G-Shock Turns 40: A Timeless Journey of Durability and Technological Advancement

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Casio G-Shock
A one-of-a-kind gold Casio G-Shock developed for the brand’s 40th anniversary is set to be delivered to the winning bidder early this year, but the watchmaker has no intention of slowing down, with several new releases and collaborations already rolling out.
G-Shock is one of the most popular watch brands in the world, and it celebrated its 40th anniversary in November with a star-studded party in New York City featuring a performance by J Blavin. The event also included the unveiling of the G-Shock 40th Anniversary Dream Project #2 G-D001, which was auctioned in December.
Kikuo Ibe, Casios Senior Fellow of Product Planning Department in the Timepiece Business Unit and the the father of G-Shock, said the one-of-a-kind 18k yellow gold G-Shock Dream Project #2 was the first G-Shock developed with the help of artificial intelligence. A custom AI system analyzed 40 years of G-Shock shock-resistance data to generate a 3-D model optimized for structural strength, material characteristics, and processing methods.
Ibe, 71, joined Casio Computer Co., Ltd. in 1976 as an engineer developing timepiece structures, and in 1981 proposed shock-resistant structures, which led to the release of the first G-Shock in 1983. He has continued working on product planning, including the first models of the premium metal MR-G series. He now mentors young engineers and works to bring G-Shock stories to the world.
The Dream Project #2 fetched $400,050 at auction, far above its $70,000–$140,000 estimate, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting The Nature Conservancy, a global environmental nonprofit based in New York. The watch, customized for the buyer’s location, is set to be delivered to the winning bidder in the first quarter of 2024.
Despite all of its components being crafted from 18k gold, using techniques typically used in jewelry making, the Dream Project #2 offers enhanced shock absorption abilities.
The first-of-its-kind G-Shock movement can be seen on the transparent dial, with some of the 55 ruby bearings visible in the mainplate. The watch is powered by high-efficiency solar cells, and when sunlight isn’t available, a glowing red ring can charge them.
The fully analog display uses multiple handsets for the complications, including dual time and elapsed time. The quartz movement modules use the brand’s Multi-Band 6 timekeeping, receiving precise signals from atomic radio towers around the world.
Despite the ultra-luxury, dreamlike gold iteration, G-Shock has long been known and loved for its rugged and reliable design. Earlier this year, the brand released the newest G-Shock Rangeman, designed for survival settings in the harshest natural environments.
The Rangeman GPR-H1000 is equipped with a Triple Sensor that measures compass bearing, altitude/barometric pressure, and temperature, and boasts an optical sensor heart rate monitor, an accelerometer for tracking activity, and GPS functionality.
The latest Rangeman, part of the Master of G line of G-Shock watches, was designed for use by rangers and other professionals operating in the harshest land environments, such as hot, rainy jungles and dense forests.
But the G-Shock is also a cultural icon and fashionable accessory, as evidenced by the brand’s many artistic designs and collaborations. One of their latest collaborations, released last month, is the Baby-G BGD565KT featuring Sanrio’s Hello Kitty. Developed in honor of both the Baby-G’s 30th anniversary and Hello Kitty’s 50th anniversary, the watch’s design recalls the first Baby-G model and incorporates the white, red, and blue color scheme of Hello Kitty’s debut designs from 1974.
With new models being rolled out every few weeks, with different features, complications, materials and designs, theres a G-Shock for everyone, everywhere.
TMX contributed to this article.
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