G-SHOCK
Yes, G-Shocks are
water resistant
A water resistance tester
the labor. Keep in mind that one of the central tenets of the G-Shock
is water resistance - typically starting at 200 meters. Well, the folks
in Hamura weren’t satisfied with the typical testing devices used by
other watch companies. So they use quite a few custom-developed
testing devices. The demands put on the G-Shock represent a level
and commitment to testing that is not really found anywhere else in
the watchmaking world.
TO YAMAGATA
Our third day with Casio began with an early start as we headed off
to Tokyo Station to get the Shinkansen north toward the Yamagata
factory site, where Casio manufactures its high-end Casio G-Shocks
(and a few other brands) in a new 4,000-square-meter facility.
It is important to note that although only the high-end G-Shocks
are assembled here, this is also the place where all of the G-Shock
movements are made. Owing to this, in many ways the Yamagata
facility may be the most important piece jewel in the G-Shock crown.
Casio has created an extremely automated system that ensures
that the components of the G-Shock’s movements, and the
movements themselves, are produced without an individual person
required at every single process.
While that might fly in the face of horological purists, I have to be
honest that it was pretty amazing. And it also speaks to what is so
amazing about the G-Shock itself - an incredibly accurate, durable
watch at a very reasonable price.
EARTHQUAKE RESISTANT
And just as the G-Shock itself is made to be indestructible, certain
steps have been taken to make sure that the facility in Yamagata can
keep humming along, even in the event of an earthquake.
The night I arrived in Tokyo (or the morning after) there was
apparently a fairly significant earthquake that did quite a bit of
damage in the northern island of Hokkaido. Being an old Japan hand
myself I slept right through it. But it was a hot topic of conversation
The exterior of the earthquake-resistant new Casio
factory at Yamagata
48 | AboutTime Magazine
at the breakfast table the next morning.
And what does that have to do with G-Shock? Well, try to imagine
a massive (or even slight) earthquake hit a facility with a lot of solid,
but still vulnerable machinery.
Well, the team at Casio thought about it, and therefore there is a
section of the flooring at the Yamagata facility that is set up in such a
way so as to mitigate any potential damage done by an earthquake. A
special flooring section has been installed to ensure that should the
inevitable happen (this is Japan, after all), the floor will shift, adjust,
and accommodate the tectonic shifting, and thus the line will continue
to run.
One other interesting thing to note: women are the majority of
the actual watchmakers responsible for the Premium Production
assembly. When I broached this topic with the folks touring us
through the facility, she confirmed my suspicion.
RHYME AND REASON
The Yamagata production facility underscores the reality that nothing
at Casio really happens within a vacuum. There is a rhyme and a
reason for pretty much everything.
And while it is romantic to extol the virtues of hand made, artisanal
watchmaking, it is also important to understand that not everyone
has $5,000 or $10,000 to spend on a watch. And when you
really consider what goes into making a G-Shock watch, it is really
somewhat staggering that Casio can put so much quality, reliability,
and durability into a watch with so many functions– and then sell it
for such a low price.
I have seen some fairly impressive, beautifully upholstered
facilities in Switzerland, and I absolutely appreciate the historical pull
of some of the dyed-in-the wool historical brands. But what I saw in
my three days in Japan with Casio really was a bit of a re-awakening
for me. It took me back to what I really loved about watches in the
first place.
Inside the the Yamagata factory, where premium G-Shocks are
manufactured and tested.