The extreme dedication of the Japanese samurai was well documented throughout history, the spirit and style of which has been used as inspiration for Casio’s latest exclusive G-Shock release from its flagship line – the MR-G Series.
Traditional helmets known as “kabuto” in Japanese were worn by Japanese samurai when heading into battle, serving not only as protective headgear but also representing the strong convictions of the samurai, with aesthetics playing an important role. Casio has commissioned its own original kabuto piece as inspiration for its new MRG-B2000SH Shougeki-Maru watch. Each unit features a dragon climbing to the heavens on the bezel, individually hand-carved by one of Japan’s premier artisanal metalworkers, Masao Kobayashi. The surface of the bezel and the band both use the same rusted steel finish found on the Shougeki-Maru kabuto helmet, with an aged effect reproduced by casting artisan Masanao Kikuchi using special sand-based dyes. Brown and blue ion plating also references the look of the commissioned piece with its overlapping plates of armour bound together with navy blue string.
The new timepiece isn’t a complete throwback to the past, however, as it has the capability to pair with a smartphone via Bluetooth and can receive radio wave time-calibration signals for auto time zone correction. As such unique craftsmanship can only be created in limited quantities, only 400 pieces will be released worldwide, each priced at HK$63,880.
Other recent launches from the brand include the GWF-A1000BRT-1A Frogman watch, inspired by the colourful Borneo rainbow toad, the volcanic lightning-themed MTG-B1000VL-4A, and other latest releases from the metal series.
