Reheated Leftovers - I Could Do It Better Myself - The Sales/Brand Manager

This first came out several years ago, but still rings true ; )

I Could Do It Better Myself - The Sales/Brand Manager

5:30 AM - The alarm goes off, and tempting though it may be to hit the snooze, you pull yourself out of bed, jump on your Peleton and commit yourself to another 30 minutes of fitness.

6:50 AM - Showered, you make yourself presentable, grab a coffee and fire up your laptop for the weekly video conference with HQ.

8:15 AM - your daughter calls to remind you that as it is your weekend, she will be waiting for you outside of school following STEM club at 4:00 PM.  You make a note in your phone and set the alarm for 3:45 to remind yourself.

9:05 AM - safely settled at your desk, you scroll through the "Butcher's Bill" to try and figure out why you got blindsided a few hours ago when HQ informed you that:

1.  You need to close Retail Partner A.  No real detail given.

2.  You need to continue to extend credit to retail partner Z, even though they have not paid their invoices for the past 5 months, hit you with $26,333 of "co-op" advertising expenses, and requiring a "junket" for the owner, the owner's current (not his wife) girlfriend, their assistant manager and 2 of their "loyal" customers to visit the HQ, factory, and maybe, you know if there's time, ski a little...

While reviewing all of the internal and external communication, you happen to glance up at a map of Los Angeles and it all becomes clear.  Retail Partner Z is opening up a new "f - you" store literally across the hall from Retail Partner A, and demanding (literally) that your boss in Switzerland cut off Retail Partner A.  You then remember one of the pictures on the wall at HQ in New York with your boss, the girlfriend (not wife) of your boss, Retail Partner Z and half of the Los Angeles Lakers, courtside at the Staple's Center.

And of course, it just so happens that you are based in (or at least near) Los Angeles...

10:00 AM - Retail Partner A's store has opened.  You meet the owner and the two of you head out of the mall to a nearby restaurant so that you can speak in private.  Retail Partner A was the first store you ever opened an account for your first brand, some 20 years ago.  To his credit, Retail Partner A says he totally understands, he has seen this coming.  You personally really like Retail Partner A.  He and his wife have always sent your daughter both birthday and Christmas presents.  They insist on picking up the check even when they are your guests, they are old-school, shook Sinatra's hand type of retailers.  You excuse yourself for a few minutes, go out to the street and call your boss.  You explain that as a sign of good will, you need authorization to buy back the product.  Considering that most of it is still untouched (as it was just delivered 3 weeks ago), in the wrapping, you can simply walk it across the hallway to Retail Partner Z when they open.  Your boss is in agreement so long as 90% of the pieces are re-sellable.  You do the mental math (you looked at the safe count while you were speaking with Retailer A, and there are 13 pieces that have some wear, which tips it to 15% of the inventory.

You go back in, tell them exactly what your boss told you, but suggest that they take 6 of the slightly worn pieces that are the most likely to sell, and blow them out at 40% off, ensuring that the store can make 10% profit off of them, and be in compliance for the buy-back.

You suggest an early lunch (it is now 11:45) and once again, Retail Partner A grabs the check and will not let you pay.

12:50 PM - You walk Retail Partner A back to their store, and take a moment to make some calls before your next appointment - 175 feet across the mall's "hallway" to visit the soon to be opened 5th location of Retail Partner Z.

Retail Partner Z makes you wait a good 20 minutes in the construction area.  Once done, Retail Partner Z excuses himself, and Junior (second born son) takes over the meeting.  In a very short timeframe (less than a year) Junior has managed to piss off every brand rep he has come in contact with, and driven out more than half of the sales staff at their flagship store in Beverly Hills.  You have resigned yourself to simply nodding and smiling.  But Junior wants to flex his muscles and decides to get pissy with you anyway.  He demands to know why Retail Partner A still is carrying your brand.  You explain that they (Retail Partner Z) will have the exclusive rights the day that they open - which is still 45 days out.

2:00 PM - Junior says - "Hey, I'm hungry.  Buy me lunch and we can talk about our order".  So off you go to lunch #2.  Junior, although he drove to work, decides that a few bourbons would be a good idea on a hot Los Angeles afternoon.  You pay the check (a little over $200 with tip), and Junior says that next time you need to go somewhere nicer - "You guys need to stop being so cheap!".

You walk Junior back to his car, send your best regards to his dad, and hope like hell he does not get stopped by the cops.  3:00 PM is a bit early in the day, but he insisted.

You walk back through the mall to pick up the book your daughter asked you to order on Amazon, and as you're walking to the garage, you hear someone calling to you.  You turn to see your fried Julia, who is the district manager for Unobtainium, one of the hottest watch brands that is finally going into independent retail.  She has just finished meeting with Retail Partner A, and is happy with the outcome.  She thanks you for the referral, and comments on how much people must love them as flowers and two gourmet baskets arrived along with 2 bottles of champagne during her pitch.  You make plans to see each other at the Las Vegas shows in June, and hop in your car.  You make a mental note that you will not be able to submit the gift baskets and flowers on your expense account as they are not part of your approved expenses.

3:45 - The alarm on your iPhone goes off, just as you are rounding the corner to pick up your daughter.  Yes, you are early, but you savor the moment, listen to the last 10 minutes of your podcast, and think about the weekend. 

Seeing Red - the New Full Metal (did we mention, it's red?)

From G-Shock -

Courtesy of G-Shock

This is the latest iteration of the Full Metal collection from G-Shock and is currently on a pre-order status. Officially, this one is known as the GMWB5000RD-4.

Courtesy of G-Shock

I love this design for it's ease of use. Download the G-Shock app to your smart phone, sync your G-Shock up, and you're good to go. Thanks to Bluetooth connectivity, you will no longer have the challenges of constantly re-setting your watch owing to timezone changes, daylight savings, etc.

Courtesy of G-Shock

This wrist-bound time machine will set you back $600 US, and it can be pre-ordered now, and is estimated to ship 3 days from now on the 20th.

Here are the pertinents -

Features

• Multiband 6

• 
  Bluetooth Connectivity

• 
  Solar Powered

Specifications

• Approx. battery life 2 years oc CR2016
• Module 3229
• Size of case / total weight 49.6 X 43.2 X 12.9 mm / 73g
• Shock resistant
• Electro-luminescent backlight Afterglow
• Flash alert
• Flashes with buzzer that sounds for alarms, hourly time signals
• 1/100-second stopwatch
• Measuring capacity

Should You Ever Visit Japan

If memory serves me correctly, I first encountered Oceanus in the somewhat short-lived Men's Vogue (US Edition).  At the time I was sorta' pissed off because I had worked like the Devil to get DOXA included in the "Worn/Re-Worn" special section at the front of each issue.  For all of my effort, we got the one page and were grateful.  Had my boss not insisted on trying to jam 5000 factoids into that one page it might have had a bigger impact, but I digress.

Anyway, on the pages opposite, there was a flood of words and facts about a quartz watch with a goofy name - Oceanus!  I got an earful about how come they got so much "language" and we didn't, with instructions to make the people at Vogue (you know, the people who actually gave us the feature without demanding payment) aware of the displeasure my boss felt.  I opted to ignore those instructions. And in truth, I didn't give much of a second or third thought to Oceanus, and like Men's Vogue (US Edition) it was come and gone from these shores in fairly short order.

Fast forward 10 years and I was part of a press junket for G-Shock in which we were briefly introduced to the rest fo the Casio product family.  Fun fact - Casio is BIG in the overhead projector and desk top calculator worlds.  And there almost ignored were a few samples of the Oceanus model -

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide info-web

And for one Ohio retailer and myself, it was like when peanut-butter met jelly!  These are really good looking watches, and while they are quartz they prove the theory that there is nothing dumb about quartz.

This is the Casio Oceanus OCW-T200S-2AJF Bluetooth.  And before you scoff and say "Basic quartz with date", allow me to educate you.  Bluetooth is one of the key, operative words.  As I learned from the G-Shock I picked up on that trip 2 years ago, the Bluetooth function links to your cell phone, guaranteeing that your time is correct.  Change timezones?  So long as your phone is with you, it's no problem!  And solar!  So those frequent battery changes will be (for the most part) a thing of the past.

What I've learned during my time as a watch dog is that while mechanical is sexy, and haute is "haughty", it represents a very small portion of the market.  Mechanical watches were simply the result of the technology that was available at that time. Yes, many millions of dollars are invested in improving mechanical technology, and I am just as guilty of appreciating a mechanical movement. But if I am being honest with myself? I am more and more appreciating things that are well made that do not require so much effort. I love Apple products for this reason, my car has an automatic transmission, and I bought a K-Cup machine for my school because although it's not as sexy as some of the more expensive options that let you play "Kitchen Barista", I can honestly say after my tour of duty as a Starbucks manager, it's not something I dream of doing several times a day when I'm in a hurry.

Now unfortunately, as the aforementioned Ohio retailer and I discovered back in Japan, the Oceanus is not available here in the US. But there are outlets in Japan that sell and ship, and if you're looking for something that will look really good, be bang on perfect in time keeping, and not cost you several hundreds of dollars every few years for serving - I would highly recommend the Oceanus.

Casio is Audi 5000

So the news came forth like a soggy bit of ill-timed flatulence at a staff meeting - Casio has opted out of BaselWorld 2020.

The brand that brought you the G-Shock, the Oceanus and some very nifty desk calculators (I have one in my office) will not be displaying next April / May.

The reason?  Presumably several, but chief among them might be Golden Week.

One of the things I loved about living and working in Japan was the bumper-crop of holiday weeks in addition to individual days.  Golden Week is one that falls in (you guessed it) late April, early May.  So along with Ramadan, the schedulers managed to hit another major holiday period.  

In addition, however, it is another indication that business, overall, is not great.  While the fair schedulers probably didn't fully understand the knock-on effect that scheduling conflicts would produce, the brands have to take some ownership of the fact that the business in general (meaning sales, etc.) is not in what could be called "fighting shape".  And while it is easy to pick a big target like BaselWorld, there are several realities that BaselWorld has no control over that will impact how retailers and brands will determine whether or not to participate.

1.  Sales are bad - This would give the brands one of two options.  They can cut all marketing expenses (BaselWorld just being one of them), or they can embrace the opportunity to participate in BaselWorld and find savings elsewhere.  

Bad sales have a domino effect.  If sales are down, that means that there is less budget to spend, and that means that advertising money is going to be clipped.  And yes, that means the media at large, but most specifically the media that is dependent upon advertising money, advertorial money, and the intentionally vague "package" marketing fee (i.e. in general, you are paying to appear in outlet X on any level) are going to think twice about coming, and likely only visit brands that they have, or hope to conduct commerce with.

So this means that now a lot of media aren't going to come.  But guess what?  That means that brands can actually focus on the media outlets that DO come!  And chances are good that if brands focus on building or re-establishing those relationships, they will have people committed to covering them EVEN WITHOUT GETTING PAID TO DO SO.  Because even though some of the larger "media" outlets will not be sending their "squads", there will be a lot of eager, enthusiastic emerging talent who will welcome the opportunity to connect.  So note to brands - take advantage of the opportunity!  Shake hands, kiss babies, pour coffee!  Don't snob, hob-nob!

2.  Fair style watch shows are dead.  Well, to hear Hayek the younger muse on it a year ago, you would have thought so.  Yes, fairs are so dead that... SWATCH group is (unless I have misunderstood) having their own fair in March to follow-up on the (excuse me while I die laughing) run-away success of their last effort (retailers in Zurich, press at various high end brands separately at no small expense).  So clearly, Mr. Hayek can say fairs are dead all he wants to, but by his group's actions it is clear that he doesn't really think so.

And again, as apparently my specialty is being contrary, I will say it again. BaselWorld is an easy target to shoot blame at. But the truth of the matter is that it takes two to play chicken. And in all honesty that is what brands and the fair have been doing for the last 20 years. When brands were flush, they could not have cared any less about expense. Times get tough? Well, let's just say that we didn't get here overnight. Many brands are fighting a war of ink - black vs. red. And while the fair represents a major chunk of money invested, there are plenty other "fatty portions" that could have been trimmed - friends of the brand, football, rugby, sailing sponsorships, etc. But in hindsight? We always have 20/20 vision.

And again, to be contrary, I think that there will be some opportunity for pioneers and brands that can see the possibilities.

Stay tuned!

The Unicorn!

Regular readers of Tempus Fugit will recall that last September I journeyed once again to Japan, this time to visit Casio and the G-Shock side of their business.  It planted an unexpected (and as of yet still) unexplained love for all things G-Shock.

At the time everyone, with the exception of the one guy who already had one) was desperately trying to lay hands to the GMWB5000 - or as I like to refer to it, the "Digital Santos" -

Needless to say, we all struck out.  A few pieces trickled in here and there, but it was like lining up to buy the latest drop from Nike - you had to have your finger at the ready 24-7 to hit that buy button.   Needless to say, I have a day job ; )

But patience, as they say, is a virtue.  And rather than buy one through a secondary source, I bided my time, and lo and behold WatchGauge became an authorized G-Shock dealer!  

But, that in and of itself did not necessarily solve everything.  Because it seems that although WatchGauge had all of the groovy, dare I say it - very hard to obtain G-Shocks, I was once again a late comer to the conga-line.

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-infoweb

Because, it would seem that WatchGauge has developed a pretty damn devoted following.  And owing to this there were more than a few sharp shoppers who pipped me to the line.  But patience was rewarded, and just a few days ago, the much sought after unicorn found its way to yours truly!

So here's what I know, once I wrote a few times about the GMWB5000, I was deluged by people looking for exactly the same unicorn that I was.  

Well, I've bagged my unicorn, I wish the rest of you the best of luck in finding yours!

A Few Minutes with Kikuo Ibe

Life, it would seem, is full of unexpected twists and turns.  
The creation of the G-Shock is tied inextricably with it's creator, Kikuo Ibe, and although I missed the opportunity to speak with him personally in Japan, and a few months later when he visited New York, he was kind enough to make time to speak with me over a few days between his appearances.

Courtesy of Casio

In some ways it could be said that the birth of the G-Shock while not necessarily a series of happy accidents, was clearly shaped by fate stepping in on more than one occasion, and perhaps just a bit of luck to go along with a never-say-die philosophy.

Courtesy of Casio

And now, a few minutes with Kikuo Ibe -

Courtesy of Wikipedia

You attended Sophia University, what professor or class do you feel had the most impact on you?

I was always most interested by Science class growing up and during my time at Sophia. My Professor was an older man who taught me a lot and helped spark my creativity and curiosity.

Courtesy of Casio

Two of my favorite Japanese words are Giri (義理) and Wa (和) What role do you feel these words have meant in your life?

Wa means “team work” and is one of the Japanese words that means the most to me. When looking back at the development of the MR-G, I don’t know that I would have been able to bring that concept to life without the help of the project members working below me. I cherish the word “Wa” both in my career and life.

Although you have been with Casio for (I believe) your entire professional life, you do not seem to be the typical "salary man". Looking back, what were you expecting when you joined Casio?

I do consider myself a typical "salary man". Interestingly enough, Casio was the only company I even interviewed with when I graduated from university. I didn't have specific expectations for Casio, but I consider myself very lucky to have seen such tremendous growth over my years with the company and am deeply appreciative to the brand for all the opportunities over the years.

Courtesy of Casio

Could the G-Shock have been created in any other place? I ask because Japan is a country that had to reinvent itself, but never lost touch of its identity. 

I think that the G-SHOCK brand came to life because I am Japanese. I don’t know that it would have been created in another place.

When I was researching you for this interview, and also reflecting back upon my visit to the Casio facilities, 大変 (taihen) comes to mind. If there were a Japanese word that describes the process and struggle to not only create the original G-Shock but to continue to innovate and develop it, what would it be?

I’d have to say ‘challenge after challenge’ (挑戦に次ぐ挑戦)

Shamelessly borrowed from the worldwide info web

I have often thought that Ken Takakura would have been an amazing brand ambassador for G-Shock. If you were responsible for marketing, and you could have anyone, who would you choose?

Typically, G-SHOCK doesn't have specific ambassadors outside of our athletes, but Ken is great guy and that would have been a great partnership.  

Tokyo Giants or Hanshin Tigers?

The Giants are primarily shown on TV and covered in the news, so I’d say I’m more of a Tokyo Giants fan.

How did something that in many ways is SOOOOO Japanese, the G-Shock, find such widespread international appeal?

I really attribute that to the efforts of G-SHOCK’s marketing and sales teams. When I first developed G-SHOCK, I couldn't imagine the current level of brand awareness and milestones like our 100M G-SHOCK being sold in the world in 2017.

I moved to Japan in 1992 (Kasukabe-shi, Saitama-ken), and only last January returned after nearly 25 years. So many things had changed, and so many remained the same. What do you think has enabled G-Shock to stay relevant for so many years in such a dynamic place?

It took a while for G-SHOCK to be as widely accepted in Japan as it is now. It wasn’t an easy task but with the help of each department (R&D, Marketing, Sales) we’ve developed great products that offer consumers something special.

Steel is the latest "hot" version of the G-Shock, what other materials do you think might be worth trying? 

I’ve always had an interest in Titanium and think that would be an interesting one to try to make a G-SHOCK from.

And perhaps this is a good place to leave it for now, what the future might hold and where the path might be.  But the spirit remains the same - Never Give Up!

The Unicorn 2 - Electric Boogaloo!

So it is time to just fess up, I am now a devotee to G-Shock.  I didn't set out for this to happen, but happen it has.

Regular readers will recount that while in Japan, many of us fell under the spell of the GMWB5000D-1, and I came back from Japan empty handed.

I have had a few whiffs of the apple since then, but have held off.  And maybe it was because I knew that this little wrist rocket was in the offing -

Courtesy of CASIO/GShock

This is the GMWB5000GD-1, and while you may think you want it, you don't.  You want to ignore this, you hate this, you can't imagine yourself wearing this, ever!

Did it work?  I was afraid of that!

So, I might have to wait again on this one, but it is beguiling to say the least.

Courtesy of Casio/GShock

Here are the pertinents -

• Shock resistant
• 200m water resistance
• Solar powered
• LED backlight (Super illuminator)
• Full auto LED light, selectable illumination duration (2 seconds or 4 seconds) afterglow
• Time calibration signal reception

More Than Meets The Eye

Courtesy of Casio

So I have to be completely honest, I was never that into the whole Transformers thing in recent cinema releases.  And to be even more honest about it, I was never into the toy range.  In fairness I come from a different, slightly older generation.

For many of us, it was Speed Racer and Ultraman.  And yes, I know that there were limited edition G-Shocks for both of my boyhood obsessions, but yet again I was at the tail end of the conga line-

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide info-web

But you can't live in the past, so let's live in the present!

Courtesy of Casio

This is the G-Shock Limited Edition  DW6900TF-SET and it is DOPE!

Obviously, the watch portion is important, it is the DW6900 which is completely digital, no analog.  Here are the pertinents -

Shock-resistant
 
200 meters water resistant
 
1/100 second; measuring capacity: (0’00''00~59’59''99) for the first 60 minutes, (1:00’00~23:59’59) after 60 minutes

Measuring unit: 1/100 seconds (for the first 60 minutes), 1 second (after 60 minutes), split time

Measuring unit: 1 second; countdown range: 24 hours; countdown start time setting range: 1 second to 24 hours (1-second increments), auto-repeat

Multi-function alarm: hourly time signal

But let's be honest with ourselves, the reason why this limited edition is the SHIT THAT KILLED ELVIS is the fact that it comes in a fully functioning Transformer action figure!

(IMPORTANT Editor's Note, it is an ACTION FIGURE! it is not a "toy", it is not a "doll"!)

Courtesy of Casio

And as big a fan of my friend Robert-Jan Broer as I am and as wonderful as I (honestly) think his Speedy Tuesday collaborations are, I am a teacher / social worker by day, and my collecting desires need to be based in real-world economic realities.  And at $350, it is within this educator's modest reach.

Courtesy of G-Shock

So once again, thank you G-Shock for reminding me about why I love watches as much as I do, and please ask the folks at the boutique to put one aside for me, I have my card ready!

 

Where the Present Meets the Future - Casio Visit Day 3

The Shinkansen is blowing its whistle (metaphorically) so it's time to wrap this up.  I have intentionally staged this report out not only over segments, but over a few weeks.  One reason is that a three-day whirlwind tour of three different locations with three different themes is not only a lot to digest, it is a lot to try to quantify and also qualify to people who were not there, and (unfortunately) will likely never be there themselves.

Our third day with Casio began with an early start as we headed off to Tokyo Station to get the Shinkansen north.

Like Minase, the main factory site for manufacturing the high end Casio G-Shock (and a few other brands) is based "somewhat" north, of the Tokyo Metro area (a little less than 3 hours north).  We found ourselves in Yamagata - ken.  

And a little cultural aside, we were treated to a pretty fantastic lunch of soba, which the region is famous for.

 
 After lunch, it was off to Yamagata Casio-

It is important to note that although only the high-end G-Shocks are assembled here, this is also the place (if I understood correctly) where all of the G-Shock movements are made.  Owing to this, in many ways this is the most important piece jewel in the G-Shock crown. 

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 - ken can keep humming along, even in the event of an earthquake!

You will notice that there are a LOT of machines, and a even a few people ; )

And this is something that you have to see to really get your head around.  Casio has created an extremely automated system that ensures that the components of the G-Shock's movements, and the movements themselves, will keep being produced without an individual person needed to be at every single process.  While that might fly in the face of horological purists, I have to be honest, 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.

But let's get back to earthquakes.  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 Hokaido.  Being an old Japan hand myself?  I slept right through it.  But it was a hot topic of conversation 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.  I have no doubt that there is a much deeper explanation offered by someone else more verbose, but suffice it to say that as this is where the movements are being made, you want to protect it and make sure the line does not go down.  So 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 - the actual watch makers responsible for the Premium Production assembly, etc.?  Are pretty much all (I believe) women!  When I broached this topic with the folks touring us through the facility, she confirmed my suspicion.  

The production facility underscores the reality that nothing at Casio really happens within a vacuum.  And nothing happens "just because."  There is a rhyme and a reason for pretty much everything happens.

And while it is romantic to extol the virtues of hand made, artisan watch making, it is also important to understand that not everyone has $5,000 - $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 they can put so much quality, reliability, and durability into a watch with so many functions for so little money.

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.

So we concluded our visit, and hopped back on the train to return to Tokyo.  And I want to thank Casio and Casio in the US for the kind invitation and the warm hospitality.  And to answer the burning question - is a G-Shock worth it?  

Yes, 100%

One last entry to sum it all up is on the way - stay tuned!

Trying to Break Stuff - Casio Day 2

The second day of our visit to Casio started out with a bus ride from our hotel in Shinjuko to the Hamura Research and Development Center which is in Hamura-shi, Tokyo-to.  Now for those unfamiliar, allow me to acquaint you with some realities about Tokyo.  It is really, really big.  How big?  Really big.  And it was sort of bringing it all back home for me as we heard military jets overhead, and it suddenly occurred to me that we must be fairly close to Yokota Air Base which is located in Fusa, and just around the corner from where I used to live in Hachioji -

That would be the blurry city name in the top position of the green sign ; )

But I am not going to waste your time traveling down my personal memory lane.  What I am going to do is share what a lot of 10 year old boys (and I suspect girls) enjoy doing - trying to break stuff!

The whole idea of the G-Shock was to make something that could not be broken (more on that tomorrow), but you can't just say something is unbreakable, you have to prove it.  And this wonderful center in the Tokyo hinterlands has created a facility where they can try to imagine every stress, situation, random bad thing that could happen to a watch, and replicate it.

The original G-Shock was born of a lot of different things - anger, loss, frustration, denial, determination, and finally triumph.  But it was a long, slow process.  The photo above is, for me at least, truly symbolic of that painful process.  Spoiler alert, the creator of the G-Shock was wearing a traditional, normal watch that fell off his wrist and was what insurance adjusters would term, a "write off".  Out of that loss, and need to build a better mouse trap, the G-Shock was born.  The single biggest item on the punch list?  Make it unbreakable.  And the notion of a ball bubbled to the surface as the ultimate shock-absorber.  The item above is part of the journey from "watch in a ball" to the G-Shock of today -

Courtesy of Casio

But needless to say, Casio did not get to have the baby without the labor.  Before we got to the "rumpus room", we got a very solid briefing about the foundation of the G-Shock within Casio.

Along with the type of visual displays that would be the envy of many other brands -

Courtesy of Casio

I draw your attention to the display above and the one below.  

Courtesy of Casio

Still think that quartz is simple, or basic, or dumb?

Think again.

Now, on to the (controlled) chaos!

First stop - the dunk booth!

No, that is not a chocolate milkshake in process, it is a custom made machine designed to test the functionality & reliability of the push pieces not only in a wet environment, but also one that has grit, debris, mud...

Courtesy of Casio

Beyond mere mud, there is also water itself in terms of depth, and Casio had just the machinery to gauge that as well -

Courtesy of Casio

Keep in mind that one of the central tenants 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 devices.

Courtesy of Casio

Safe and dry.

Courtesy of Casio

But if we get back to the birth of the G-Shock, we are reminded that this was triggered by a broken watch.

Courtesy of Casio

So if you can't gum up the pushers with silt, and you can't drown it, maybe you can break it by dropping it, or hitting against something hard?

Well...

Courtesy of Casio

not so much!

And then there is that nasty old problem of gravity.  What if you drop your watch from, say your desk or bedside table?

Courtesy of Casio

Or maybe even something a little out of the ordinary, height-wise?

Courtesy of Casio

Welcome to "Thunder Dome".  But in this instance, both watch and tester came out fine, and still ticking.  

What is particularly cool about the R&D center and the testing area is the fact that this is not standard equipment that you order from Borel.  The demands put on the G-Shock represent a level and commitment to testing that is not really found anywhere else in the watch making world.

And should you encounter Electro?

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide info-web

Well, the G-Shock team has you covered -

Courtesy of Casio

And I have to laugh a bit every time I see copy, marketing or pr pieces extolling how bad-ass their watches are, primarily based on size and the stature of their celebrity friends of the brand.  After an afternoon spent trying to break stuff, I can honestly say that the G-Shock is the real deal.

We wrap-up tomorrow, stay tuned!