An engineer, an accident, and a vision
G-shock how it came to be
Back in the day, watchmakers were in constant competition for the slimmest or most lightweight watch in the market. At that time, most people considered watches to be fragile instruments, including Casio’s then head of watch design, Kikuo Ibe.
One day, on his way to work, Kikuo Ibe accidentally dropped his precious watch that was given to him by his father. He watched it break into pieces and suddenly had a vision to build a watch that wouldn’t break –even when dropped. That day marked the beginning of the G-SHOCK story.
Never, never, never give up
The
road to success turned out to be unimaginably difficult. Apart from
protecting the exterior of the watch, Ibe and a team of three members,
also had to figure out a way to protect the engine, or electronics of
the timepiece, which would often break due to the drop.
He could not
find a way to absorb the shock and feared that the project would be a
failure.
Ibe,
who first gained inspiration to build a shock proof watch through
first-hand experience, decided to search for the solution in his daily
life. Ironically, he found the answer while observing a little girl play
with a bouncing ball. He imagined the engine floating inside the ball.
This discovery allowed for Ibe and his team to develop a watch with a
hollow structure with the module suspended inside.
The
first G-SHOCK model DW5000C was launched in 1983, following the “Triple
10” concept –10-year battery life, 10-bar water resistance, and
10-meter dropping shock resistance.
Absolute toughness
Since
it’s development in 1983, G-SHOCK has taken pride in being a tough
watch, being able to withstand the most severe conditions. Its
Shock-Resistant Structure is the core technology underlying G-SHOCK’s
success, and has been passed down to every G-SHOCK model for three
decades.
The
Shock-Resistant Structure comprises of the following technologies: a
hollow case structure, to lessen the force of external shocks; key part
protection with cushioning material, to prevent errors in operation or
damage from shock; 200-meter water resistance, to enable users to wear
the watch during water-related activities; and an all-directional guard
structure, for protection against shocks resulting from drops in all
directions.
In
2012, G-SHOCK introduced the Triple G Resist, which is a super-tough
structure built to withstand three types of gravitational acceleration:
shocks, centrifugal gravity, and vibrations. And just last year, G-SHOCK
developed the Core Guard Structure, which maintains the watch’s
external shape without placing stress on the case.
SHOCK THE WORLD
With 2013 marking the 30th anniversary
of G-SHOCK, Shock The World events have been held all over the world.
On February 28, it’s finally touching down in Manila to give fans of the
brand a chance to celebrate the milestone.
Kikuo
Ibe, the inventor and Father of G-SHOCK, will be a guest of honor at
the event. Prior to the event, he will also be having a press conference
at HYVE bar at W Global Center, Bonifacio Global City.
For more information, visit www.shocktheworldmanila.com
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