Another watchmaker is galloping into the Lunar New Year arena, and this time it is Casio G-Shock with the GBM2100CX-9A Year of the Horse. Joining Swatch’s full-volume celebration and Longines’ buttoned-up elegance, G-Shock decides to do what it does best: split the difference, then coat it in gold. The result is a watch that feels festive, symbolic, and unapologetically G-Shock, all without turning into a novelty trinket you regret by February.
At the heart of this piece is the familiar G-STEEL 2100 series case, that iconic octagonal silhouette that has quietly become one of G-Shock’s greatest hits. For the Year of the Horse edition, the stainless steel bezel features a gold ion-plated finish, immediately dialing up the auspicious energy. Sweeping across the semi-gloss black dial is the mythical “thousand-li” winged horse, a creature said to cover 500 kilometers, or 1,000 li, in a single day. In other words, this thing does not believe in rest days.
The artwork is not subtle, but it is deliberate. The horse’s flowing mane spills outward, visually connecting the dial to the gold bezel, while gold-colored indexes reinforce the New Year symbolism. Red accents punctuate the markers, referencing strength, resilience, and the general refusal to be ignored. Flip the watch over, and the horse returns, engraved on the case back, with the same motif echoed on the special packaging. This is a theme, not a suggestion.
Despite the celebratory aesthetics, this is still a proper G-Shock. The GBM2100CX-9A measures 49.3 mm long, 44.4 mm wide, and 11.9 mm thick, and weighs 72 g. The case construction blends stainless steel with bio-based resin, paired with a bio-based resin strap sized for wrists from 145 to 215 mm. Water resistance is rated at 200 meters, which means it will survive your New Year celebrations and then some.
Functionally, it comes fully loaded. Tough Solar keeps the watch charged, while Smartphone Link via Bluetooth handles time adjustments and world time across 38 time zones. You also get a 1/100-second stopwatch, countdown timer, five daily alarms, full auto-calendar through 2099, battery level indicator, power-saving mode, and Casio’s Super Illuminator double LED system. Neobrite luminous treatment is present on the hands and markers, ensuring readability once the lights go out.
This is not a quiet watch, nor is it trying to be. It is a Lunar New Year statement piece that still respects the G-Shock rulebook, blending symbolism, durability, and modern convenience into one confident package.
The G-Shock GBM2100CX-9A Year of the Horse is priced at US$330.
Images: G-Shock.
