Japan’s leading swordsmith helps G-Shock design a watch

The very tip top of Casio’s G-Shock lineup of watches, the MR-G line is turning 40. To celebrate the occasion, the brand is giving us a limited edition model in collaboration with Japan’s number one swordsmith, Sadanobu Gassan. The result of this is the extremely good looking G-Shock MR-G 40th Anniversary Gassan watch.

With swordsmith Gassan being renowned for his attention to detail and precision, the G-Shock MR-G 40th Anniversary Gassan features a recrystallized hybrid titanium watchcase which integrates multiple layers of titanium Ti64 and pure titanium. This adds a cool “samurai-esque” look to the watch.

Moreover, Sadanobu Gassan is more than just a renowned swordsmith in Japan. He is a legacy swordsmith, coming from one of Japan’s most celebrated swordsmith lineages. This means the mark he leaves on the G-Shock MR-G 40th Anniversary Gassan is also a symbol of elegance.

This can be seen in the titanium watch band on the G-Shock MR-G 40th Anniversary Gassan which was built to look akin to a sword’s nakago (tang). This is personally marked by Gassan himself in a yasuri-me (file mark) pattern and will also feature his signature carved onto it.

Furthermore, the middle segment of the band will see the the motto of the Gassan clan,百錬精鐡 (devoted to sword-forging), along with the characters鍛(forged) and錬(tempered), being carved onto the surface as well. This handmade aspect of the G-Shock MR-G 40th Anniversary Gassan is what makes each unit distinctive.

In sword making, different patterns may appear on the sword depending on which sword making school you choose to forge your blade in. This is replicated on the G-Shock MR-G 40th Anniversary Gassan with the bezel, band and back cover are all coated in a blue-gray IP coating, the colour of high quality swords.

Additionally, the G-Shock MR-G 40th Anniversary model is also packed with advanced features thanks to Tough Solar, Bluetooth smartphone linking that also allows for time adjustment using standard time signals. The advanced tech mixed with the traditional sword making techniques make the watch even more unique.

The G-Shock MR-G 40th Anniversary Gassan also comes with a Smartphone link that wirelessly links to bluetooth enabled devices and through an app you can download on your phone. You can even use the watch to help you with the “find my phone” feature. The watch can also charge itself on solar power for longer battery life.

Find out more details about this ‘cutting edge’ watch at the Official Casio Website.