How did Casio G-Shock’s 2100 series become an immediate sensation? You might point to its minimalist design and slim profile. Or, that it touches on a popular category of sporty and versatile watches with features that include octagonal bezels. Maybe all those elements come together in just the right way with G-Shock’s youthful personality.

One thing is certain, however: it skyrocketed to nothing short of modern-classic status almost as soon as it was introduced in 2019. And, it’s earned most certainly Casio’s highest honor, to be rendered as a high-end luxury item with refined details and no expense spared. This is the MRG-B2100B, the highest expression of G-Shock’s technology and artisanal capacity, and the ultimate 2100 series watch.

Part of the Casio G-Shock 2100 series’ appeal was its eight-sided bezel which many saw as echoing a popular trend. But that would be a misunderstanding. Rather, Casio looked to its own icons and built upon its distinctive features, forging its own unique path forward, as it’s always done.

Take a look at the renowned DW-5000C and the “square” series it spawned. While the G-Shock “squares” were fairly enough categorized as such due to their general silhouette, they too had eight-sided bezels right from the beginning (1983). They were technically “quasiregular truncated squares” with a shape consisting of four longer sides and four shorter sides (the square’s corners).

The overall impression of the case shapes echoed by the rectangular display and the angular form of the digital numbers themselves perhaps fooled the eye. The subtle curvature of the edges ingeniously placed eight-sided bezels right under our noses for more than four decades.

The 2100 leaned into the concept heavily, retaining much of the functionality and affordability one would expect from the Japanese powerhouse, but it brought a sleek sensibility to a brand that often emphasizes toughness or boisterous youthful energy. Very quickly, despite its humble price point, the Casio G-Shock 2100 line became more than a fan favorite. It transcended the brand’s traditional audiences of watch enthusiasts, streetwear aficionados and professionals to become an object of wider appeal— and even hype, initially selling out and further boosting its desirability.

To say it was a smash hit would be an understatement. Casio made the most of the technologies and personality for which it’s best known, releasing more variants in vibrant colors that captured the imagination and the interest of a new generation of watch collectors in much the same way as the legendary source material had managed to do in the early 1980s.

Collaborations with artists and iconic pop-culture commodities (such as the Rubik’s Cube) soon followed, as did metal-covered variations of the concept for those looking for a slightly more luxurious take on this newly anointed classic. But the potential for the 2100 series went beyond even those welcome forays into refinement and higher price tiers. With a case thickness of just 11.8mm, its unique styling and lauded wearability naturally gave it a higher-end feel on the wrist when compared to other comparatively stocky andunabashedly sporty offerings.

Better still, the lightweight carbon core of the 2100 series retained the signature robustness of Casio’s wares without sacrificing comfort on the wrist. The new MRG-B2100B eschews a carbon core guard structure for further material experimentation yielding a full metal external housing with buffering parts to absorb shocks to the module. The MRG- B2100B is a thorough upgrade with artisanal materials and finishing worthy of Swiss luxury watches but with a personality and features only Casio could deliver.

The MRG-B2100B benefits from not one, not two, but three types of metal. The multi-component structure comprises elements made from Cobarion (the bezel), Ti64 (the case), and DAT55G (for the bracelet). Twenty-seven separate pieces slot together satisfyingly in its construction, and the materials seem to flow into one another, siring a symphony of textures and reflections.

In practical terms, this multi-component structure allows the individual and painstaking finishing of each part. Applying complicated surface finishes to single-piece cases is, of course, a difficult thing to do well, but by breaking down the watch head into many separate parts, the transitions from one style of finish to another are crisper and more visually engaging than is typically possible.

Watch aficionados will smile at the use of Sallaz polishing on certain components. The effect is superb and elevates the case’s aesthetics to a level that belies its strength. Just as some fellow Japanese brands employ this distortion-free polishing technique (sometimes also called zaratsu) on their proudest products, Casio indulges in one of watchmaking’s most desirable arts only in its most exclusive models.

But that is exactly why the MR-G line exists. It’s where the gloves come off. It has always been and remains the best opportunity for this brand, steeped in specialized know- how, to really flex its muscles and show the world that it is capable of far more than making the fun and affordable resin watches we all know and love.

When you buy a classic square or a resin-cased 2100, you are not just buying a well-built, durable, and highly functional watch. The MR-G collection reminds you that you’re also buying a timepiece from a globally respected trailblazer that has the horological chops necessary to produce sophisticated pieces that don’t just command four-figure prices but genuinely deserve them.

When it comes to the MRG-B2100B, Casio has upped the ante of what one can expect from the line by mixing several space-age materials to create a low-key but powerful statement on the wrist.

The bezel’s Cobarion material is four times harder than pure titanium with a sheen comparable to platinum. The case, pushers and caseback are made from a special titanium alloy known as Ti64. The bracelet links are made from DAT55G, which has been used here for its hardness (three times that of pure titanium) and workability.

And the case is not just a visual work of art. It is also as robust as one would expect from any entrant in the MR-G line. The crown has been engineered to include the MR-G Clad Guard Structure without sacrificing the typical slimness and wearability of the 2100 line. This technology protects the crown from impacts.

The luxurious look of components lovingly crafted from unusual materials also communicate quality through the experience of operating them. With the MR-G line, every element is refined. The pusher action is buttery smooth. The crown feels like it could endure a direct bomb blast and still operate with the same tactile fluidity. And the bracelet has a natural, almost organic drape that speaks to the unseen but experienced value of top-quality component finishing. Just as in other MR-G models, the bracelet is a complex engineering feat in itself with every component and screw serving a functional, rather than decorative, purpose.

Topped with a highly transparent sapphire crystal treated with an abundant anti-reflective coating, the case of the MRG-B2100B is certainly built to withstand the rigors of daily life. However, it is not the case that steals the show. The jaw-dropping dial that sits beneath that highly- transparent sapphire is showcases the brand’s pride in its cultural background.

The latticework dial is inspired by the Japanese technique known as kigumi. This ancient tradition was originally applied to wood joinery and dictated that components should combine without the need for fasteners, nails, or mending plates. The slots in the dial let enough light pass through to reach and power the movement, which is solar-powered with Bluetooth and radio-controlled accuracy.

A super illuminator LED floods the display with light for easy legibility in the dark, and a generous helping of luminous material on the hands and indexes helps maintain that legibility even when the electric light is disengaged. It is incredible how seamlessly Casio has managed to integrate this functional aspect of the design with the overall aesthetic of the watch. While the dial’s function informs its form, it actually adds to it, which, although the goal of watch designers, is seldom so organically attained.

Like other MR-G watches, this all-in upgrade to the 2100 line is yet further evidence that the brand is mature enough to offer its vision as artisanal watchmaking. Moreover, it shows the brand’s fans are ready to embrace it. Though the vast majority of G-Shock watches retail for less, they’re widely regarded as the “best” watches available at their price point. But simultaneously offering an extremely luxurious line at several thousands of dollars accords for two cultural reasons.

The first, and perhaps most obvious, is the concept of quiet luxury, or “stealth wealth,” for those who know, and MR-G is an exceptional example of Japanese craftsmanship from a brand that is capable of much more than the resin watches for which it’s best known. Like so many high-end watches cherished by collectors, it relies on the wearer establishing an intimate connection with his or her watch.

The joy and satisfaction that can be experienced by making an informed purchase of an under-the-radar piece shouldn’t be underestimated. Knowing exactly what went into the creation of the watch on your wrist and indulging in its flawless operation daily is what many watch aficionados value above all else.

The second cultural reason is that Casio is able to make its own rules thanks to its fame and cult status. Many watch lovers, even collectors of the rarest and most expensive timepieces, cut their teeth with Casio. In some ways, it’s generational, but the next generation of collectors will have been started down the same path by their resin-rocking parents.

The 2100 series first answered the tastes of a mature and contemporary consumer, while simultaneously appealing to those that grew up with G-Shock. Rendering the 2100 in the MR-G line is a masterstroke which brings the design’s sleekness to new heights. It taps into the nostalgia many watch aficionados have when they see the likes of a DW-5000C but, now older with grownup budgets, it also satisfies the refined tastes they’ve since developed.

Casio G-Shock MRG-B2100B Tech Specs

Movement: Solar-powered, Bluetooth/ radio-controlled quartz
Functions: Time, date and DST/STD time
Case: 49.5mm × 44.4mm × 13.6mm; Cobarion, titanium DAT55G and titanium Ti64; water resistant to 200m
Dial: Structure inspired by Japanese kigumi latticework
Strap: Titanium DAT55G bracelet

Learn more about the Casio G-Shock MRG-B2100B here