APR 3, 2006 - Casio PAW1200 Pathfinder is the latest and greatest version of a chronometer I featured in this space almost exactly two years ago. Astrologers and others with an appreciation for precise time will find Casio's atomic solar G-shock watches a tremendous value. They're reasonably-priced, almost indestructible, never need batteries due to their solar recharge feature, and they automatically set themselves to atomic clock time - giving you just about the most accurate timepiece you can strap on your wrist. There weren't any women's model atomic solar G-shocks a couple years ago, but there are a couple now in the BabY-G Spring 2006 Casio line. But for now, the Casio PAW1200 Pathfinder is only available as a Y-chromosome model. Which is a real pity for you XXers, because it's the best atomic solar G-shock yet. It has all the essential chronographic features - stopwatch, countdown timer, world time, daily alarms (five of 'em), plus one critical feature that makes 'em all work better: multi-band atomic timekeeping. What that means is that this watch can receive atomic time calibration signals transmitted from Germany, England, Japan and the US (Ft. Collins, CO). So from just about anywhere in the US, Europe or Japan, the Casio PAW1200 Pathfinder should be able to automatically calibrate itself to near-atomic clock standards. (My old solar atomic G-shock only gets the Ft. Collins signal.) And then there are all those gizmoid pathfinder features: altimeter, thermometer, barometer and digital compass. Priced in the $300 range, this is no Rolex - but it'll keep better time than a Rolex, short of a global thermonuclear holocaust that knocks out all the atomic clock broadcasting and does a nuclear winter thing on the sunshine. (And if that happens, who really cares what time it is, anyway?)
