G-Shock’s Affordable Titanium Competitor Majorly Steps Up Its Game

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Last year, Southeast Asian microbrand RZE did what seemingly no other watch brand has ever really dared to do: It went after G-Shock.

Although it previously had mainly produced mechanical watches (and occasionally pocket knives) since its 2020 founding, RZE launched its first digital watch with the UTD in 2025. Since then, the watch has arguably become the brand's flagship and calling card.

The UTD has a titanium case boasting RZE's proprietary anti-scratch UltraHex coating, and it's built to be insanely durable à la a G-Shock. It's resistant to shocks, of course, along with dust, corrosion, scratches, vibrations, extreme temperatures and has a water-resistance rating of 200m. RZE is so confident in the UTD's capabilities that it actually guarantees the watch's functionality for life.

Now, a year-and-a-half after RZE launched the UTD, the small independent brand has made its digital watch even better by designing its own in-house quartz module; something practically unheard of for a brand this size.

The new module is the RZE-8080, which adds several new features to the watch. It now offers a dual-time complication, a timer and a multi-alarm, in addition to the perpetual calendar and chronograph functions from the previous UTD.

RZE's first in-house quartz module features new complications and a higher-resolution display. – Credit: RZE

The new watch maintains the same resistance to extreme conditions as previous UTD models. – Credit: RZE

The new module also features a new, higher-contrast FSTN LCD display that offers crisper readouts with the same resistance against fading in extreme temperatures as before. It's also illuminated with the same Aqua-marine "UltraGlow" LED Backlight for nighttime legibility.

The UTD-8080-ST is the first model to house the new module, and it has the same UltraHex-coated titanium case as before that measures 42mm across and 13.4mm thick. However, it's been given a white Cerakote finish with black DLC accents for a bolder look and even greater protection against scratches.

A white Cerakote finish gives the UTD-8080 a decidedly cool look. – Credit: RZE

The RZE UTD-8080-ST maintains its value proposition with a price tag of $399, which is just $20 more than existing UTD Cerakote models. It's available to order now from RZE, with deliveries expected in November.

Additionally, RZE has announced that existing UTD owners can update their module to the new 8080 for $100 starting in January. What's more, the brand has announced that a non-Cerakote UltraHex titanium version of the UTD-8080 will launch in March of next year for just $299, which again is only $20 more than the current version with the old module.

Johnny Brayson is an editor at Gear Patrol mostly covering watches. He enjoys watches that are packed with blink-and-you'll-miss-'em details and believes nearly every watch could stand to be a tad smaller.

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