Gerards GADA Watch: G-Shock Square GW-M5610U-1

May 25, 2022

Go anywhere, do anything… Please rethink that. Honestly, what watch would be suitable to literally go anywhere and do anything a person could go and do? There are very few watches that you can use anywhere, in any situation, and for any purpose. And I even think there s only one. But the expression, although nicely coined, often isn t used literally. Many in the watch community use a more general meaning.So this article isn t about an ancient Indian mace made of wood or metal, nor is it about an indigenous democratic socio-political system of the Oromo. Instead, it s about the watch I d wear in situations where my watch is likely to struggle.Gerards go anywhere, do anything watchLet me first get my sub-heading out of the way. Which watch is the only one that can live up to the phrase go anywhere, do anything? In my book, that could only be a G-Shock, preferably a solar-powered Square.G-Shock GW-M5610U-1 by CasioBe it in space or meters below the water, in heat or cold, and in bright sunlight or the dark, a G-Shock Square lives up to its tasks in all situations. Dust or sand won t hurt it. And - as its name implies - it s very good at taking shocks. Besides all this, partly due to its low weight, the GW-M5610U-1 is highly comfortable and suitable for virtually anyone.This G-Shock is great for all these challenging situations, but how about daily life? Here as well, the watch performs. No one will condemn you if you wear it to a birthday party, wedding, funeral, office, or nightclub. It could even be seen as hip or cool.Specific featuresGoing anywhere and doing anything might require specific features from your watch. The G-Shock s Casio 3495 module has got you covered. It shows the time either in a 12- or 24-hour format. The date is available in DD/MM or MM/DD format. It has a world-time list of 48 cities plus GMT. Four alarms and an hourly chime are available as well. It sports a stopwatch and, last but not least, a timer. Oh yes, of course, the backlight automatically illuminates in dark conditions when rotating your wrist toward your face to read the time.More generic GADA watchesBut even if, in my book, a G-Shock is the only actual GADA watch, I also thought of other watches for the more generic meaning of the term. So, although the assignment was to choose only one watch, please forgive me for choosing a few more. I couldn t think of just one watch - not even the GW-M5610U-1 - for all the places I go and all my activities. Let me explain.I d choose a so-called GADA watch when setting out on journeys where I do not always know beforehand what kind of activities I will face, like holidays. A few years ago, almost without exception, I would have chosen my trusty old 1990 Submariner 14060. It fits nicely under the sleeve of my motorcycle jacket, it s not afraid of water, it s very readable, etc. Only when traveling to an area where a is seen as an exorbitant luxury and could be a reason for assault or worse would I choose something else. In this day and age, that could be Amsterdam, London, or, for instance, South Sudan.If not a , then what?Depending on any foreseen activities during the upcoming trip, my most natural choice would be a used-and-abused Omega Speedmaster Professional. That s a watch I don t have to think about; it s just so me. It s probably suitable to go anywhere, but I am aware that a Speedmaster Professional isn t suitable to do anything. The first thing that comes to mind is scuba diving. Although I use my Speedmaster when swimming - follow this habit at your own risk - it s unsuitable for diving. And even when wearing a Speedmaster with its scars and dents, I m always aware of wearing it. That s definitely not a bad thing, though, since realizing that I m wearing a Speedmaster always makes me smile.If not an Omega Speedmaster Professional, then what?When I don t want to think about the watch I m wearing but prefer hands instead of the digital display of a G-Shock Square, I ll wear a Christopher Ward field watch. It s a C65 Sandhurst if I m not mistaken, and with this dial and handset, this one is out of production. It s slim and light enough to wear comfortably, and it s water resistant to 150 meters. It also has a sapphire crystal, is incredibly readable, and, luckily, has no date.The Sandhurst is my only GADA watch on a leather strap; I don t like a metal bracelet on this type of field watch. A leather strap makes a watch less suitable for getting wet, which I experienced a few times during my review. But, of course, water-ready options like a rubber or nylon strap are available instead of a steel bracelet.ConclusionIn my opinion, the only literally correct choice for a GADA watch is a G-Shock. And I must compliment my colleague Thor Svaboe on his choice here. But the GADA expression often isn t used all too literally. Some people use it to designate a one-watch collection, and some use it for the watch they would pick as number one from their collection. What is clear is that a GADA watch should be fit for challenging and somewhat-rough situations. So far, I ve not seen anyone choose a flimsy, thin dress watch. And that s why my choices are watches that have earned their spurs, whether in the water, in the air, or on land.