ODINKEE readers likely know KITH as the downtown New York sneaker Mecca that has spawned stores in Miami, Los Angeles, Brooklyn, and London, as well as the e-commerce platform KITH.com. Customers line up around the block for co-branded product drops, or they go online and refresh their browsers in the hopes of snagging a pair of shoes in their size before they sell out. Through its many collaborations, the company has shown an uncanny knack for teasing out something extra from iconic designs. (I myself have not been immune to their charms. I’m rocking my pair of KITH x New Balance 997S nonnative as I type this.)

KITH founder Ronnie Fieg, who we featured in the HODINKEE Magazine, Volume 3, has collaborated with apparel brands like Nike, Champion, Tommy Hilfiger, and Versace, and has even worked with Coca-Cola and General Mills. But the next big KITH drop isn’t going to be a pair of monogrammed sneakers or a reinterpreted sweatshirt. It’s a Casio G-Shock of particular importance to Fieg, whose collaborations are often imbued with nostalgia for the 1990s, when he himself came of age. And G-Shock, of course, needs no introduction here. Plenty of watch lovers who collect high-end mechanicals also have a soft spot for G-Shock’s durable, multifunction quartz offerings.

This is a big year for G-Shock fans who grew up in the ’90s. The DW6900, which originally launched in 1995, is notable for its four-screen display and large button to light it up. The success of the 6900, and of G-Shock more broadly, is an instance of rugged gear that was made to take a beating becoming a cultural icon that could be recognized from across the room. 

To celebrate the 6900’s 25th anniversary, G-Shock is releasing metal versions that it is calling the GM6900. The KITH collaboration we see here is an exclusive rose-gold version available through KITH (online and in-store) and in limited quantities at select G-Shock retailers in Asia. It will also be the first metal 6900 to market when it formally goes on sale this Monday.

According to Fieg, the color of rose gold has long been associated with KITH. “Rose gold has always been in the DNA of our brand since the very beginning. It’s been one of the foundational materials and colors that we’ve been using as part of our aesthetic of the brand,” he told HODINKEE. “Whether it’s been on trims, or in the store as part of our build, it’s always been a part of who we’ve been since the very beginning.” 

When Casio decided the 25th anniversary was the right time for a metal 6900, KITH was a logical partner for a rose-gold version. In fact, an earlier KITH x G-Shock collaboration of the 6900 used rose gold, but just as an accent. To Fieg, this new model represents an opportunity to evolve the design and to use the color for the entire watch. It’s not only the use of this color that enabled Fieg and KITH to put their own mark on their new G-Shock GM6900, though.

The large button below the main display is a recognizable element of classic G-Shock design that appears on all 6900 model watches. On the KITH x G-Shock GM6900 Rose Gold, this prominent button is emblazoned with the KITH logo rather than the customary “G,” a trait it shares with the last KITH x G-Shock collaboration. As you can see in the animation below, when you press that button to light up the display and view the time, you’ll also see the words “JUST US,” an often used term in KITH branded products. One difference between the KITH x G-Shock GM6900 Rose Gold and the in-line 6900s is that the KITH version uses a positive LCD (dark numbers on a light background), whereas the in-line watches will have a negative LCD display (light numbers on a dark background).

The KITH x G-Shock GM6900 Rose Gold is every bit a tough tool watch, and it has all of the shock and vibration resistance that you’d expect from a watch with a more conventional G-Shock construction. It’s also water resistant to 200 meters. Small protrusions on the outside of the glass-fiber-reinforced inner case reduce surface contact with the metal bezel, enhancing the shock resistance of the watch and protecting the module inside the case. The metal bezel itself undergoes multiple forging processes before cutting and polishing. Having said that, there is a substantial amount of steel used in this watch. It’s not actually solid gold but ion-plated – and if it were solid gold, it would cost a whole lot more than its $380 price tag. Strapping on the wrist, one can feel the weight of all that steel.

You get two straps with this new KITH collaboration: The black version you see below, in addition to a white version. Both feature matching rose-gold hardware and a metal keeper with the KITH logo. And if you look closely at the strap, it also has KITH’s tonal repeating-monogram print. I think that both white and black work really well with rose gold, and yet the two different straps really do transform the overall appearance of the watch. Changing the straps is super simple thanks to the quick-release tabs seen below.

While the KITH branding will likely have people lining up for this watch when it launches, I think this is a cool take on a G-Shock even independent of its association with one of the hottest retailers around. I like that all of the writing on the bezel is the same tone as the case, a notable difference between this version and the upcoming main line examples of the GM6900. The writing blends in enough not to distract from the solid-gold vibe of the watch while also being legible. 

I guess the ultimate question is, do you need some gold in your life?

The KITH x G-Shock GM6900 Rose Gold comes out on Monday, February 10, at all KITH shops and at 11:00 AM EST on Kith.com for $380.