"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.

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.

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.

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.

The uneven design of the case and bezel surface guards the buttons and watch glass from direct shocks. In addition, the band connects to the case in a curved shape to prevent direct impact to the case back, as well.

For the inner case, metal is replaced with glass fiber-reinforced resin to provide strength, lightness, and processability. This more flexible design and installation structure provides more freedom in the use of multi-function modules and in exterior designs. As a foundation, this structure supports further G-SHOCK evolution, allowing more advanced lighting, radio control, solar power, Bluetooth®capability, heart rate monitoring and more.

Fine-resin buffering components are installed between the forged bezel case and center case, and a three-pronged structure for the connective part of the band is employed to disperse shocks to the connecting pipes. The metal exterior meets G-SHOCK shock-resistance standards, achieving both strength and beauty.

The carbon fiber-reinforced resin inner case delivers strength and lightness, protecting the core of the watch, the module, from drops and impacts.

A slimmer, more compact take on the 5600, this smaller watch has the same iconic form and shock-resistant structure as regular sized models. A comfortable, versatile design that is easy to add to any wardrobe.

Light functions | 1996

The newly developed EL backlight delivers better lighting than conventional micro bulbs. This was followed by even more advanced light functions like the auto-light function that automatically lights with just a tilt of the wrist, high-brightness LED backlight and more.

Solar Power | 2002

Casio’s unique solar charging system turns light into reliable energy to power the watch’s functions. Many G-SHOCK watches are solar-powered to reduce the time and effort required to replace batteries.

Radio control | 2005

Radio-controlled G-SHOCK watches automatically adjust the time in response to standard time radio wave signals for much greater accuracy than quartz-only timepieces. Multiband 6 models receive radio waves with time-calibration signals from up to six transmission stations worldwide.

Sports functions | 2008

An interval timer, tide graph/moon data, low-temperature resistance (down to −20°C) and other handy functions for sports and fitness have expanded the reach of the G-SHOCK brand of tough watches.

Smatphone Link | 2012

This function pairs the watch to a smartphone via Bluetooth® to automatically adjust the time. Watch functions can also be easily managed on the smartphone app, making everyday life that much more convenient.

Heart rate monitor | 2023

The case back is equipped with an optical sensor to measure heart rate, monitoring the heart in real time during exercise, as well as normal activity.