A man by the name of Kikuo Ibe and 2 years of non stop testing were all it was needed for the G-Shock era to begin. In the early 80s a watch was considered a delicate piece of jewellery made for style and telling time but one man's broken watch was all it took to start the trend of rugged wristwatches. Ibe wanted a watch that wouldn't break when dropped on the floor and since the one his father gave him broke so easily he wanted to change that. More than 200 prototypes were made before Ibe and his team made the very first shock-resistant watch. In 1983 the DW-5000C was introduced, the first G-Shock watch. Although it didn't caught everyone's attention right away, the DW-5000C gained popularity steadily starting with outdoor enthusiasts and law enforcement.

Casio continued to produce their G-shock rugged watches making them more and more stylish whilst retaining protection but the dip in sales in 1997 made the manufacturer turn back to its roots. This new era of performance oriented and shock-resistant watches saw pieces with solar powered technologies, time-calibration through radio signals, GPS, water resistance and G-Shock's Smart Access technology. The brand's latest models can now also pair with a smartphone. Today there are hundreds of new G-Shock models being introduced every year.

All G-Shock wristwatches come with shock resistance, both 12 and 24-hour formats (digital display models), a chronograph, stopwatch and a full auto calendar. The majority of G Shock watches come with a backlight, the option to set multiple alarms, a snooze function, and a countdown timer too.

Some of the analog models are the Gulfmaster, Gravitymaster and Mudmaster G Shock watches. For example, the Mudmaster GWG-1000 is a mud resistant, triple sensor, analog-digital model with a saphire crystal. There is also a Mudmaster GG-1000 junior model which is a battery-powered watch with a compass and thermometer. The Gulfmaster GWN-1000 model is a good example of its series as it is a matritime-themed triple sensor model that presents both a tide graph and moon age data. This is also an analog-digital model that like the Mudmaster GWG-1000 has a junior (scaled-down) model. G-Shock's Gravitymaster GPW-1000 is one of the top models in their aviation series. This fully analog piece comes with GPS Hybrid timekeeping and no environmental sensors.

Some of their digital watches include the Mudman G-9300, Frogman GWF-1000 and Rangeman GW-9400. The Mudman G-9300 is mud and dust resistant and comes with the twin sensor system which includes a thermometer and a digital compass. You also get moon phase data on it. G-Shock's Frogman GWF-1000 is the only model that has ISO-compliant 200m water resistance. This piece also has a stainless steel inner case and screw lock case back. The Rangeman GW-9400 is the most popular professional Gshock watch as it comes with the triple sensor system (the first G-Shock watch to have it) and it is mud resistant. The Rangeman GW-9400 has sunset/ sunrise data alongside the usual complications.

Big case G-Shock wristwatches are the brand's most recognisable pieces and the GD-X9600 is a good example of their big case models alongside the GD-350 and GD-400 amongst others. Big case pieces can be used as fashion pieces and are also quite practical in fields such as law enforcement.

Solar-powered G-shock models have the brand's own Tough Solar feature which has the face of the watch covered with solar charging panels. This allows you to carry the watch without having to switch a battery or wind it up. This can make the watch work for more than 10 years and if the model is paired with the Multi Band 6 function you won't have to worry about ever adjusting the time on your watch. As long as you're in the range of the 6 radio signal transmitters around the globe you'll be fine.

G-Shocks most straightforward and affordable timepieces come with shock and water resistance and a backlight. These basic models have only one alarm and some of them, such as the G-100, don't even have a countdown timer. The basic G-Shock watches are medium size and don't have the multi-city world time function either.

These G-Shock models are made only when Casio collaborates with other big names and brands. They usually come with unique complications and features. A custom engraved back, special packaging and an EL backlight are some of the more commonly used features on limited edition models.

G-Shock's luxury lineup consists of high-quality pieces that are assembled by hand and tested at the Casio Yamagata premium production line located in Japan. The luxury series are called MT-G and MR-G. The former uses a combination of metal and resin for the construction whilst the latter uses lightweight titanium.

Japanese Domestic Market G-Shock models are available only on the Japanese market. Due to their limited market availability, the watches are even more exclusive making them desired by fanatic G-Shock collectors. Some of these models include the GXW-56 and the GW-500-1 JF which is a modern take on the original G-Shock watch.