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G-Shock Reworked Its Original Watch Using a 1,200-Year-Old Japanese Craft

The toughest name in time just found a new way to showcase its signature shock resistance.

Casio g-shock watchCasio

By Jack Seemer

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G-Shock’s new watch may revisit its oldest design from the 1980s. But the technique used for its unique bezel and bracelet actually dates back more than a millennium.

Tsuiki, believed to have originated in the Heian period (794 to 1185 AD), refers to the Japanese craft of hammering sheets of metal into three-dimensional objects.

Over the years, it’s been used to shape armor, cookware and, now, digital watches, with G-Shock’s 5000 series serving as the latest canvas to showcase tsuiki‘s stunning, handmade effect.

Casio g-shock watch
The MRG-B5000HT is hand-hammered using a traditional technique called tsuiki.
Casio

Hammer time

As the name implies, the brand-new MRG-B5000HT slots into the brand’s catalog by way of the MR-G luxury sub-division.

Yet even by those lofty standards, the watch standard apart as a one-of-a-kind offering from the toughest name in timekeeping.

Casio g-shock watch
Only 500 examples of the MRG-B5000HT are available.
Casio

According to G-Shock, only 500 examples will be available worldwide, each one hand-hammered by master artisan Kazuya Watanabe — a nod to G-Shock’s signature shock resistance.

Both the bezel and bracelet are made from DAT55G, a titanium alloy that G-Shock claims is three times harder than pure titanium, and colored with a DLC coating designed to mimic traditional sword design.

Casio g-shock watch
Both the bezel and bracelet are made using DAT55G — an alloy that G-Shock claims is three times harder than traditional titanium.
Casio
Casio g-shock watch
The DLC coating is designed to mimic traditional swords.
Casio

Otherwise, in true G-Shock fashion, the watch features Tough Solar power, Multi-Band 6, Bluetooth, sapphire glass, an LED backlight and 200 meters of water resistance.

Casio g-shock watch
Make no mistake, the MRG-B5000HT is still a G-Shock, with modern bells and whistles.
Casio

Availability and pricing

Already breaking cover overseas, the MRG-B5000HT will cost 935,000 Japanese yen (roughly $6,400) when it releases in August.

Casio has yet to confirm US pricing and availability, but, as stated, only 500 examples exist due to the artisanal nature of the watch.

About the Author:

Jack Seemer is the executive editor at Gear Patrol, with over a decade of experience in product journalism. He currently reports on a wide range of topics, including footwear, watches, EDC, cookware and more.

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