It began with a field. A giant one. A kind of sorts of transport crates that comes nailed to a picket pallet, inside which is a collection of more and more smaller packing containers, every with bits of straw and packing peanuts layered in between. And contained in the smallest field of all can be an extended misplaced golden artifact of maybe Egyptian origin, finishing its lengthy journey from some distant nook of Mesopotamia. Inside this specific matryoshka although, was no priceless artifact however a watch — and a digital one at that.
Glad that the supply had been accomplished, the courier’s armed guard left the best way he’d got here — out the service exit belonging to Topper Jewelers, in Burlingame, California. Deep inside the middle of the crate wasn’t simply any watch, however a Casio G-Shock. A strong 18k-gold one — reference G-D5000-9JR, which, definitely, would have been the envy of all of the pharaohs had it belonged to that exact epoch in historical past. You may bear in mind this specific reference from a video that surfaced early final yr of its prototype being examined. Violently.
The G-Shock “Dream Challenge” was by no means purported to be a actuality. Teased at Baselworld again in 2015, an idea piece was produced and examined, making a small viral sensation wherever it cropped up on the model’s in-store occasions world wide, however for practically 4 years, it was simply that — a wild idea and a present piece. However in early 2019, Casio’s tone modified, and the manufacture introduced that the watch was, certainly, going to be produced in extraordinarily restricted numbers. And it was going to be costly. $70,000 to be actual.
Three packing containers and a brief intermission for refreshments later, we arrive on the heart of the crate, the place the bodily watch field awaits: a light-colored bamboo affair with a brilliant crimson “hanko” stamp whose kanji reads “Dream Challenge.” Inside it, we uncover a standard Japanese tea kettle, known as a “tetsubin.” And inside this extraordinarily cool cast-iron vessel is a black conical bag that lastly holds the watch itself. We take away it from its velveteen sarcophagus, and the room is straight away bathed in a mushy yellow gentle. Dramatic music begins to echo from someplace deep within the retailer. (Effectively, not really, however you get the thought.)
In whole, 35 of those Dream Challenge G-Shocks had been made, and of these, solely 10 made it out of Japan. Of these 10, solely two had been allotted to the USA. Topper Jewelers rightfully earned the excellence of with the ability to promote one in all them to an equally fortunate shopper, and because it sits on my wrist reflecting my very own gaze in a bezel-shaped halo of orange and yellow, I’m struck by how incomprehensibly heavy it’s. The tactile trick your wrist is enjoying in your mind is kind of a visible one — G-shock’s acquainted 5000-series plastic circumstances weigh subsequent to nothing, and this watch — for all intents and functions, seems precisely like a resin-cased variant — from the acquainted rectangular liquid crystal show framed by a clean bezel into which “PROTECTION” and “G-SHOCK” are etched, proper all the way down to the little dimples that punctuate all sides of the lugs and path down the edges of the strap. Besides a fundamental GW-5000 weighs round 70 grams. This one is somewhat over quadruple that, and double the load of the “Full Metallic” chrome steel GMW-B 5000 variants, topping out at somewhat over 300 grams.
Regardless of the apparent similarities in case form, the largest “tells” that this isn’t the IP gold plated metal variant from 2018 are the sleek, polished bezel, and the inverted “destructive” show, round which there’s significantly much less textual content (gone is any info referring to Bluetooth performance) than we noticed on the preliminary press pictures launched across the watch’s launch. Oh, and it’s heavy. Did I point out that already? The explanations behind the extra visually pared-down dial are subtly mirrored within the motion used inside, which, once more, will not be a Bluetooth-equipped module however Casio’s commonplace solar-charged motion that bears all the standard expectations for a G-Shock with regard to water- and shock-resistance and timekeeping autonomy.
And therein lies what’s in all probability probably the most spectacular — and equally polarizing — factor about this watch: it’s nonetheless a G-Shock. Lest we not overlook that each G-Shock have to be subjected to and survive the identical battery of torture assessments undergone by the identical cadre of Casio’s inexpensive software watches worn by women and men within the navy, first responders, surfers, sailors, and all of us in between. Besides this one is forged in gold, and prices 70 thousand . It leaves us with the query: At what level is a watch now not only a watch? G-Shock is, arguably, some of the purpose-built timekeeping instruments ever conceived (shoutout to Mr. Kikuo Ibe), and right here, in strong gold, it betrays these trappings with spectacular aplomb. It’s a treasured metallic engineering marvel at greatest and conceptual pop artwork at worst, and no matter which aspect of the fence you’re on, each of these issues are extraordinarily satisfying.
In all chance, this isn’t the final we’ll hear of the Dream Challenge. At G-Shock’s 35th Anniversary occasion in New York Metropolis final yr, attendees may need caught a glimpse of one other unimaginable reference: a full sapphire G-Shock, full with the platform’s acquainted Multi-Band 6 timekeeping and Robust Photo voltaic functionality. Although there’s been no phrase on its launch simply but, Casio will probably be trotting out its 2020 information over the course of the following few months, and we’ll be ready with bated breath.
“So are you going to put on it?” I needed to know. There was an audible pause after which a chuckle on the opposite finish of the road, the place the watch’s new proprietor eagerly awaited pictures of the unboxing course of. There was a smile behind his tone, however nonetheless an air of uncertainty. Casio’s now-iconic software watch — which covers the total spectrum, from distinctive however markedly inexpensive JDM items like his “each day driver” GW-5000-1JF to what’s unequivocally the rarest G-Shock ever made — turned the point of interest of his assortment since coveting his first G-Shock as a toddler in grade faculty.
“Oh man, I haven’t determined but,” he lastly relents.
As soon as once more, the value for the Casio G-Shock G-D5000-9JR “Dream Challenge” is $70,000 USD. You may study extra about this, and different G-Shock watches at gshock.com.
