The G-SHOCK MTG-B2000XMG
As featured on Hodinkee
First used in the bezel of the limited edition 2019 GRAVITYMASTER GWR-B1000X-1A, laminated carbon is used as a "show structure".
Reinforced carbon was originally chosen as a "third material" to improve G-SHOCK's shock resistance and reduce its weight at the same time. By combining it with the CMF (Color,Material,Finish) design concept promoted by G-SHOCK in recent years, a unique expression was devised that shows the cross-section of the laminated carbon, creating a new value that adds an accent to the watch design.
The aesthetic of the MTG-B2000XMG is so fresh and avant-garde that it is hard to believe that it is a development of this design. The cross-section of laminated carbon, which had previously been casually displayed on the side of the watch, has been boldly laid out on the front side of the bezel. Moreover, instead of uniform stripes as in the past, an undulating pattern is expressed in multiple colors. Casio likens this to the rainbow mountains in nature, and it certainly has an organic look that could be considered a product of nature.
The laminated carbon bezel used in the MTG-B2000XMG was originally conceived as an expression of the use of glass fiber. However, when it was put to practical use in the MT-G, carbon was combined to increase durability, and the colorful laminated surface created by this combination gave the image of a rainbow mountain. The lamination of carbon and fiberglass sheets can be said to be an application of the conventional method, but the newly created pattern has a very different lamination method. Rather than layering the sheets evenly as in the past, the carbon and colored fiberglass sheets are randomly stacked to create uneven lines and undulations.
Moreover, the product is not a randomly created pattern. The production process was based on the completed image, and a great deal of trial and error was repeated for the combination of lamination patterns and colors. The multi-colored carbon bezel completed in this way is like a Japanese marquetry piece, where the intended pattern appears no matter where the laminated carbon block is cut, but the position where it is cut. In other words, the pattern of each watch is slightly different from the next, making the MTG-B2000XMG a "one-of-a-kind" watch.
The cross-section of the laminated carbon is placed on the surface of the bezel, making it vulnerable to vertical impacts, but in this model, the back of the bezel is molded with a combination of carbon-reinforced resin, and the structure is designed to withstand both horizontal and vertical impacts. It is maintaining the strength of the shock resistance of G-SHOCK.
There are an infinite number of possible combinations of layers and colors, and it's easy to see how a variety of designs could appear in the future. In fact, Casio has said that it has quite a few ideas for color combinations, so we can expect to see a lot more of this in the future. The "functional CMF" concept, which incorporates functional materials and structures into design, will continue to accelerate in G-SHOCK.
All content including images is credited to Hodinkee.