June represents two decades since Casio first put out its MR-G series under the G-Shock name; a series that sought to introduce higher-end materials into a line famous for withstanding absolute torture. The MR-G series, top of the company’s line, was the first in the brand to use titanium and underwent a heat treatment in a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen gas to increase the hardness of the material.
For this year’s grand celebration, the brand unveiled a novelty piece that we’re confident is going to be the Holy Grail of G-Shock collectors everywhere.
The G-Shock MRG-G1000HT Hammer Tone Tsuiki MR-G 20th Anniversary
Handcrafted Perfection
On this limited edition piece, the bezel and most of the bracelet sees a pattern of “bumps” created by a traditional metal-working method called tsuiki. This Kyoto-originated craft has existed for over an eon and usually only seen in copperware. How it’s done is by hammering a sheet of metal into a 3-D form by constant hammering, perfected by artisans Bihou Asano. Because a human being (who has spent his life on the craft) is the one behind the hammer, each MRG-G1000HT has a technically different finish.
Smart Watching
A while back, I had the chance to visit Casio’s manufacture and it just happened to be the “year for smartwatches,” according to anyone who had never paid attention to the tech world. Smartwatches have been around for a while now and Casio was one of the first on the scene.
Today, the brand’s extremely smart technology comes in the form of its GPS Hybrid Wave Ceptor chip that banks on both GPS and radio wave reception to give the most up-to-date and accurate timing depending on your location. Dual time, weather settings, (even one with watch Bluetooth connectivity to play music) – the brand has pushed the boundaries of technologically-advanced timepieces.
What we’re really loving about the G-Shock MRG-G1000HT Hammer Tone Tsuiki is its blend of tradition and innovation. If you’re going to celebrate an anniversary, it’s a great time to hark back into the history of your originating country. The watch is proof that old and new can easily stick together and even look good while doing so.
Casio Singapore also recently opened its very first concept store in Tampines Mall, that sees both digital cameras and timepieces together. Head on down to check out all Casio’s new innovations and collaborations.