Casio Computer Co., Ltd. said it will add the MRG-D5000 to the MR-G line, the flagship collection of its G-SHOCK brand of shock-resistant watches. The timepiece has a bezel made entirely of blue sapphire crystal and a screwless, multi-component structure, and it will be sold in a limited edition of 20 pieces worldwide, the company said.
The MR-G collection has been sold since 1996 and follows a philosophy the company calls "Breaking Ground," Casio said, drawing on fine processing technologies and master craftsmanship to build watches that combine toughness and beauty.
The MRG-D5000 is the first G-SHOCK watch to use components made with blue sapphire crystal in a shock-resistant structure, according to the company. Its MR-G Multi-Guard Structure uses a bezel and case built from several separate components put together without the screws that can crack sapphire crystal. Casio said it analyzed the force transmitted to the crystal under impact and developed a structure to protect the material. Blue sapphire crystal is also set into the screw-lock case back, which carries an individual serial number for each of the 20 pieces. The module uses Gallium Tough Solar, which Casio said offers durability under intense light and efficient charging.
Casio also announced two other watches that use blue sapphire crystal. The MRG-B5000SA, an MR-G model, has two-carat, facet-cut blue sapphire crystals at the top and bottom of the case, a bezel made of a super-hard alloy, and blue arc ion plating on the case and bezel. The GMW-B5000SB, a full-metal G-SHOCK, has blue sapphire crystal stones at four points on the front of its bezel.
