Launched in 1983, G-Shock was founded on toughness, resilience to the world’s harshest conditions, and a whole mess of cool features. But it wasn’t until the 1990s that the iconic brand began designing timepieces that matched such hardiness (and handiness) with heightened style for its increasingly discerning fans. Hitting shelves in 1996, G-Shock's flagship MR-G line (which stands for "majesty and reality") has been a game-changer for the brand ever since.
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Casio has now unveiled its most recent MR-G product, MR-G G-Shock Frogman MRG-BF1000B1A. Featuring all-metal construction, this timepiece marks a drastic departure from the resin-constructed models for which the brand has long been known. The latest release combines MR-G standards with another of the Japanese watchmaker’s best-known high-end watch lines—Frogman.
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First unveiled in 1993, Frogman is a series of diver’s watches made with durable materials that ensure high resistance to water and pressure. In the case of the MRGBF1000, it’s water resistant up to 200 meters. The original pieces were made out of resin, but this MR-G diver’s watch takes the asymmetrical design and diving frog character to new heights via a titanium remake.
The overall construction of this MR-G-meets-Frogman watch is one of the brand's most complicated yet. Safe to say, it's a perfect match for G-Shock fans drawn to serious adventures on the water. The watch is built with a combination of over 70 exterior components, including an O-ring waterproof seal and buffers to strengthen the shock-resistant structure. For enhanced strength, a protective structure with fluoro rubber buffers is installed between the watche's various bezel components. The screw-lock case back is fitted with sapphire crystal finished in red vapor deposition and engraved with the line’s diving frog character.
The watch’s extendable titanium band is perfect for divers, as it can be worn over a wetsuit. It's also equipped with Bluetooth, as well as a dedicated app to pair with your smartphone—displaying tide data for more than 3,000 locations around the world. In diving mode, the hour and minute hands overlap, working in unison to form a single, easy-to-read hand.
At $5,800, the MR-G / FROGMAN MRGBF1000B1A is on the pricey end of the G-Shock spectrum. Its standout features and notable design enhancements mean that the world's toughest watch brand can back that up.
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