Origin and Innovation
Since the debut in 1983 of the very first G-SHOCK, the DW-5000C, the brand has embraced the challenge of continual evolution. The shock-resistant construction, born from the developer’s passion for crafting a durable watch that would not break even if dropped, and the iconic streamlined form, which was the natural result of that pursuit of strength and toughness, are evidence of the Casio quest for advancement and untiring innovation, as still seen in 5000 and 5600 G-SHOCK watches today.
Lineup
5000 / 5600 Series
A vision in one short phrase
“A durable watch that would not break even if dropped” — a proposal submitted at a company meeting contained only this single line of text. The author was Kikuo Ibe, who was in charge of watch exterior design at the time. He recalls that this clear, simple idea struck him as he looked at a broken watch he had happened to drop at work one day. At the time, watches were considered precisely crafted, delicate instruments, and it was commonly accepted that your watch would break if you dropped it. The concept of toughness — in a watch — was too unconventional, too avant-garde. Still, his proposal was approved. Project Team Tough was formed with just three team members, and development of a new kind of watch began.
Tunnel without an exit
Ibe’s vision defied all conventional wisdom, so the work for bringing it to fruition had to start from square one. His first assumption was that the entire watch would need to be covered with a soft, flexible material. Drop tests, however, shattered this notion. No amount of shock-absorbent rubber applied to the exterior prevented breakage from occurring. On top of that, the more cushioning, the bigger the watch. At one point, he ended up with a test model the size of a softball!
Eventually, Ibe was able to solve the size issue by devising a five-stage shock-absorbing structure designed to protect the core components of the watch with five cushioning materials. However, the problem then became a matter of strength in the electronic componentry. A vicious cycle took hold: strengthening one component that broke during a drop test would cause another to break. He would fling a prototype with improved componentry from the third-floor bathroom window to the ground 10m below, analyze the components that broke, increase the strength of those components, and repeat the experiment again. This trial and error period stretched on and on, seemingly endless.
A miraculous moment
It was looking like development had ground to a halt. Ibe, finding himself in a tight spot, made a big decision. In a final show of stubborn resolve, he assigned himself one last week to devote every waking hour to the research. The thought even plagued him, he recalls, that if he failed he might have to leave the company. He did his utmost, but the last day of the week came and still he had nothing to show for his efforts. It was a Sunday, and Ibe stepped into a park adjacent to the office and saw some children playing with a rubber ball.
The sight captivated him, and the miraculous idea came: a watch floating inside a rubber ball would be resistant to even the strongest shocks. This breakthrough revelation was the key to the unique G-SHOCK construction — the module, the heart of the watch, would be positioned inside a hollow case structure where it would seem to float suspended in air.
The original and ultimate form
It was 1983 when the very first G-SHOCK, the DW-5000C, made its debut. Its emblematic octagonal design, streamlined with nothing extraneous, is the product of the single-minded pursuit of shock resistance alone. Presented in the ultimate form, this G-SHOCK vision has been passed down to this very day as the enduring standard of G-SHOCK design. This is a story of conviction brought to fruition, through a tireless spirit of inquiry and determination never to give up. This is the G-SHOCK point of origin, and a spirit of toughness that will never fade.
