G-SHOCK fans love the Casio Ring Watch, but what happens when you wear it for a year?

Casio's Ring Watch was released in December 2024 and has excited some G-SHOCK fans, including myself. Due to its popularity, it was extremely difficult to obtain when it was first released, but I was lucky enough to be able to purchase it on the day of its release. It's been about a year since then, and in this article, I'd like to share my impressions of using it, even if it's a bit clichéd. I know some of you might be saying, "I can't buy it anymore!", but I hope you'll stick with me until the end.

A killer piece that debuted on the 50th anniversary of Casio's entry into the watch business

　In 2024, Casio celebrated its 50th anniversary since entering the watch business with a wide variety of anniversary models. Starting with a reissue of the Casiotron, the company's first wristwatch, and limited edition series spanning its various brands like G-SHOCK, Oceanus, and Edifice, Casio even released commemorative T-shirts to celebrate the milestone year in style.

　To cap off the 50th anniversary, Casio released the Ring Watch in December. What's striking about this watch is not only its striking appearance, but also the fact that it packs all the functionality you'd expect from a Casio digital watch into a minimal ring-shaped device measuring just 20mm wide and 25mm tall. It boasts a 7-segment LCD display that displays time down to the second, dual time, a stopwatch, and a light function—all of which are controlled by a module that's about one-tenth the size of the previous model.

　Another feature of this watch is that it has a G-SHOCK-like design that fans will recognize at a glance, realized in a full metal design. This was made possible by the use of a metal powder injection molding technique called "MIM (Metal Injection Molding)."

　Metal processing typically involves techniques such as cutting and forging, but these methods make it difficult to reproduce extremely small, complex shapes like this piece. In contrast, MIM involves mixing metal powder with a resin that acts as a "binder," filling a mold, and molding it into the desired shape. This process for the Ring Watch allows the case and ring to be molded as a single unit, while also precisely reproducing the intricate details reminiscent of G-SHOCK.

　This method not only allows for more precise molding than cutting or forging, but also has the advantage of almost no material loss. Meanwhile, similar methods such as lost-wax casting can be cited, but unlike casting, which involves pouring molten metal at high temperatures, MIM involves molding metal powder and then sintering it, removing the resin components and hardening it. This eliminates the tiny internal cavities (voids) that tend to form with casting, ensuring high density and strength in the material.

　In other words, MIM is thought to be an ideal manufacturing method for making products like ring watches, which do not require the same strength as forging but require greater strength and a surface finish (smoothness) than casting, and which have complex shapes that are difficult to reproduce by cutting.

　So, this watch is not only impressive in appearance, but also in its manufacturing process, and I remember it being incredibly popular when it was released in 2024. I was lucky enough to purchase one after inquiring at my favorite watch shop, but there were many reports on social media of people who "couldn't buy it." It also became a target for resale, often trading at prices above the list price. It was even resold in 2025, which was unusual for a 50th anniversary timepiece, and it could be said to have been a dark horse among the series of anniversary models.

Packaging for rings and watches

　First, let's take a look at this watch as a ring. Although it's small for a watch, the head is large for a ring, so it has quite an impact. The first impression when I put it on my finger was that it felt like I was wearing a tough piece of jewelry, like a skull ring.

　The size is 21. It is designed to fit a large head, so it feels a little large. However, this model also comes with a plastic spacer for people with thinner fingers, so it can accommodate sizes up to 19 and 16. Just as the circumference of your wrist changes every day, the thickness of your fingers also gets thicker and thinner every day, but since the thickness of my index finger is roughly between 19 and 21, this spacer was extremely useful.

　Let's take a look at it as a watch. I mentioned earlier that the size is roughly 20mm wide and 25mm high, but this is the size of the head; the LCD itself is much smaller, at about 9mm wide and 6mm high. For this reason, even though it's a digital display, it might seem like it would be difficult to read the time, but if you bring your arm in the same position as you normally would when checking the time on a watch, it's actually surprisingly easy to see. It seems that they've taken visibility into consideration as much as possible, such as designing the various segments to be rectangular to match the LCD.

　Overall, this watch shows a playful spirit by minimizing the exterior and recreating the G-SHOCK feel in a ring-sized design, while maintaining as much functional beauty as possible as a watch, such as comfort and readability. While small, this timepiece shows how serious Casio is about this.

Results after actually wearing it for a year

　My impression after wearing this watch for a year is that it is unique in the sense that it is a ring-shaped watch, and it is an item that makes looking at it every day enjoyable. In reality, if you wear a watch, there is almost no need to wear this on your finger, but being able to incorporate both a G-SHOCK-like item and your favorite watch into your life at the same time feels like a bargain.

　The quality of the metal material is also impressive. Taking advantage of the precisely finished exterior using MIM, the head is polished and the ring is hairline finished, so the appearance is by no means cheap. However, personally I would like to scratch it more and more to make it look like a battle-hardened item.

　And what's most interesting about wearing this watch on your finger is the reaction of those around you. Even before the release of this watch, Casio had frequently shown off ring-shaped G-SHOCK replicas in capsule machines and novelty items. As a result, the ring-shaped G-SHOCK was fairly well-known, and it was often a topic of conversation over drinks.

　On the other hand, there were quite a few occasions when I had to be careful when handling this ring watch. To begin with, because the head is large, it is more likely to hit surrounding objects and cause damage than a regular ring. I actually hit my car with one, and the paint around the door handle peeled off. Also, as you can see from the lack of "G-SHOCK" in the collection name, this model is not a member of the G-SHOCK family. This means that it does not have excellent shock resistance or water resistance, so it is necessary to handle it with some care, such as removing it from your finger when washing your hands.

　As expected, the operability is not great. This is to be expected, as the buttons are just a little over 1mm in diameter. However, unlike G-SHOCK, which is designed to prevent direct impact on the buttons, the buttons are positioned so that they protrude from the exterior, so they are not completely impossible to operate. In any case, just being able to activate the dual time, stopwatch, and light is a great thing.

　This game is powered by a single-use battery. Due to its complex structure, you will need to contact official support if the battery runs out, but it is still nice to be able to replace the battery rather than using a disposable one.

Summary: "It has a commemorative aspect and also supports future development."

　So far, we have discussed the specifications, usability, and uniqueness of the ring watch, but looking back at Casio's history, a ring-shaped product was actually released as early as 1946. This was the "Ring Pipe," which was invented during the time of the company's predecessor, Kashio Seisakusho.

　This is a pipe with a tobacco nozzle, mouthpiece, and ring all in one, and was made so that people could smoke while doing handicrafts. At the time this ring pipe was introduced, tobacco was a luxury item and was cut into both ends without a filter. In contrast, this pipe, which allowed people to smoke all the way to the base, was extremely economical and became a huge hit.

　Using the profits from this pipe, Kashio Seisakusho began producing calculators. After many twists and turns, they succeeded in developing it, setting the company on a path to becoming the major electronics company it is today. In other words, this ring pipe was an item that could be called a turning point for Casio as a manufacturer. With that in mind, this piece, which depicts a G-SHOCK in the form of a ring, marking the 50th anniversary of the company, could be seen as a monumental homage to the ring pipe.

　The small module developed for this watch has also been carried over to subsequent products. Aside from the gold-colored variations, the watch that attracted the most attention was the "G-SHOCK nano." Unlike the ring watch, this one, bearing the "G-SHOCK" name, boasts 20-bar water resistance and shock resistance in a ring-sized resin case (though I was unable to buy one at all).

　This small watch, which combines homage to the past with technological innovations that lead to the future, is sure to be one of the timepieces that foreshadows the leap forward Casio will make in its next 50th anniversary. We look forward to seeing more developments in Casio's ring-shaped watches, such as the G-SHOCK nano, which is based on the octagonal design of the "2100" series, and new colors for the ring watch.