G-SHOCK watches get lots of credit for the insane toughness of their shock-resistant cases. Less attention is typically paid to their resin straps. But new innovation has us gawking at G-SHOCK’s latest strap material.
Gear Patrol StudiosThe basis for the original G-SHOCK watch involved the so-called “Triple 10” design criteria established by founder and tough-watch visionary Kikuo Ibe: the watch must withstand a 10-meter drop, 10 atmospheres of underwater pressure, and have a battery life of 10 years. Over the course of two years beginning in 1981, Ibe developed over 200 prototypes to accomplish Triple 10 durability. (Ibe is a pretty persistent guy.)
Gear Patrol StudiosG-STEEL Fine Metallic Series with Tough Silicone Bands
G-SHOCK toughness — for a watch strap
G-SHOCKs of today are in principle not much different than the brand’s first watch, the DW-5000C. They feature layers of protection plus a quartz movement that floats within. The case, as we’ve mentioned, is impressive and central to each watch’s durability — made of stainless steel, urethane, and other materials, depending on which G-SHOCK we’re talking about.
Gear Patrol StudiosBut G-SHOCK’s straps play a critical role in a watch’s overall toughness, too — their unique wavelike design shields the watch case back and protects it from direct impacts.
Tough Silicone strap innovation
The original Triple 10 test, of course, is no longer good enough. G-SHOCK by its very nature continues to innovate and has been doing so in the last four decades since Ibe’s first shock-drop tests.
One difficulty has challenged the G-SHOCK research and development team for over a decade. Could urethane and silicone, two ideal strap materials, be combined for synergy?
Gear Patrol StudiosSilicone is beloved on dive straps for its comfort. Unfortunately, it was not strong enough to survive harsh conditions and other tests that prove a G-SHOCK watch worthy. And Urethane, though incredibly tough, is neither as comfortable nor as flexible as silicone.
Combining the two would improve comfort and durability, but there’s a reason it’s never been done before: it’e exceptionally difficult to effectively fuse two soft materials like urethane and silicone.
Gear Patrol StudiosDuring years of testing, G-SHOCK refined the process of combining silicone and urethane. After thousands of tests using various combinations of thickness and hardness in the materials, G-SHOCK cracked the code, successfully combining the dissimilar materials in the correct thicknesses and under the ideal conditions.
A strap that feels like silicone and is tough as urethane
A custom process compression-fuses silicone and urethane together, binding them with a proprietary special coating that can survive the harshest conditions and drops. The silicone is more flexible, but thanks to its urethane counterpart, as tough as ever.
Gear Patrol StudiosTo highlight this new band structure the company was able to utilize a durable metallic vapor deposition and a gloss coating, applied in a dust-free clean room, to lend a perfect sheen. The beautiful color created by this process cannot be peeled or scratched off.
The result is a strap that looks like metal, wears like silicone, and has the inherent toughness of urethane. Combine this new strap with the iconic G-STEEL GM2100 and GM5600 case silhouettes, featuring stainless steel bezels, and you have refined toughness at hand.
So next time you see a G-SHOCK, take a look at the band and wonder at all the hard work that’s made it so incredibly tough and good-looking. And, when you look at a G-SHOCK G-STEEL with a new tough silicone strap, remember that you’re seeing a decade-long development process that you can now enjoy on your wrist.