Casio gets fancy with LED-infused Tough Movement

Automatic movement? Sweeping hands? Pish posh. Casio's looking to impress a few watch aficionados itself with the all new Tough Movement. Designed to slip inside its Oceanus and G-Shock series of timepieces, the new movement "features a high shock resistance and a hand position correction function using LED." During the 55th minute of each hour, the movement receives time calibration signals from six bases located throughout the world; if the hands are off at all, it automatically corrects things to ensure that you're never a moment off. Reportedly, the first wristwatch to utilize the technology will be the GS-1200, which is currently slated to hit Japan this September for a stiff ¥42,000 ($390).

[Via OhGizmo]

[TheGeektoriousBIG @ Jul 31st 2008 4:27PM]

Takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin' that's some Jame Bond ish right there.

[DT @ Jul 31st 2008 4:30PM]

Yeah, I don't think *Casio* will be impressing "watch aficionados" anytime soon.

[Anthony @ Jul 31st 2008 4:45PM]

Think again. There are whole forums dedicated to G-Shock (including rebanding, hacking, etc) & numerous "limited" runs that fetch high prices.

I myself have Swiss made watches, but always come back to G-Shock because you can leave them on all the time & not get worried about damaging them or their time-keeping ability.

[Scott @ Jul 31st 2008 5:56PM]

As an owner of several G-Shock watches. I'd like to invite you to do some research before making claims about what is and is not impressive to "watch aficionados"

My very-limited Pininfarina G-Shock being one of such models.
http://tanakareport.com/2008/04/08/casio-vs-ferrari-designer--gshock-ge2000.aspx

[morcheeba @ Jul 31st 2008 11:02PM]

Scott - don't worry about impressing watch aficionados - it's all in the eye of the beholder. By the same token, don't put them in to a group - some people will love your watch and others will say "meh."

[Colin @ Jul 31st 2008 4:32PM]

Nevermind the fact that it takes eons to update a watches time using Atomic signals...

[kjb434 @ Jul 31st 2008 4:51PM]

I have several clocks in my house that use Atomic time and it only takes seconds.

If you are in the US, you just need to point it towards Colorado (i think specifically Colorado Springs) to get the signal.

Clear days with little clouds are the best.

[Funke, Tobias Dr. @ Jul 31st 2008 6:35PM]

Clocks have the room for larger antennae. I once owned a Casio "waveceptor", and found that I had to leave it by the window overnight if I wanted it to pick up the signal from Boulder or wherever. Most of the time I wouldn't do this however, and occasionally (maybe 1/10 nights) it would've received the signal despite not being close to the window. If this new watch looks for the signal every 55 minutes, this problem might be solved. Of course granted that you don't live and work inside NORAD.

[Nogami @ Jul 31st 2008 6:57PM]

I use a Citizen Skyhawk AT watch that automatically sets itself with atomic time signals every night. I just leave it on the bedside table and in the morning it's already re-calibrated and ready to go. It's also one of their Eco-drive watches that's solar powered, which is pretty handy.

At around $400, it was pricey, but Citizen is a good brand and it's a nice watch (they also make a higher-end one with a titanium case, but it's quite a bit more expensive).

[Colin @ Jul 31st 2008 10:16PM]

You all have valid points, but on average wrist watch (like mine) it takes a VERY long time. I used to live in Los Angeles and practically never worked (maybe once every 10 tries). I recently moved to Oklahoma City and it proves to be more reliable but still not quick....

[whowhatme @ Jul 31st 2008 4:34PM]

holy expensive for a casio!

[Dillon @ Jul 31st 2008 4:51PM]

So you're saying that the price is that of which only a God could afford?

[KyleC @ Jul 31st 2008 4:39PM]

i like the idea, thumbs up casio

[Rick @ Jul 31st 2008 7:09PM]

This will run on a battery I take it?

[someguy7234 @ Jul 31st 2008 5:08PM]

So, I'm no gadget expert, but why does anyone need a watch that can take more shock than your wrist can?

I'd love to know the time too, right before I bled to death, but I can't imagine that many people have that mindset when they buy these things.

[Niko @ Jul 31st 2008 5:28PM]

totally dude. I wanna know the time just before I bled to death too. I'm gonna buy one right now. Or maybe lets get together all these gadget people, and make our own Mars payload rocket. Then we will send this watch, and other gadgets like it which boast "toughness" to their doom. Or how about sending it to the bottom of the largest ocean trench.

[CarrerCrytharis @ Jul 31st 2008 5:46PM]

If it fell from a great height?

[Anthony @ Jul 31st 2008 7:27PM]

These watches are so big you're likely to bump into stuff you wouldn't normally even come close to hitting, so they need the extra protection.

Seriously- the "shock absorption" part refers to the floating mechanism & rubber "bumpers" in the watch which reduces impact & vibration.

[nikster @ Jul 31st 2008 9:22PM]

Because I can wear my G-Shock and not even think about having to protect it. I wore mine on the beach, in the water, while surfing, while snowboarding - no matter what I do the watch won't break. That's all.

I also dig the original designs, and especially the Rise Man. It comes with a 50 page user manual ;) Unfortunately, since then Casio hasn't had any good ideas IMO. Design changes were generally for the worse, no cool new technology, nothing.

I have an utterly disappointing Pathfinder with "tough solar". The solar cells may be tough but they are also not working. Even in very sunny conditions they are not able to recharge a battery and I have to change batteries more often than with my non-solar G-shocks. Like, every year. Lame.

[mattkenny @ Aug 1st 2008 1:05AM]

I used to have a G-Shock watch (don't know which model). It was WAY to big. My left wrist is visibly flattened, in the exact place the watch used to sit...

[GiF @ Jul 31st 2008 5:29PM]

I like Diesel for watches... They have nice bright hands and are very tough.

[keyreviews @ Jul 31st 2008 5:43PM]

A really cool watch, but quite expensive too... It is great that you don't have to set it all the time, it just automatically does it... And casio really has great durable watches...


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[Taylor @ Jul 31st 2008 5:36PM]

That whole article confused me... I'm assuming LED in this article doesn't mean "Light Emitting Diode"?
-Taylor

[7on @ Jul 31st 2008 5:49PM]

Laboriously Elegant Device?

[phanbouy @ Jul 31st 2008 7:47PM]

Ludicrous Egotistical Dipshit

[KilgoreTrout @ Jul 31st 2008 5:42PM]

Call that impressive if you want, surely I'm not gonna change one of my Breitling for a casio any time soon.

[TravisO @ Jul 31st 2008 5:58PM]

I stopped carrying a watch the same time I carried a cell phone fulltime.

[brandon @ Jul 31st 2008 6:01PM]

Casio atomic watches have very sensitive receivers. My Tough Solar G Shock will only receive a calibration signal at night. If this watch uses the same receiver, it will probably only work at night, instead of hourly.

[Termi @ Jul 31st 2008 6:19PM]

This is nothing new. Junghans made atomic time wristwatches for years. Even solar powered for the environmentally conscious among us.

[Rick @ Jul 31st 2008 6:48PM]

Technology overkill!

My 6 1/2 year old $30 Timex Expedition keeps better time than Omega auto-winding and Casio quartz divers watches that I have in a draw. The Timex was accurate to 1 sec/month or better for several months when new.

Also, anbody who licks their Timex (or Casio) watch to keep it ticking should first try replacing the battery.

[Jason @ Jul 31st 2008 7:22PM]

I don't get it? So now I will have blinking lights to indicate when having a tough movement?

[peacefulpony @ Jul 31st 2008 8:08PM]

It's (almost) common knowledge that G-Shocks are used by members of the Delta Force, as documented in the book Blackhawk Down. They are also used by a lot of other special forces units around the world. CASIO has cornered the market on durable watches used in the field.