Casio says the fundamental challenge while developing the MRG-D5000 was building a near-unbreakable watch using a material—blue sapphire crystal—that is inherently brittle.
\n\nThe construction method, including virtually invisible seams alongside a completely screwless assembly, is apparently a process so demanding that only one person at Casio’s primary factory in Japan can currently perform the process.
\n\nhttps://www.wired.com/story/casio-crystal-g-shock-is-the-most-expensive-ever-made/
\n\nThe cheapest G-Shock you can buy right now costs $90.
\n\nmore than a Patek Philippe and more than a Porsche Macan.
\n\nMeet the full sapphire MRG-D5000, a full G-Shock
\n\nwith all the high-impact rugged specs that are required
\n\nfor Casio to call a watch a super tough G-Shock,
\n\nbut with a case made entirely from sapphire crystal.
\n\nbut the origin story of this crazy Casio
\n\ngoes back to the G-Shock 35th anniversary celebrations.
\n\nan all sapphire crystal G-Shock prototype.
\n\nNow, nine years later, Casio has finally figured out
\n\nhow to make that sapphire watch tough enough
\n\nThe 2017 concept watches required the crystal sections
\n\nto be held together using metal bracings.
\n\nThe new MRG-D5000, however, is a fully functional G-Shock,
\n\ntaking construction lessons from the MRG engineering team
\n\nthat found that dividing the outer case
\n\ninto multiple interacting components
\n\ncould disperse impact more effectively
Original source: https://www.wired.com/