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A rocky start
IBE Kikuo introduced the G-SHOCK to the world in 1983. The watch eventually drew attention in the United States before making a sensational splash in Japan, as well. By the early 1990s, it was such a hit that stock would sell out immediately upon arrival in the shops. Meanwhile, IBE had left G-SHOCK development to work on lower-priced timepieces. While these less expensive watches, which could be purchased for several thousand yen (about 20 or 30 US dollars), would go on to sell a lot of units, the work didn’t involve major promotional activities, nor did it evoke much of a social phenomenon. Concerned about declining motivation among staff, IBE made a proposal: “Let’s work together to make the watch we all truly want!”
Still, this was not an official project, which meant those who came onboard would have to put in their time strictly outside of regular work hours. In these less than favorable conditions, IBE put together a team of eight motivated engineers with the skills necessary to make the timepiece a reality, from planning and design to quality control.
The power of teamwork
So, what sort of timepiece did they all truly want? After more than three months of discussion with no clear answer, the project was headed for a standstill. They had vague inclinations of an “unbreakable metal watch,” but that was it. Casio was selling metal watches already as low-end models, so the idea was to aim for something tougher and with greater appeal. Would they actually be able to make something like that a reality? The G-SHOCK had an exterior protective case made of urethane to provide shock absorption, but how would it be possible to achieve the same effect with an unprotected metal case?
While IBE had faced his challenges all on his own when developing the original G-SHOCK, this time he had a team that would be able to solve problems together. Putting his trust in the team, he spoke with candor and enthusiasm, offering encouragement and inspiration, and little by little they nudged their way toward the unbreakable metal watch of their dreams.
Thinking outside the box
An idea inspired by the structure of automobile bumpers offered a hint for how the team might achieve a highly shock-resistant metal timepiece. They would pursue a design with a separate bezel, since it is the component most susceptible to impact, with shock-absorption inserted between it and the case. They also conceived of the idea to make the highly airtight glass packing L-shaped to provide cushioning between the bezel and glass.
However, the idea of applying this automobile bumper technology to a complex timepiece was unheard of and seemed preposterous to metal processing engineers, none of whom were willing to take on the challenge. The idea of dropping a single watch case from a certain height over 6,000 times to collect data must have seemed like sheer nonsense, as well.
Nonetheless, the team’s work was not about breaking timepieces, but rather breaking down the barriers of convention by taking on unprecedented challenges. Finally, the dedication of the team yielded concrete results in the form of a shock-resistant metal watch.
The birth of MR-G
The completed timepiece was launched as the MRG-100, a metal version of the G-SHOCK. The new timepiece presented a departure from the black-clad resin G-SHOCK, lacked the metal watch’s usual crown, and cost five times the price of an average model. This was a truly unprecedented offering that revolutionized the conventional image of the G-SHOCK. Contrary to expectations in some corners, however, the watch enjoyed quite favorable sales. If the initial aim had been to develop a metal G-SHOCK, a fixation on the past may have held the team back from achieving such success. Rather, just as in the days of the first G-SHOCK development, it was the simplicity of concept — in this case, to create an unbreakable metal timepiece — that led to their breakthrough. The first MR-G, the MRG-100, is a timepiece of purity borne of the powerful convictions of those who worked to create it, and their spirit is sure to live on in the future of the watch.
