Watch for a kid?

.red.

Hi folks.
I'm looking to get a watch for my son who's 11.
He's gone thru a cheap casio and 2 fit bits the last 2 years so looking for something more robust.
I'd love to get him a g shock but they'll probably be too big on his hand. Theres a few baby g's that might suit but the fact that he's 11, and it says baby I don't think he'd be too happy with them.

Basically I'm looking for something digital with a timer/stop watch but would rather something that was analog but with a small digital section. Tough enough to last a few years on an 11 yo who loves climbing trees and getting dirty. Budget of under €100 but closer to €50 would be better. I'd rather have my shopping done ASAP so waiting for shops to open so I look properly isn't really an option. I'd rather shop Irish but only if worth my while.
Thanks.

Ryath

Your not going to get tougher than a G shock.
Casioak it is on the smaller side for a G shock at 45.4mm and lighter because of the carbon core.
https://lilywho.ie/collections/all-casio/products/casio-watch-ga-2100-1aer

Not analogue but the square GW-M5600 series definitely wear the smallest. This one has solar and multiband.
https://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/2926175/Trail/searchtext%3EG+SHOCK.htm

Casio Tough Solar only for €42 little bigger and chunkier though.
https://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/1583997/Trail/searchtext%3ECASIO.htm

Some of the newer ladies version are branded G Shock and G-MS models are smaller but can't seem to find one that doesn't have pink or sparkles on it!
Nearly works!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/CASIO-Womens-Analogue-Digital-Quartz-MSG-C100-2AER/dp/B07S42H7Y6/ref=sr_1_17?dchild=1&keywords=ladies%2Bg%2Bshock&qid=1604663361&s=watch&sr=1-17&th=1

beauf

Basically all the above. You can often get different colour's online. So shop around. I love my G-Shock but I wish it had UK date. Some models can do this. Don't know which one's though.

Timex also have some options. https://www.timex.com/browse/collections/expedition/

Fitz II

There is a seiko Arnie reissue for sale on the forum, proper watch and some resale value later.

beauf

Bit expensive for an 11yr old maybe?

.red.

Fitz II wrote: »

There is a seiko Arnie reissue for sale on the forum, proper watch and some resale value later.

Haven seen a for sale section but just googled that and even at half price of new, I wouldn't spend it on a kids watch tbh. Not when he'd have no mass in it, and have it wrecked in a few months.

.red.

Thanks for the suggestions.
I just tried my own g shock on him and at 51.2mm it was ridiculous. Fair enough that's bigger than most but not sure even a 46mm would do.

I really like the look of the GA-2100-1AER posted above but the dimensions read as 48x45x11 so will surely be massive.
The tough solar is also nice but again probably too big at 46mm.
I really didn't think finding a kids watch would be so difficult.

Ryath

The Arnie slightly on the big side to at 48mm!

Should have said the Casio GA-2100 comes in a few more colours that might appeal more to an 11 year old.

Camo

Red

Cienciano

Ryath wrote: »

The Arnie slightly on the big side to at 48mm!

Should have said the Casio GA-2100 comes in a few more colours that might appeal more to an 11 year old.

Camo

Red

That red is quality for an 11 year old. Small and neat for a g shock too.

Fitz II

.red. wrote: »

Haven seen a for sale section but just googled that and even at half price of new, I wouldn't spend it on a kids watch tbh. Not when he'd have no mass in it, and have it wrecked in a few months.

Two fit bits and a cassio is half a arnie to he fair and you aint breaking thay watch its a tank. Buy cheap and buy twice. If your kid is that hard on a watch just stock him with cassio f91w s for a tenner. If you want to get him into watches get a skx or the likes.

Ryath

.red. wrote: »

Thanks for the suggestions.
I just tried my own g shock on him and at 51.2mm it was ridiculous. Fair enough that's bigger than most but not sure even a 46mm would do.

I really like the look of the GA-2100-1AER posted above but the dimensions read as 48x45x11 so will surely be massive.
The tough solar is also nice but again probably too big at 46mm.
I really didn't think finding a kids watch would be so difficult.

Ahh He'll grow into it! What size is his wrist? The GA-2100 is a very slim watch by G shock's standards and they are a watch you can get away with wearing oversized. Your 51.2mm G shock is probably around 55mm lug to lug height wise so so the GA-2100 @ 48mm is a nice bit smaller. Sure if it's two big you can mind it for him till it does!

Ryath

Fitz II wrote: »

Two fit bits and a cassio is half a arnie to he fair and you aint breaking thay watch its a tank. Buy cheap and buy twice. If your kid is that hard on a watch just stock him with cassio f91w s for a tenner. If you want to get him into watches get a skx or the likes.

A G shock ain't breaking either and I would consider it a proper watch! Its not a fashion brand and they are built to be bombproof.

Most kids these days aren't going to be into a plain analogue dial and a G Shock is going to be a better gateway drug! My youngest daughter is quite taken by the lume and sweeping second hand of my Seiko divers though! I may yet get her a small Seiko 5!

SKX's are nearly as dear as the Arnie these days, if I was recommending auto divers I'd be suggesting a Vostok or Orient Mako

Cienciano

It might be worth going to a shop with a decent casio selection try stuff on. You could always get nato strap.

scwazrh

Fitz II wrote: »

cassio f91w s for a tenner.

Would this not be the best option?

I gave my son a seiko 5 for his confirmation and it’s started his love for watches already

redlead

I had a casioak and sold it on very quickly. They may be small for a Gshock but they are still massive in diameter. There's no way an 11 year old would pull one off.

I'd second (or third) the F91 suggestion above. The size is more appropriate, they are fairly robust and cheap as chips.

Cienciano

redlead wrote: »

There's no way an 11 year old would pull one off.

Gardai are on the way to your house as we speak

Cassius99

I remember from my childhood getting a good few FW91s...would usually wear them until the straps broke and then replace the entire watch! Cheap and cheerful, and theres a good few colour choices available these days. Bought a few for my nieces and nephews recently and they seemed happy.

Getting a watch is no big deal to kids these days. When I was young those Casios where as high tech as we could imagine. I remember one kid even had the Casio with the calculator! But kids have grown up with iPads and phones and something like a watch is almost a disappointment...all it does is tell the time! And kids climb and play so they get easily broken. Go cheap I recommend. If not the FW91 then how about a Casio AE1200 worldtimer?

redlead

Cassius99 wrote: »

Getting a watch is no big deal to kids these days. When I was young those Casios where as high tech as we could imagine. I remember one kid even had the Casio with the calculator! ?

I had the calculator one, it was the height of technology! I'm also fairly certain that I had a casio that could change TV channels. That felt like something from the future. Simpler times ...

Even then though, I always knew about my uncles rolex. I thought that they were the only watches with a sweeping hand; I had no idea about mechanical watches at all. It was a proper dual tone date just an 80s Colombian drug dealer would be proud of.

Cassius99

redlead wrote: »

I'm also fairly certain that I had a casio that could change TV channels. That felt like something from the future. Simpler times ...

I do recall another lad in the class room had one of those, unfortunately the TVs we had were less hi-tech than the watches, so he could never actually show us how it worked! It's funny you mentioned the Rolex, I do remember an 11 year old friend of mine inheriting his grand dads Rolex...it was a gold dress watch...I remember we all knew it was meant to be something special, but we were all underwhelmed. He was putting it away for when he was older...I wonder what became of it!

Moral of the story, don't pay much for a kids watch...it wont be appreciated!

.red.

Thanks for all the suggestions lads.
I'd narrowed it down to 2 and couldn't really decide between the 2.
BSA B100 with a 42mm face
Or
BGS 100 with a 43mm face.

The BSA100 is half the price so I'll more than likely go for that unless anybody can say the more expensive one is a better buy?

njburke

The BSA 100 looks like a good buy for a child. My sonis very fond of an Ana digi casio I have, wva-m640. I'll have to give it to him someday.

njburke

A good choice that BSA B100. My son is very taken by a wva-640 Casio Ana digi I have, I'll have to give it to him one day.

I would not buy him a Baby-G, they are a "girls watch" and young lads can be sensitive about things like that.

Cienciano

It's weird, some are sensitive, some aren't. I know boys that love pink football and rugby jerseys. When I was that age no one would be caught dead in it.

Cienciano

Cienciano wrote: »

It's weird, some are sensitive, some aren't. I know boys that love pink football and rugby jerseys. When I was that age no one would be caught dead in it.

Yeah, it depends on the kid of course.

At that age I wouldn't have known it was a girls watch, we didn't have the internet. But all it would have taken was some smartass in school to point it out - "you know you're wearing a girls watch?" - and it would have gone back in the box to be never seen again

Cienciano

Like when Homer got the canyonero.

.red.

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I would not buy him a Baby-G, they are a "girls watch" and young lads can be sensitive about things like that.

Too late now, it's due in a day or 2.
It doesn't say girls or women's anywhere. I was a small bit unsure on it saying baby tho but I'll just tell him it's a smaller version of my own.
If he doesn't like it he can put his multi coloured and mangled fit bit back on.

.red.

OmegaGene wrote: »

going by casio

Baby-G is designed for women but is also a good choice for children due to its smaller size. Many of the Baby-G models have unisex styling that would be appropriate for both girls and boys.

It arrived today. Really nice watch. Perfect sized face for a boy too. The strap is very short tho. It wouldn't fit round my wrist but should be more than big enough to do him a few years.
Very happy with the purchase.

.red.

OmegaGene wrote: »

i am sure he will be delighted with it, i got my six year old a spiderman watch and he wore it for a day and said he wanted a gold one

A can of gold spray paint is only a fiver.