Face The Music With The New G-Shock and Hilltop Hoods Collab

From Eminem and Kid Cudi all the way to A$AP Ferg, the G-Shock brand is no stranger to hip-hop collaborations. Since the genre’s humble beginnings back in the early 1980s when the likes of Ice Cube, Vanilla Ice and Snoop Dogg were ruling the airwaves, G-Shock watches and the hip-hop music scene have always seemed to go hand in hand. With their tough-as-nails exterior and daring design flair, rappers, artists and hip-hop producers have lovingly embraced this iconic Japanese watch brand with open arms.

Taking notice of how the G-Shock style embodies the raw energy of the street and the gritty ethos that the hip-hop world was built upon and therefore some of the world’s biggest hip-hop stars have been spotted rocking watches from the G-Shock line in the studio, on red carpets, on-stage, on social media and on the streets. This has resulted in the G-Shock building global relationships with many juggernauts of the hip-hop genre over the years. The latest hip-hop entity to forge a relationship with the G-Shock brand is Australia’s very-own, Hilltop Hoods. 

With a slew of Aria-charting singles ‘The Nosebleed Section’, ‘The Hard Road’, ‘I Love It’ and ‘Cosby Sweater’ along with numerous accolades under their belt including, Hilltop Hoods have enjoyed a steady climb to the top. Now with their limited edition collaboration with G-Shock Australia, members Suffa, Pressure and DJ Debris are really to conquer the watch world with the new G-Shock GBA800HTH-1A.

Read on to get the full rundown on the edgy new G-Shock and Hilltop Hoods watch collaboration, including information on how you can get your hands on one.

Dial & Case

With the group heavily involved in designing the limited-edition timepiece, the G-Shock and Hilltop Hoods watch is littered with call-backs to their style and heritage with the dial and case being no exception. Boasting a sleek matte black case and dial that is accentuated by a luminous purple finish, the G-Shock GBA800HTH-1A perfectly emulates the Adelaide-based hip-hop group’s carefully curated aesthetic that can only be described as something taken from the space-age. 

Adorned with Hilltop Hood’s signature watermark which stands out boldly in white on the front, the rugged black resin case that was chosen for this men’s watch is completely on-brand with G-Shock’s traditional design values that can only be described as tough, sporty and stylishly functional. Combining classic watchmaking craftsmanship with the innovative technology that we have a become accustomed to in this day and age, G-Shock and Hilltop Hoods watch features hybrid characteristics with both analogue hands and a digital display, providing wearers with the best of both worlds and allowing this timepiece to cater to their personal timekeeping preferences. This watch's design is very reminiscent of the aesthetic of the G-Shock 'CasiOak' watches which have gained somewhat of a cult following thanks to their pared back and timeless look.

Case Back, Strap & Packaging

The call-back to Hilltop Hood’s branding continues on this black watch’s strap, with the group’s full wordmark strapped in purple on the black silicone band. The band not only helps pay tribute to one of the most influential groups in Australia’s music scene, but it also provides the wearer with a great deal of comfort thanks to its adjustable buckle. Incredibly versatile, the silicone strap on the G-Shock GBA800HTH-1A helps add to its overall sporty aesthetic and pared back design that is sure to complement the wearer’s look on all occasions, whether they a running errands, working out at the gym, heading to the office or even catching waves in the surf. 

But the finer details of G-Shock and Hilltop Hoods’ watch collaboration don’t end there. If you turn this timepiece around and take a peek at its refined stainless-steel case back, you will not only find the watch’s serial number and special edition number but you will also find the same Hilltop Hoods monogram adorned on the dial stamped on the back. This may seem like a really mundane design feature, however, one could argue that it helps add to the overall sense of luxury and novelty that comes with owning a limited edition timepiece, especially when only limited numbers of a particular model are being produced. 

Of course, no limited edition G-Shock model is ever fully complete without memorable packaging to go with it. Decked out with Hilltop Hoods’ signature vibrant purple and black aesthetic as seen on the timepiece itself, the box that the G-Shock GBA800HTH-1A features a silhouette of the sword-wielding skeletal caricature that has become a symbol on a lot of Hilltop Hoods’ branding and even many of their album covers over the years. There are even more clever nods to the group’s interest in the space age with imagery featuring a celestial pattern, orbs mimicking the sun, moon and planets as well as an aviation-inspired Hilltop Hoods and G-Shock logo. 

Features

Proving that the G-Shock GBA800HTH-1A vibrant sporty aesthetic is just for show, this collaboration timepiece is also packed with fitness functions that will help the wearer excel at their next workout. With Bluetooth Smartphone connectivity capabilities, the wearer can take advantage of an array of daily health and fitness support functions including a stopwatch, timer as well as a 3-axis accelerometer that allows the wearer to keep track of their steps and general movement. 

The impactful design and the user-friendly fitness functionalities of this piece are paired seamlessly with many of the other timeless features that we have come to expect from the G-Shock brand and many of their watch models. These features include G-Shock’s signature Shock Resistance that will allow this timepiece to survive even the toughest of blows, a 200-metre water resistance level for those who keep active outside and in the water as well as 5 daily alarms with a flash alert and 300-city world time settings. 

Get a closer look at the G-Shock GBA800HTH-1A and learn how Hilltop Hoods collaborated with this iconic brand on the design by checking out the video below!