The first G-SHOCK was born of a simple idea ? durability. Since its launch in 1983, the G-SHOCK line of watches has become synonymous with this concept due to its no-compromise approach to watch construction. Kikuo Ibe, the engineer who is credited with creating what we now know as the modern G-SHOCK, began the project with a singular goal: ?I want to make a timepiece that will not break, even if dropped.? Of course, a drop would be a death sentence for mechanical watches, and 35 years ago the idea of an unbreakable watch was somewhat radical.
The key design principle behind the earliest G-SHOCK timepiece was the idea that the watch module should ?float? inside a hollow structure that would be the tough exterior watch case. This way, impacts to the watch would be absorbed by the case, and the internal timekeeping components would be a step removed from the blow. In 1983, the DW-5000C was launched, with the now-iconic square case shape that was determined to be the best for impact resistance and shock absorption. Over the years, G-SHOCK has taken many forms and comes in a variety of sizes, but the original principle of a tough exterior shell that protects the more fragile elements suspended within has remained a constant.
The first-ever G-SHOCK, and Kikuo Ibe, the engineer who made it a reality.

Today, while G-SHOCK reigns supreme in the durability category, it also offers highly-specialized feature sets powered by technology. The latest in G-SHOCK’s tech-laden ap...