At the time of the first Casio G-Shock watch, very few watches on the market could offer the same shock resistance. It put Casio in quite a unique position within the industry. The watch that would defy the laws of nature was born of a concept shared by Casio engineer, Kikuo Ibe. It embodied a revolutionary design. He envisioned a wristwatch that would defy gravity, impact and extreme weather conditions. A watch that would retain its distinct Casio style but would appeal to an even wider scope of wristwatch wearers. Plans for the design started in 1981 with a set of clearly outlined values. It would need to be resistant to 10 atmospheres of water pressure, house a battery that would last a 10 year lifespan and would need to withstand 10 meter drops. For two entire years Ibe’s team, known as the Tough Team worked towards designing and building a wristwatch that would pass all three qualities. Over 200 prototypes were subject to extreme conditions, yet the core design of the model required further refinement. The Tough Team came up with a hollow watch case that would become the core module. With a chunky, squarish case, the first Casio G-Shock was born.
The G-Shock DW 5000C, just as desired, appealed to daring explorers, mountain climbers, trekkers, sportsmen and adventurer-seekers. Its outer protective surface developed from urethane rubber and layers of special shock-resistant protection was topped with hardened mineral glass and a tough stainless steel caseback. The urethane foam cradle is where the quartz movement would float whilst secured to the wrist with a robust strap that could support the watch during falls and bumps sustained during exploration. Since the first Casio G-Shock watch the collection has been growing and evolving. Some of the more modern watches from the series offer feature like atomic clock synchronization and innovative solar technology, enabling the watch to run on solar power even when only exposed to natural daylight for a short period.
When a hockey advert in America showcased the next iteration of the G Shock in 1994 the brand received even more recognition. The DW5 200C model went beyond resisting the normal bumps, knocks and shocks associated with daily life and proved itself a reliable companion for facing tough external conditions. It was also an affordable option for those looking to purchase a watch on a reasonable budget. The Casio G Shock DW 5900C was released in 1990, complete with a Tri graph liquid crystal display and shortly after became available in an analogue version. Radio controlled and solar powered technology came into play in 2002 with the GW 300 model.
Over the years the aesthetic and core design of the Casio G Shock has remained true in many ways to the original. Today’s variations are crafted from materials like stainless steel, carbon and titanium, all chosen for their long lasting, robust and hard wearing properties. The G-Shock name is an abbreviation of Gravitational Shock and is now synonymous with the lasting qualities and boundary pushing nature of every Casio watch from this range. Some black coated models offer a more modern and dynamic look on the wrist, whilst the lady’s version, the Baby G watch, remains a popular option for sporty female wrists.
Despite the many variations, G-Shock watches can be categorised into main families comprising the Basic G-shock models to Solar G-Shock watches, Big Case G-Shock watches, G-STEEL, the Gravitymaster aviation series, the Master of G Series Digital and Analog G-Shock ranges. Stronger than ever, G-shock watches today boast improved resistance and strength, underscoring the brand’s quest for unbeatable affordability and versatility.
