G-Shock G-7700-1
Small Display, Big Personality
There are some watches I buy because they suddenly appear at a price that's too good to ignore.
Then there are others that I've already decided I want, and I'm simply prepared to wait until the right example comes along.
My Casio G-7700-1 was firmly in the second category.
I'd had one on my list for a while. I liked the design, particularly that distinctive display, but there was no point rushing out and overpaying for one.
Eventually, patience paid off.
One appeared for £20.
The seller described it as needing a battery, but cosmetically it looked excellent. From the photographs, it appeared to have had very little use.
For twenty quid? I snapped it up.
And I'm very glad I did.
Better Than Expected
When the G-7700 arrived, the condition was every bit as good as I'd hoped. In fact, it looked as though it had barely been worn.
That's always a nice result with an older G-Shock because these watches were designed to be used.
Finding one that's escaped years of knocks, scrapes and general abuse isn't something I take for granted.
There wasn't a restoration project waiting for me this time. It needed a battery. That was essentially it.
Fresh battery fitted, everything working as it should, and another watch could be crossed off my wanted list.
Sometimes patience really does pay off.
That Display
The display is probably my favourite part of the G-7700.
It isn't enormous. In fact, considering the overall size of the watch, the actual LCD occupies a relatively compact area.
But Casio made brilliant use of the available space.
There's plenty of information displayed without it feeling like somebody has simply thrown numbers all over the screen. The main time remains immediately readable, while the surrounding information gives the G-7700 a wonderfully technical appearance.
It's busy without being messy. And that's not always an easy balance to get right.
Small display, big personality.
That's exactly why I chose the title for this review.
Module 3095
Inside the G-7700 is Casio module 3095, and it's considerably more capable than the display initially suggests.
This isn't just a basic digital G-Shock with a stopwatch and alarm thrown in. You've got Timekeeping, Stopwatch, Recall, Countdown Timer, Alarm and World Time modes, plus several unusual functions that make the G-7700 particularly interesting.
It's one of those watches where you can own it for quite some time and still discover something else buried in the module.
A Stopwatch With Some Serious Capability
The G-7700 was designed with sports timing very much in mind.
Its stopwatch goes well beyond simply pressing start and stop. You can record elapsed time, lap times and split times, then use the separate Recall Mode to look back through recorded timing data. The
module can also identify the best lap from stored information.
There's even an Auto-start function, which performs a countdown before automatically beginning stopwatch operation.
That's the sort of functionality that makes the G-7700 interesting even if you're primarily attracted to the watch itself rather than buying it specifically as a training tool.
It's proper old-school Casio over-engineering.
Two Countdown Timers
Then there are the countdown timers.
Not one. Two.
They can be used together for interval timing, allowing you to alternate between two periods - useful for switching between harder and easier stages of exercise. The timers can also automatically repeat.
It's another example of the G-7700 being considerably more sports-focused than its relatively compact display might initially suggest.
World Time
You also get a proper World Time mode covering 29 time zones and 48 cities.
Again, Casio hasn't given the G-7700 a massive screen. They've simply been clever about how they use the one they've got.
Five Alarms
Module 3095 also gives you five multi-function alarms, including a snooze alarm, plus the usual hourly time signal.
Five alarms is probably more than I'll ever realistically need.
But this is Casio.
Why give you one when they can give you five?
Flash Alert
Another nice little feature is Flash Alert.
The G-7700 has red and green LEDs at the bottom of the display that can flash alongside audible alerts.
It's one of those small features that adds even more personality to a watch that already has plenty of it.
And Then There's That Backlight
This is another reason I like the G-7700.
Electro-Luminescent backlight.
I'm a sucker for a good EL backlight on an older Casio.
Press the button and instead of a small LED trying to throw light across the display from one side, the whole display gets that wonderfully even illumination.
The G-7700 also supports Auto Light and afterglow.
For me, that's a win.
You've already got a display I really like during the day. Then it looks great in the dark as well.
Win win.
Proper G-Shock Credentials
The G-7700 is the real thing: proper G-Shock shock-resistant construction and an original water-resistance rating of 200 metres.
Despite the protection and substantial appearance, it's still light enough to be an easy everyday wear.
You get the toughness without ending up with something ridiculously heavy on the wrist.
£20 Well Spent
And then I remember what mine cost.
Twenty quid.
For an excellent-condition G-7700 that looked like it had barely been worn.
The dead battery didn't concern me. If anything, it probably helped keep other buyers away and the price down.
Fresh battery. Everything working. Job done.
Worth Waiting For
The best part is that I didn't compromise.
I'd already decided I wanted a G-7700. Rather than buying the first mediocre example I found or paying more than I wanted, I waited.
Eventually, the right one appeared.
That's becoming one of the biggest lessons I've learned from collecting watches.
Unless something is genuinely rare, there's usually another one.
Set your price. Know the condition you want. And wait.
Sometimes that patience lands you an excellent G-Shock for twenty quid.
The Casio Collector Verdict
The Casio G-7700-1 had been sitting on my wanted list for a while, and I'm glad I waited for the right example.
Mine cost just £20 because it needed a battery, yet cosmetically it was excellent and looked as though it had barely been worn.
Once the fresh battery went in, that was it. Everything worked perfectly.
But the real reason I wanted a G-7700 was the watch itself - particularly that display.
I love it.
Casio has managed to fit a surprising amount of information into a relatively small LCD without turning it into an unreadable mess.
Then you've got a seriously capable module behind it: stopwatch with lap and split recording, recall functions, dual countdown timers, World Time, five alarms and Flash Alert.
And finally there's the Electro-Luminescent backlight.
That seals it for me.
It's a proper 200 m G-Shock with an unusual display, loads of functionality and one of those lovely old-school EL backlights.
I wanted one. I waited. One eventually appeared in excellent condition for £20.
Snapped it up - and I'm very glad I did.
Small display? Definitely.
Big personality? Absolutely.
Specifications
Model: Casio G-Shock G-7700-1
Release: 2007
Module: 3095
Movement: Quartz digital
Display: LCD
Shock resistance: G-Shock shock-resistant construction
Case/bezel: Resin
Band: Resin
Glass: Mineral glass
Caseback: Stainless steel
Dimensions: Approximately 52.3 × 45.9 × 14.6 mm
Weight: Approximately 56 g
Water resistance: 200 metres
World Time: 29 time zones / 48 cities
Stopwatch: 1/100-second sports stopwatch
Timing functions: Elapsed, lap and split timing
Recall function: Yes
Best-lap display: Yes
Auto-start: Yes
Countdown timers: 2
Alarms: 5 multi-function alarms, including snooze
Hourly time signal: Yes
Flash Alert: Yes - red/green LED indicators
Backlight: Electro-Luminescent
Auto Light: Yes
Afterglow: Yes
Calendar: Full auto-calendar
Time format: 12/24 hour
Battery: CR2025
Approximate battery life: 5 years
Price I paid: £20
Condition when purchased: Excellent; appeared barely worn
Work required: Fresh battery
Personal highlight: That information-packed display and EL backlight - win win.
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