The IFL Watches Black Metal Galaxy is a hand-painted customization of Casio’s full-metal G-Shock CasiOak—not an official Casio collaboration. Its appeal is the individually patterned, colorful dial set against a black metal case and bracelet; the trade-off is a steep premium, modified-watch warranty terms, and limited availability. IFL’s US listing showed it sold out at $1,390 when checked, while Thor Svaboe’s 2023 Fratello review recorded a €1,390 launch price.
What is the Black Metal Galaxy?
IFL Watches starts with a full-metal Casio G-Shock CasiOak and customizes it. The company identifies the base as GM-B2100BD-1AER and says its staff open and modify the watch, including modifying or replacing the original dial. IFL describes the result as a hand-painted dial, with no two alike, and claims a worldwide edition of 200 pieces.
It is important to distinguish that customization from a factory release: IFL calls itself an independent customization studio and says it is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by any watch brand. Its product page describes the watch as “a customized timepiece based on a genuine watch.” That distinction matters for provenance, warranty, and what you are paying for.
Thor Svaboe’s May 29, 2023 Fratello hands-on review places the Black Metal Galaxy after IFL’s earlier Galaxy Rainbow CasiOak. Svaboe describes the dial as pointillist, with colorful hand-painted details, rainbow-colored indices, and colored bezel text. Those are the reviewer’s descriptions of the design, rather than a claim that every dial has an identical pattern.
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- Case size (L× W× H): 49.3 × 43.6 × 13 mm
- Customizable four display modes
What does IFL change on the Casio?
The foundation remains a full-metal CasiOak: a black stainless-steel case and bracelet, analog hands, and a digital display. IFL’s stated customization centers on opening the watch and changing or replacing the dial with its hand-painted artwork. The available descriptions do not establish that IFL adds new electronic functions; the distinctive change is visual, not a new movement or feature set.
That makes the design a specific proposition: a recognizable, angular G-Shock silhouette with a dark metal exterior and a dial intended to be individual. If you like colorful G-Shocks but want metal rather than a resin case, the artwork may be the attraction. If you prefer a restrained or highly uniform dial, the pointillist treatment and rainbow accents may be the very thing that makes this version a poor fit.
Rank #2
- Enhance your style with some seriously sophisticated timekeeping from the 5000 line
- Directly descended from the first-ever G-SHOCK , the GMW-BZ5000 carries on the evolution of function and material in a transformative, unprecedented design
- They kept the iconic form of the original G-SHOCK, while developing a new structure that extends the case all the way to the lugs to even further mitigate shock transmission
How does it wear, and what are the specifications?
The two published accounts differ on the base reference and some measurements. Keep the figures tied to their source rather than treating them as a single reconciled specification: IFL lists its customized watch, while Fratello’s 2023 table describes the Casio model and its reviewer reports the weight of his sized sample.
| Detail | IFL Watches listing | Fratello, 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Reference | GM-B2100BD-1AER | GM-B2100BD-1A |
| Case diameter | 45.0 mm | 44.4 mm |
| Thickness | 12.8 mm | 12.8 mm |
| Lug-to-lug / length | 49.8 mm lug-to-lug | 49.8 mm length |
| Lug width | 16.0 mm | not stated (Fratello) |
| Weight | 165 g | 149 g for Svaboe’s sample after sizing for a 17.5 cm wrist |
| Case and bracelet material | Stainless steel | Ion-plated stainless steel |
| Crystal | Mineral | Mineral |
| Water resistance | 20 bar (200 m) | 200 m |
| Movement / module | Module 5691; solar; 32,768 Hz frequency | Module 5691; solar and Bluetooth |
| Other construction detail | not stated (IFL) | Screw-down case back; bracelet with push-button deployant clasp and micro-adjustment |
The diameter and weight discrepancies should not be silently averaged: they are the figures each source publishes, and Fratello’s weight is explicitly for a bracelet sized to one reviewer’s wrist. Svaboe’s hands-on account gives the watch a substantial metal-watch presence; the listed dimensions and weight make this a piece to compare with your wrist and comfort preferences, not just with the painted dial.
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Rank #3
- Enhance your style with some seriously sophisticated timekeeping from the 5000 line
- Directly descended from the first-ever G-SHOCK , the GMW-BZ5000 carries on the evolution of function and material in a transformative, unprecedented design
- They kept the iconic form of the original G-SHOCK, while developing a new structure that extends the case all the way to the lugs to even further mitigate shock transmission
What functions does it offer?
Fratello’s specifications describe analog hours and minutes alongside a separate digital display, with a stopwatch, countdown timer, phone finder, world time, full auto calendar, illuminating neo-display, and LED light. The review also describes Bluetooth connectivity to the G-Shock app and solar power. These are the features reported for the underlying watch in that review, not functions independently tested here.
On paper, that is a broad everyday feature set rather than a purely decorative fashion watch. The customization does not remove the practical G-Shock proposition: timekeeping information in two formats, timing tools, illumination, and solar charging. The decision is whether the custom dial and metal finish justify paying far more than for the underlying model.
Rank #4
Is it worth the premium over a standard metal CasiOak?
That depends on whether you value the dial as original artwork or see it as an expensive treatment of a watch whose core platform is already available from Casio. IFL’s US page listed the customized watch at $1,390 and showed it sold out with a waitlist option at the time of checking; import duties and taxes were not included. Fratello reported a €1,390 launch price in its May 29, 2023 review. These are separate listings in different currencies and at different dates, not a like-for-like current price comparison.
- The case for it: IFL says each dial is hand-painted and unique, and the claimed 200-piece worldwide edition makes this a small-run customization rather than a standard colorway.
- The case against it: the premium buys the dial treatment and IFL customization, not a documented new movement or additional electronic functions. The underlying metal CasiOak supplies the core platform.
- Best suited to: someone who specifically wants vivid, individually painted art on a black full-metal G-Shock and accepts third-party modification.
- Less suited to: someone chiefly seeking G-Shock functions or a metal case at the lowest cost, or someone who prioritizes an unmodified, manufacturer-backed watch.
What should buyers know about warranty, packaging, and availability?
IFL says the watch arrives in IFL-branded packaging with IFL warranty documentation, not the original manufacturer’s packaging. Its published two-year warranty covers dial installation, craftsmanship, and functional performance. IFL also says the manufacturer warranty does not apply following third-party modification. These are IFL’s descriptions of its own terms; read the current listing and warranty documentation before purchase.
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Best Value
![Casio GM-B2100GD-9AJF [G-Shock (G-Shock) Full Metal Model with Smartphone Link GM-B2100 Yellow Gold Color Model] Watch Japan Import March 2023 Model](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51R5kAE7MML._SL160_.jpg)
- G-SHOCK is a shock-resistant clock that builds a new concept of toughness on the watch. It is a full metal model equipped with a smartphone link in the digital/analog combination ''GA-2100'' series developed after inheriting the concept of the first model DW-5000C.
- [Shock-resistant structure] G-SHOCK's core technology in pursuit of toughness is resistant to shocks that protect the module with a unique uneven shape, preventing direct impact on glass & buttons.
- [20 aThesis waterproof] A variety of places & situations can be used, such as daily water work, swimming, surfing, jet skiing, etc.
- [Mobile link function] Compatible mobile phones can be linked by Bluetoothⓡ communication.
- [Other product specifications] Tough solar/needle evacuation function/World time/stopwatch/timer/time alarm/battery indicator display/power saving function/full auto calendar/12/24 hours display switching/operation sound ON/OFF switching/date switch/date Display / day display / double LED light
Availability is not assured. At the time of checking, IFL’s US page displayed “Sold Out” and offered a waitlist option. The price and stock status can change; the listing is the place to verify current availability: IFL Watches Black Metal Galaxy product page.
Verdict
The Black Metal Galaxy is a compellingly specific custom: a black full-metal CasiOak dressed with vivid hand-painted dial art that IFL says is unique piece to piece. It is not a Casio collaboration, and the value case rests on wanting that artwork enough to accept the premium, third-party warranty arrangement, and uncertain availability. For a standard metal G-Shock experience, the customization is optional; for a colorful dial you will not find as a uniform factory design, it is the point.
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