get sapphire crystals for these watches, which are way tougher than the mineral glass they come with. This one site, SKXMOD, even has hour markers specifically for the solar Bluetooth model (GA-B2100). So I made sure to check out that one. I mean, a tougher crystal sounds like a no-brainer, right? Especially for a G-Shock.
And get this, some people were using parts from other watches, making their own custom creations. Someone created a custom Casio hand-painted wristwatch that looked pretty cool. It got me thinking outside the box even more.
The Plan
After a few days of going down this rabbit hole, I finally figured out what I wanted to do. I decided to go for the sapphire crystal upgrade. It just made the most sense for a watch that’s supposed to be all about toughness. I ordered one online, specifically designed for the GA-2100, with a blue AR coating because I thought that would look cool with the gray dial.
The Process
When the crystal arrived, I was like a kid on Christmas morning. I carefully took apart the watch, which was a bit nerve-wracking, I won’t lie. There are plenty of tutorials online, so I watched a few of those to make sure I didn’t mess anything up. It was a bit fiddly, but I managed to get the old crystal out and the new sapphire one in. I also found those luminous bezels I mentioned before. So I bought one and changed the original bezel.
Putting it all back together was the real test. I took my time, made sure everything was lined up properly, and finally, it was done!
The Result
Man, it looked great! The blue AR coating on the sapphire crystal really pops against the gray dial, and it just feels so much more premium now. Plus, I know it’s even more durable, which is perfect for a clumsy guy like me. The luminous bezel is practical as well. It was not that hard to change the parts, but it did take me a few hours. But I did it! I was so proud of myself. Overall, I’m super happy with how it turned out. It’s like I have a brand-new watch, but it’s still my trusty old G2100. This whole experience has definitely got me thinking about what other watch projects I can tackle next. Maybe I’ll try one of those full metal mods someday!
