The Watch That Defines A Brand!
When you think about Japanese watches, what brands or watch series come to mind? In Japan, the top three watch brands are Seiko, Citizen and Casio, in that order. Citizen is known for its widely available high-spec models that are purchasable at prices that anyone can afford, and Seiko has been called one of the top manufacturers of mechanical watches.
As for Casio, the biggest topic for most people would be its G-Shock line of watches! In 2017, the total number of shipments of G-Shock watches exceeded 100 million. Additionally, the DW-5000C, the first G-Shock watch model made in 1983, was added in 2019 as a future technology heritage to the register of essential historical materials for science and technology in Japan’s National Museum of Nature and Science! Thanks to the G-Shock brand, Casio achieved the highest market share (34%) in the Japanese domestic watch industry from 2017 to 2019!
How The G-Shock Watch Was Developed
In 1981, Kikuo Ibe, an engineer for Casio, accidentally dropped and broke his beloved wristwatch. From this event, he found the inspiration to develop a newer brand of watch that was more shock-resistant than the standard watches at the time, a ‘wristwatch that overturns common sense’. The DW-5000 G-Shock watch was released after extensive testing, such as a fall experiment from the window (about 10m) of a bathroom on the third floor of a building.
However, thin watches were the trend in Japan at the time, and as a result sales of the DW-5000 were low. G-Shock watches also then started to be exported the United States. In a TV commercial that aired at the time, an ice hockey player hit the G-Shock at a hockey goal to show off its sturdiness. The commercial ran with the slogan, ‘This watch can even be used in place of a hockey puck!’ After being hit by the players, the watch still worked!
Naturally, many people could not believe that this kind of sturdy watch existed at first. The hockey test was then verified on American TV programs, with the watch still functioning even after being struck by pro National Hockey League players. This led to a surge in popularity in the United States.
The greatest feature of G-Shock is its robustness which can withstand any impact. Its development is guided by the ‘Triple 10’ philosophy — 10-meter free-fall endurance, 10-bar water resistance and a 10-year battery life. This goal of endurance was achieved by employing an internal mechanism independent of the outer shell, and a shock absorber made of polyurethane. These features are preferred by soldiers operating on the battlefield, and G-Shocks have been embraced by the US Navy SEALs. The G-Shock Origin series, along with the high-class MR-G and MT-G watches, has been a favorite of special forces members, pilots and firefighters worldwide
Casio Pro Trek Series
A line of watches made for those with a strong love of the outdoors, the Pro Trek series includes many features you won’t want to be without while out in nature, such as a temperature sensor, barometric pressure sensor, and directional sensor.
Casio Oceanus Series
This Casio watch brand includes aspects of both the G-Shock and Waveceptor lines of watches. This means that they are both quite durable and water-resistant, alongside an assortment of advanced features including GPS, analog and digital watch faces and multi-band functionality.
For those eager for more G-Shock info, we have actually written about limited edition G-Shock watches on this blog before! Click the button below to see some of the cool designs that G-Shock has made available!
Find The Best Casio G-Shock Watch For You
Now that you’ve learned of the rich history behind Casio’s G-Shock popular watch brand, we recommend that give one a try to see for yourself what an upgrade it is! By clicking the button below you will be able to browse through a large online collection of G-Shock watches, available to purchase even from overseas! When you start to use a G-Shock watch, you will understand why so many people never want to go back to any other brand afterwards!
