From the pioneering CASIOTRON of 1974, the world’s first digital watch with an automatic calendar, to today’s feature-rich models, Casio has led a half-century journey of groundbreaking advancements, from solar charging to Smartphone Link connectivity. 

Marking its 50th anniversary in watchmaking, Casio launched five commemorative timepieces that capture its enduring spirit of innovation and originality. The collection — representing the CASIOTRON, G-SHOCK, EDIFICE, PRO TREK, and BABY-G lines — features a unified black and gold theme, evoking the “first flicker of light,” symbolic of Casio’s drive to create new value. 

In speaking to Mr. Yuichi Masuda, President & CEO of Casio Computer Co Ltd., he reflected that while the G-SHOCK brand has enjoyed a strong, enduring identity, an evolution is necessary to mark the next 50 years. “I would like the purpose of G-SHOCK to give people energy and positivity, to make you feel like you can take on any challenge,” he shared. “And for us to communicate that, we need to evolve ourselves with how the times are to be that symbol of resilience to the people. We need to evolve in order to fulfill what’s being required of us.”

In a 2016 interview, you attributed the strong results of the Japanese watch economy to the effective pricing strategy as well as response to healthy demand due to the increasing number of visitors to Japan. As we live in a post-pandemic era, where Japan yet again experiences an influx in tourism, do you find the Japanese watch economy back at a steady growth as it was before? 

When we talk about the inbound demand, this was mainly driven by the Chinese consumers and tourists who came. And we have a concept called “explosive buying”, where people will come in with big suitcases and they just buy lots of things. So buying products and material goods was the thing to do back then. In 2024, what tourists are buying is not just items and products — they’re buying the experience. So the way the tourists enjoy Japan is different. And the second point is, in 2015, Apple introduced its Apple watches. That has become a norm now and has actually shifted the market in a way.

So what does that mean for Casio? Ever since G-SHOCK was introduced in 1983, we’ve been building on its brand identity of “toughness”. But now we are in a different market mix, where we have the smart watches coming in. So we want to leverage G-SHOCK’s strong platform but expand on that by adding functions. However, that’s a never-ending game, because people are going to come out with functions anyway, but because we have a strong identity, we need to showcase not just the G-SHOCK as a product, but as a brand. It’s really about establishing the world of G-SHOCK.

It is evident that the G-SHOCK brand is going towards premiumization, in reference to the heightened attention to dials and tributes to Japanese culture in limited edition models. What is the ideal goal for G-SHOCK when it comes to this shift in the consumer dynamic? 

That actually highlights the uniqueness of G-SHOCK as a brand. Although we are introducing the premium lines and we are pursuing that catalog, that’s not to say that we’re forsaking the low-end range. G-SHOCK is one of those unique brands where one can find a $100 G-SHOCK as well as a $10,000 G-SHOCK. I think the reason why we are able to do that is because of our well-established identity. By staying true to that DNA, it allows us to build on that and cater to the different segments around the world. 

We want young people to come to the world of G-SHOCK and discover the world in their own sense of fashion and trends. And when they become more affluent, we want them to continue to enjoy G-SHOCK to yet another degree. And I think that’s a unique position only G-SHOCK can take.

While it is significant that Japanese watchmaking is getting increased attention, there is a noticeable stress on the importance of specificity, it being that the G-SHOCK brand is not merely made in Japan, but in Yamagata. How important is it to communicate the identity for G-SHOCK watches?

It’s really important to focus on the brand value. It’s challenging to establish that intangible aspect. When you take the Premium Line, for example, people are not just buying a functional watch to keep time — they’re actually paying for that value itself and that’s what we need to focus on. When you look at brand value, you need to think about what it’s represented by. And that’s the history of G-SHOCK and the people who make G-SHOCK on a day-to-day basis. When you see people earnestly focused on the creation of that “perfect” watch, when they’re that dedicated to their craft, you really appreciate what G-SHOCK stands for. And I think that’s the way for us to build on that brand value, to build on that trust on a global scale and I think Yamagata plays an important role in that aspect.

As you usher the brand from one golden jubilee towards the next, what motivates you to make sure that the G-SHOCK name remains relevant for the next 50 years?

For the next 50 years, we want to expand on that definition of toughness. In English, it’s defined as of great sturdiness and hardiness, but you can also interpret that as resilience. And resilience can be interpreted in many different ways; it’s about being resilient to different things, from challenges to overcoming adversity, and more. It’s about an emotional side. And that resonates with many people around the world, being able to take on a challenge, no matter how big or small it may be. So that’s the kind of message we want to communicate going forward. 

Yet it’s not just about communicating for the message’s sake. We need to be true to our word and that means evolving our product. For example, in our 50th Anniversary lineup here, we improved our surface coating so that it improves the watch’s toughness and scratch-resistance. It’s about doing the research and technological advancement to deliver new specifications. We have many barriers and challenges and we have to overcome them because that’s the way to go. That results in all the watches you see in the market today. We want people to see that G-SHOCK didn’t come out of the blue, simple as that. 

If there’s one aspect of the watchmaking industry that can be improved on, what would you like to see more of?

When you look at the other Japanese manufacturers, it still feels like we’re fighting within a smaller world, confining ourselves in our drawn spaces. To be able to branch out and connect to other watchmakers will help us to expand our perspective. In this world, information travels every second, so easily. And if we leverage on that, the entire watch industry will be able to reap the benefits.