Inventor of G-SHOCK Kikuo Ibe shares how he overcomes the hard knocks of life

Fans of G-Shock may be familiar with the story of how the G-Shock came to be. Conceptualized in 1981 by Casio engineer Kikuo Ibe when he accidentally dropped a watch given to him by his father, Kikuo Ibe set out to invent a rugged watch that could take a great deal of abuse. Working in a team of three others, more than 200 prototypes, and two years later, the G-Shock debuted to the world in 1983.

Curious about the man behind the iconic G-Shock?

What keeps him ticking through the knocks and bumps of life? Is he as tough as the watch he invented?

Alvinology caught up with Kikuo Ibe over an email interview. Find out the inventor’s daily routines and how he keeps himself inspired, in his own words.

1. your favourite G-SHOCK?

My favourite model is DW-5600. This model has the same design as the first G-SHOCK. Therefore, I am attached to this watch. Actually, I wear this watch every day.

2. The G-SHOCK design that surprises you the most?

I am most surprised by the design of DW-6900. This watch has a very cutting-edge design featuring the big button at the front, the rounded shape of the glass and the triple graph.

Kikuo Ibe, Father of G-Shock

3. Have you ever felt that you have hit a bottleneck in your G-SHOCK journey? How do you overcome that?

Yes, of course. I stop trying to move forward and instead focus on clearing my mind so I can realign myself. I recommend you do the same when you hit a bottleneck.Kikuo Ibe, Father of G-Shock