More than 40 years ago, G-Shock was launched by Japanese electronics company Casio — designed to take toughness to the absolute limit with its 200M water resistant and shock resistant watches.
The flagship of the brand is its MR-G line, which continuously evolves in its functionality, materials, hues and finishes. The collection’s roots build on its Japanese origins by blending innovation with heritage and tradition.
Its newest addition to the prestigious MR-G collection is its MRG-B2100, which infuses Zen philosophy and sensibilities with innovation. The newest model continues to fuse advanced materials with Japanese craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology to create a timepiece that is durable, precise and elegant.
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Here, Shermeen Greenmun, vice president of timepiece at Casio America, talks with Fairchild Studio to discuss its new watch launch, taking inspiration from the Japanese art of kigumi, crafted with its Made in Japan production and more.
Fairchild Studio: Tell us about the new MRG-B2100 watch. How is the new watch offering merging luxury and innovation?
Shermeen Greenmun: The MRG-B2100’s highly original form and color express the very essence of the MR-G’s dedication to delivering strength and beauty. Designed and handcrafted at Yamagata Casio, the premium production studio located in the Tohoku region of Japan, surrounded by vast nature and rich Japanese culture.
Amidst the ever-changing natural beauty through the seasons and the surrounding Zao and Kamuro mountain ranges, the highest-quality MR-G are crafted with the pride of Made in Japan. We encourage you to adorn your wrist with the effortlessly sophisticated luxury of an uncompromising passion for beauty down to the finest details and feel yourself drawn deeper into the world of MR-G and all the stories it interweaves.
Fairchild Studio: How did the Japanese art of kigumi serve as inspiration for the watch’s showcasing at this year’s Couture Show?
S.G.: Kigumi, a traditional Japanese construction method and woodworking joinery without the use of nails or other metal fittings, has been used since the Heian period (794-1185). This traditional craftsmanship set the base for this year’s MRG-B2100 color theme of ao-zumi, a hue that projects quiet strength.
This timepiece represents an unshakeable vision, fusing MR-G’s commitment to ultimate strength and beauty with the Zen devotion to contemplating one’s own nature and an integrated worldview of serenity. The ao-zumi color motif evokes the deep blue-tinged hue employed in Japanese ink-wash painting and calligraphy.
Fairchild Studio: What are some of the unique materials or techniques incorporated into the watch for the 2025 Couture Show?
S.G.: The MRG-B2100 utilizes super-hard alloys developed in Japan. The top bezel is made with Cobarion®, an alloy with hardness approximately four times that of pure titanium
and a brilliant gleam comparable to platinum. Ti64 titanium alloy is used for the case, case back and buttons.
The case itself has 27 separate components. Hand-polished finishes are carefully applied to each individual component before assembly, down to the most challenging spots, to create a beautiful full-metal exterior. The band is made from Dura-Soft fluoro rubber material combining exceptional durability with flexibility for supple feel on the wrist and titanium alloy is used for the tri-fold clasp.
Fairchild Studio: How has the brand evolved in more than 40 years? How is the brand continuing to expand its customer base while appealing to its loyal fans?
S.G.: MR-G are the pinnacle of the timepieces we craft and stand apart in their majesty, strength and beauty. Driven by our pride in Japanese artisanship, MR-G timepieces exhibit the highest-level integration of tradition and innovation, from time-honored methods of expression to leading-edge material development and processing. They are alive with a sense of the Japanese aesthetic and view of all things being imbued with spirits of their own.
We believe this attention to detail and implementation of authentic Japanese craft, provide watch collectors who are interested in stories of crafting and luxury materials a way to celebrate on their wrists, the true essence of Made in Japan.
As we look forward to the 30th anniversary of MR-G in 2026, we look to our heritage of pursuing the ultimate in strength, crafting the future with majesty, beauty and a “Never Give Up” spirit.
*Cobarion® is a registered trademark of the Iwate Industry Promotion Center and is manufactured exclusively by Eiwa Co. Ltd.