G SHOCK watches can be said to represent Japan. Its outstanding robustness sent shockwaves through the watchmaking industry at the time. There is an untold story behind G-Shock, such as the fact that the core members of the development team that invented G-Shock were all young men in their 20s, and that there are actually manual processes involved in its manufacture. In this issue, we will introduce the reasons for the high robustness, the unknown story, popular models, and more! gshock
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What is G SHOCK?
The “G” in G-SHOCK comes from the word “Gravity. Yuichi Masuda, in charge of product planning, Kikuo Ibe, in charge of design, and Takashi Nikaido, in charge of design and naming, took the lead in ” PROJECT TEAM Tough” and started “developing a watch that defies common sense. At the time, the three were in their twenties.
G SHOCK’s overwhelming robustness “What are the three 10s?”
Development began in 1981, with the ” 3 10s “ of ” not breaking even if dropped from a height of 10 meters, waterproof to 10 atmospheres, and having a 10-year lif espan. The biggest challenge was strength, and it took more than 200 trials and two years of development, including a drop test from a 10-meter-high third-floor lavatory window. The initial model was named ” DW-5000.
Does G-Shock not break even if trampled by a 15-ton car?
When it was exported to the U.S., the catchphrase “It won’t break even if you use it as a substitute for an ice hockey puck (equivalent to a ball)” was used. The public voiced suspicions that it was hype, and a TV program actually verified that it did not break down by having professional field hockey players shoot at it and stomp on it with a truck. This led to an explosion of popularity in the United States. Today, G-Shock watches are said to be robust enough not to break even when trampled by a car weighing 15 tons.
In fact, the popularity of G-Shock watches in Japan came after its popularity in the U.S. In 1994, the American movie “Speed” was released in Japan. In 1994, the American movie “Speed” was released in Japan, and the G-Shock became a big breakout hit along with the movie, as Kinua Reeves wore a G-Shock as a prop in the movie.
Does G SHOCK have specifications beyond the manufacturer’s warranty?
A TV project was once conducted to find out “How deep can a G-Shock withstand water? The manufacturer guarantees up to 200 meters, but the project was not a success. The manufacturer guarantees up to 200 meters, but the project tested up to 1,000 meters. 600 meters is enough water pressure to crush a metal bat, but the G-Shock worked fine even after reaching the 1,000 meter mark.
As a side note, the luxury mechanical watch ” Panerai ” is famous as the watch worn by the special diving unit of the Italian Navy. The episode that most of them answered that they use G-Shock is well known among G-Shock lovers when they actually interviewed the diving unit of the Italian Navy about the watches they wear during operations. In terms of functionality, G-Shock has specifications that surpass even high-end diver’s watches, and should not be underestimated.
G-Shock’s robustness ” Design that won’t break even if dropped from any angle
The design of the bezel, which has been consistently adopted since the initial models, is a protector (bezel) that protects the watch from damage, and the control buttons are designed to be easily pushed by the user without being pushed by external shocks. The bezel protruding in places mitigates shocks from all directions. In addition, the main body and band are integrated into a single structure to maintain the curved shape and soften the impact of a fall.
G-Shock’s robustness evolves
The company currently offers the TRIPLE G RESIST, a shock-resistant watch with a hollow structure on the inside and an omni-directional guard structure on the outside. The weight balance has been calculated and optimally positioned to operate normally even in strong centrifugal gravity environments. The product has evolved into an even tougher structure with an emphasis on vibration resistance that has developed shock-absorbing materials and structures to suppress loosening due to vibration. In the centrifugal force resistance test, the quality required for aircraft equipment, and in the anti-vibration test, the standards required for two-wheeled vehicles were achieved.
G-Shock’s Digital Functions
One of the features of G-Shock is its enhanced digital functions. Stopwatch, timer, and alarm functions are standard features. In addition, some models feature depth measurement, thermometers, radio-controlled clocks, solar systems, and world clock displays.
G-Shock has also developed a radio wave reception function utilizing GPS
In addition to standard radio waves, the use of GPS functionality enables the acquisition of time information under all conditions. The time difference and daylight saving time information are quickly analyzed to ensure accurate time display anywhere in the world. The antenna that receives radio waves is called ” multi-band, ” and the higher the version (numerical value), the more radio waves can be received around the world.
The introduction of round-shaped G-shock watches has expanded design variations.
The first G-Shock watch with a round case was introduced in 1985 under the name DW-5400C, which was proposed during the development of the first model, but a square case was adopted and released two years later. The introduction of this model expanded the range of designs and led to the appearance of many models that are now being developed.
G-shocks were manufactured by hand
G-Shock, which sold more than 50 million units worldwide in 2010 as a digital watch, was made not by machines but by human hands. 2700 different models of G-Shock have been developed, and each model has a slightly different shape, so they are manufactured by human hands.
To prevent malfunctions caused by static electricity during the manufacturing stage, all workers wear rubber finger sacks. The factory produces approximately 3,000 pieces per day. Parts such as impulse absorbers and metal screws are several millimeters in size. G-Shock is made through a series of detailed operations.
MR-G Hammer Tone,” the highest-priced G-Shock ever, is the result of craftsmanship
The MR-G is the most expensive series of G-Shock watches, and the MR-G “Hammer Tone,” introduced in July 2016, is the most expensive G-Shock ever, at 680,000 yen. The bezel is notable for its hammered craftsmanship. The bezel is designed by Miyoshi Asano, a Kyoto-based hammering craftsman, using an alloy of oborogin (silver) and copper, and ion-plated red copper. The crown and back (screws) are made of an ion-plated red copper and gold alloy. The masterpiece, a fusion of high specs and traditional technology, was released in July 2016 at “torneau” in a limited edition of 300 pieces worldwide.
G-Shock can make not only G-Shock but also A~Z shockwatches?
The fate of popular items: a flood of copies. In fact, G-SHOCK was no exception, with imitations such as “C SHOCK” and “S SHOCK” appearing on the market. In response to this situation, Casio registered all the letters of the alphabet from A SHOCK to Z SHOCK as trademarks in 1998. The video below shows a counterfeit S SHOCK watch. Since they are so dissimilar, we should be very careful not to be caught inadvertently with a copy.
Introduction of representative G-Shock models currently on the market
Introducing representative models among the current models, excluding those that are currently discontinued.
G SHOCK’s representative model ” MTG-G1000D-1A2JF
This model was released in 2015. This model combines the comfort of lightweight resin with the luxury of metal, and is equipped with GPS hybrid radio wave solar power. ▶︎Click here for details and to purchase ” MTG-G1000D-1A2JF
G SHOCK’s representative model ” GW-M5610BC-1JF
This model was released in 2012. Equipped with multi-band 6, it is capable of handling a wide range of second deviations around the world, and its square design inherits the DNA of the initial model from 1983, with a cool, monotone overall look. ▶︎ For details and purchase of ” GW-M5610BC-1JF
G-STEEL GST-W110D-1A9JF, a representative model of G SHOCK
This model was released in 2016 and features a layered guard structure called G-STEEL, which realizes a new shock-resistant structure with a two-layer structure using different materials for the protector (bezel) protecting the main body. This is the latest in a series that has led to a broadening of the design range, such as by switching the order of the layered materials. ▶︎Click here for details and to purchase ” G-STEEL GST-W110D-1A9JF
G SHOCK’s representative model ” GWN-Q1000MC-1A2JF
This model was released in 2016. This is the latest upgraded version of the GULFMASTER model designed for use at sea. While maintaining the performance of the previous model, it is now adjustable with screws, making it more convenient to attach and detach. The orange coloring adds to the design. For details and purchase of the GWN-Q1000MC-1A2JF, click here.
AWG-M100SB-2A, a representative G SHOCK model
This model was released in 2015. This series is equipped with radio-controlled solar power and is popular for its digital x analog design and cool dark-toned color scheme. Its compact size allows it to be used as a casual watch. ▶︎ For details and to purchase ” AWG-M100SB-2A “, click here.
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