KIKUO IBE, THE FATHER OF G-SHOCK, IS COMING TO MANILA FOR THE SHOCK THE WORLD TOUR

Back in the day, watchmakers were in constant competition for the slimmest or most lightweight watch in the market. At that time, most people considered watches to be fragile instruments, including Casio’s then head of watch design, Kikuo Ibe.

His G-SHOCK story is very interesting that I thought it would be a great thing to share. One day, on his way to work, Kikuo Ibe accidentally dropped his precious watch that was given to him by his father. He watched it break into pieces and suddenly had a vision to build a watch that wouldn’t break-even when dropped. That day marked the beginning of the G-SHOCK story.

The road to success turned out to be unimaginably difficult. Apart from protecting the exterior of the watch, Ibe and a team of three members, also had to figure out a way to protect the engine, or electronics of the timepiece, which would often break due to the drop. He could not find a way to absorb the shock and feared that the project would be a failure.

Ibe, who first gained inspiration to build a shock proof watch through first-hand experience, decided to search for the solution in his daily life. Ironically, he found the answer while observing a little girl play with a bouncing ball. He imagined the engine floating inside the ball. This discovery allowed for Ibe and his team to develop a watch with a hollow structure with the module suspended inside. 

That’s how the first G-SHOCK model DW5000C was created and launched in 1983, following the “Triple 10” concept 10-year battery life, 10-bar water resistance, and 10-meter dropping shock resistance.

Since it’s development in 1983, G-SHOCK has taken pride in being a tough watch, being able to withstand the most severe conditions. Its Shock-Resistant Structure is the core technology underlying G-SHOCK’s success, and has been passed down to every G-SHOCK model for three decades. 

The Shock-Resistant Structure comprises of the following technologies: a hollow case structure, to lessen the force of external shocks; key part protection with cushioning material, to prevent errors in operation or damage from shock; 200-meter water resistance, to enable users to wear the watch during water-related activities; and an all-directional guard structure, for protection against shocks resulting from drops in all directions.

In 2012, G-SHOCK introduced the Triple G Resist, which is a super-tough structure built to withstand three types of gravitational acceleration: shocks, centrifugal gravity, and vibrations. And just last year, G-SHOCK developed the Core Guard Structure, which maintains the watch’s external shape without placing stress on the case. 

SHOCK THE WORLD

With 2013 marking the 30th anniversary of G-SHOCK, Shock The World events have been held all over the world. On February 28, it’s finally touching down in Manila to give fans of the brand a chance to celebrate the milestone.

Kikuo Ibe, the inventor and Father of G-SHOCK, will be a guest of honor at the event. Prior to the event, he will also be having a press conference at HYVE bar at W Global Center, Bonifacio Global City. 

For more information, visit www.shocktheworldmanila.com