A G-SHOCK review from an American perspective: The MRG-B1000D, designed with the traditional Japanese armor "YOROI" as its motif

G-SHOCK continues to expand and upgrade its flagship MR-G collection while exploring the history and traditions of its birthplace, Japan, as a source of inspiration. The MRG-B1000D introduced here is a mid-sized model with a titanium case and black and red accents that evoke the appearance of traditional Japanese armor and swords.

G-SHOCK MRG-B1000D

Deep-hardened titanium case

The case and bracelet of the MRG-B1000D are made of lightweight titanium. This titanium undergoes a deep-hardening process, making it five times harder than pure titanium. At the same time, titanium carbide treatment adds even greater hardness to the surface, giving it a silvery sheen. The bezel is secured in place with four screws and has a smooth black finish thanks to a DLC coating. Note that there are also models in this series with DLC coatings on the case and bracelet instead of titanium carbide.

Design inspiration: armor

　The dial surface features striking red details, such as the central hand, the subdial for selecting the "mode" at 9 o'clock, and the minute scale around the periphery of the dial, all of which are inspired by the red odoshi (lacing) found on the armor worn by feudal samurai. Odoshi refers to the lacing of armor, which is made by tying together the armor's sashes (straps) with leather or thread.

　The beautiful shine seen on the case and bracelet links is achieved by skilled craftsmen using the Zaratsu polishing technique, which differs from conventional buffing and is performed using a special polishing machine called a Zaratsu polisher fitted with abrasive paper.

　Saratsu polishing not only produces a beautiful mirror finish but also leaves the edges unrounded, but unfortunately it is currently only used by a few Japanese manufacturers. This is because the Swiss company Zaratsu Brothers, which developed this special polishing machine, has already gone out of business, and Saratsu polishing can only be performed on replacement machines made in Japan. Furthermore, even Japanese manufacturers that do use Saratsu polishing do not use this special and time-consuming polishing method on all of their products, only on a very limited number of models.

Multiband 6 and smartphone linking, two time adjustment functions

　The movement is the same as the existing MR-G model, using the solar-powered "Tough Solar" technology. Furthermore, the watch has a "Multiband 6" standard radio wave reception function, which automatically receives time signals from Japan, North America, the UK, Germany, and China, and automatically adjusts the time accordingly.

　It also comes equipped with a Bluetooth-based "Smartphone Link" function, which means that by connecting it to a smartphone, it can automatically synchronize with the local time not only in the five areas mentioned above, but also in any other country in the world.

　Other features include a date display, world timer display for over 300 cities, chronograph, countdown timer, alarm, remaining battery life display, and a full calendar accurate up to 2099.

　It also features G-SHOCK's traditional shock absorption system, and an anti-magnetic plate built into the module improves radio wave reception sensitivity and ensures magnetic resistance during everyday use.

　The highly scratch-resistant sapphire crystal features an anti-reflective coating on the inside and three-dimensional applied indexes underneath, ensuring excellent visibility. An LED light can be activated in the dark, making the display easy to read even at night, in poor weather, or in poorly lit environments.

　Due to the smaller size of the Bluetooth mechanism and time measurement signal receiving module, the MRG-B1000D is 3.6mm smaller in diameter and 2.3mm thinner than the MRG-G1000 series, improving the fit while maintaining the robustness and presence of G-SHOCK.