This year marks the 40th anniversary of the G-Shock line of ultra-durable watches. To celebrate four decades of G-Shock, several commemorative models have been launched across the lineup. For the premium G-Shock MR-G series, Casio is honoring an ancient Japanese tradition and melding it with modern technology with its release of the MR-G B2000SG.
The overall design of the MR-G B2000SG is a masterful homage to the Shougeki-Mari: Gai kabuto headgear which was commissioned for MR-G. The kabuto is a helmet worn as part of a traditional samurai armor which is both practical and deeply symbolic.
A master metalsmith, Kobayashi Masao, has lent his artisanal skills in engraving each titanium watch bezel with a tiger design and rock-grain texture which appears on the original kabuto’s samurai crest. The bezels are hand-carved by Kobayashi-san, making each watch unique. Only 700 units of the MR-G B2000SG will be made, making the watch a much sought-after timepiece.
Like a battle-ready piece of armor, the MR-G B2000SG’s case is made from recrystallized titanium that’s undergone a deep-layer hardening process. Its color matches the kabuto helmet that inspired it and mounted on its side is an engraved metal plate that commemorates the 40th anniversary of G-Shock. As befitting a premium timepiece, the crystal is made of scratch-resistant sapphire with anti-reflective coating. The screw heads on the bezel are adorned with lab-grown rubies that match the color of the kabuto helmet’s cord strap. As a standard, the watch is fitted with a lightweight white fluoro rubber strap for increased comfort and wearability. Stamped on the watch dial is a pattern that evokes the odoshi plate pattern of the helmet.
Powering the watch is G-Shock 5625 module which is packed with a formidable amount of timekeeping features such as dual time, multiple time zones, alarms, auto calendar, stopwatch, timer, mobile link via Bluetooth, and multi-band synchronization via radio signal. A Tough Solar system can keep the watch powered for five months on a full charge.
The watch is packaged in an elegant wooden box that continues the design theme of the Shougeki-Mari: Gai helmet. The MR-G B2000SG is available for viewing at L’ Atelier by Lucerne at the ground floor of Shangri-La at the Fort in BGC. It’s available for Php 450,000 SRP in extremely limited quantities.