If you liked the Casio G-Shock GE-2000 and are looking for more Japalian made watches.  You might want to take a look at the Welder Watch.  Brought to you by Italo Fontana the designer of the famous U-boat Watch.  The U-boat was actually conceptualized back in 1942 when the "Officine Fontana" company was to produce a professional watch for the Italian War Department.  These watches were intended for the Italian Air Force and officers of the U-boat but due political complications the project was scrapped.  In 2000 Italo Fontana, who is the cousin of the founder Ilvo Fontana, took the original drawings and color samples and launched the U-boat collection.  These watches are made in very small quantities and all are individually numbered with some models with only 1,000 made.  So the U-boat watch definitely has a cooler history and uses swiss movement but has a much higher price tag.  The Welder uses the same Italian design with Japanese Miyota OS10 quart movement.  With Welder you are getting the exact designer for less then half the cost.  Although If I had the money I would stick with U-boat.  Just get both.

Welder K-24 CS/BE-BK 3202 (This watch will soon be mine!)

I actually just ordered a military U-boat watch by Tauchmeister you can also look into Aeromatic who also makes great U-boat designs.  Both watch companies produced watches that were actually made for the German military.  If you are interested in German watches, take a look at Glashutte, and A.Lange & Sohne, two of the oldest and most prestigious watch companies out of Germany.


Tauchmeister WW design German U-Boot ALARM DATE heavy!!! crown protecting system T0165



- central second indicator
- date indicator at 3:00 (quick winding with the crown at Pos. 1 clock wise rotation)
- Alarm Hand (adjustable with the crown at Pos. 1 anti clockwise rotation)
- Alarm on/off with pusher at 2:00 Uhr
- high quality movement with Alarm 6L76
- luminous hands and numbers
- case size 45 mm; thick 14,5 mm; all stainless steel with special plaiting IP-Black
- special screwed crown protecting system (with a screwed cover) diameter 11 mm length 9 mm
- 20 atm water resistant
- hardened mineral glass
- screwed bottom
- high quality leather strap with thorn buckle length 250 mm
- delivery incl. Certificate
- 24 month warranty 

In my eyes the military watch is a good alternative to the fashion watch.  As you will see, all the good high fashion and big name brand watches, have designs based on a military style watch.  I think Rugift.com is the place to go for a European Military watch.  That's where I got a couple of mine.  Don't forget, with a fashion watch you are mostly paying for the design aspect and the name brand.  The military contracts to watch makers and are made for battle or very specific things.  With the military watch you are paying for the history, durability, reliability and technology.  Not a fancy name.