One of last year?s biggest releases in terms of its short-term cultural impact on the watch landscape was the G-Shock released in collaboration with Hodinkee and John Mayer (ever heard of him"). It was unexpected, came complete with a video of him messing around on a vintage Casio keyboard, and the run sold out incredibly quickly just before the Christmas holiday. To the extent that a new watch release can break the internet, that?s exactly what this one did. It had genuine crossover appeal (I guess this Mayer guy is pretty famous outside the watch world) and was delivered at a price that was ripe for an impulse purchase. Now, Hodinkee, G-Shock, and Mayer are at it again, with a new watch that expands the design language of the last release at the same $180 price point, just in time for last minute holiday shopping (even if it?s just a gift for yourself). 
I?ll be honest, when I first heard that there was a new Mayer G-Shock imminent, I asked silently (or maybe it was aloud) ?Oh, is it based on another keyboard"? Well, yes, in fact it is. Last year?s watch took design cues from Casio?s Casiotone SK-5, whereas this year?s edition is based on the Casio PT-80, released in the mid 1980s. It begs the question: is this really going to be an annual thing" How many keyboards did Casio make that can conceivably serve as watch design inspiration" As someone who knows less about keyboards than nearly any topic I can think of off the top of my head, I hop...