Counting Down the 5 Most Expensive G-Shock Watches

Since its introduction in 1983, the Casio G-Shock has been a game-changer, both for its parent company and for the wristwatch industry in general. The brainchild of Casio engineer Kikuo Abe, who designed it to be “toughest watch of all time” after the traumatic experience of having a vintage pocket watch from his grandfather destroyed in a fall to the ground, the first G-Shock pioneered the “Triple 10” concept that is at the core of the models to this day — 10-bar (100-meter) water resistance, 10-meter impact resistance, and 10-year battery life. It was a watch that was unapologetically big, tough, and utilitarian, and yet those who embraced it found it irresistibly stylish as well. Today, the G-Shock has not only become the undisputed flagship of Casio’s watch portfolio; it has become a sub-brand of its own, encompassing watches with a seemingly infinite array of styles, sizes, and colorways and an endlessly evolving level of avant-garde technology at their heart. The vast majority of G-Shocks, like the very first models from the 1980s, are still very affordable to almost any prospective buyer (hence their ubiquity on the wrists of cops, soldiers, and other modestly paid professionals for whom a rugged, multifunctional timepiece is essential), but several models over the years have pushed aggressively into a more luxurious echelon, in terms of both materials and price — particularly in the collection’s MR-G and MT-G subfamilies. The most expensive G-Shocks, many of which are limited editions, flirt with price points above $3,000 and reach a ceiling slightly under $10,000, comparable to a Swiss-made luxury watch with a mechanical movement. Here we count down our top five most expensive G-Shock watches (lowest to highest in MSRP) and break down what makes each one so pricey.

G-Shock MR-G MRGB5000

Price: $3,500, Reference: MRGB5000D, Case Size: 49.4mm x 43.2mm, Case Height: 12.9mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 200 meters, Movement: Tough Solar Quartz

Modern, cutting-edge materials abound in the multi-part case of the MRGB5000, introduced in 2022 as the highest technical elevation of its classic 1983 model within its “pinnacle” collection, the MR-G, which is produced in parent company Casio’s “mother factory” in Yamagata, Japan. The case band is constructed from DAT55G, a highly workable titanium alloy that’s about three times harder than pure titanium as well as scratch-resistant and finished in a beautiful mirror polish. The bezel is made of Cobarion, which has a hardness about four times that of pure titanium and a brilliant gleam comparable to platinum. In this model, as with many on this elite list, we find radio-controlled time calibration and Smartphone Link connectivity, including the ability to automatically adjust to the correct time via a link with the Casio Watches smartphone app to automatically adjust to the correct time. The watch also comes equipped with a solar charging system and high-brightness LED light.

G-Shock MR-G Frogman MRGBF1000R1A

Price: $5,000, Reference: MRGBF1000R1A, Case Size: 56mm x 49.7mm, Case Height: 18.6mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 200 meters, Movement: Quartz Solar

The Frogman models, launched in 1993, are G-Shock’s purpose-built divers’ watches, and even in the more budget-friendly resin cases their prices are several notches above that of an entry-level G-Shock. This model from the MR-G family, which debuted in 2023, is on a whole other level in several regards. Its huge asymmetrical case is made of titanium finished in a deep-layer hardening process and coated in scratch-resistant black DLC. The case is water-resistant to 200 meters and features a blue-tinted sapphire caseback with the playful image of a scuba-diving frog. The dark gray dial is all-analog (rather than the analog-digital hybrid aesthetic of less expensive Frogman models) with metallic blue details and bright white, luminous-coated hands. In addition to the usual array of functions provided by the Bluetooth-connected, radio-controlled movement — stopwatch, alarms, world time, et cetera — this version of the Frogman offers dive-centric additions like an electronic tide graph and a “diving mode” that can track submersion and surfacing times and store this info for up to 30 dives at a time. The case integrates into a sturdy, black, DuraSoft rubber strap with a quick-release system and a black DLC-coated titanium buckle to match the case.

G-Shock MR-G MRGG2000HA-1 “Tetsu Tsuba”

Price: $7,400, Reference: MRGG2000HA-1, Case Size: 54.7mm x 49.8mm, Case Height: 16.9mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 200 meters, Movement: Quartz Solar

With this MR-G special edition released in 2018, G-Shock melds avant-garde technology with ancient Japanese craftsmanship. Its signature feature is a bezel with a gritty, hammer-tone “Arashi-Tuchime” texture (also found on the bracelets’s center links) that is the same one found on the hilts of traditional Japanese samurai swords. The watch’s color scheme echoes the look of murasaki-gane, a deep violet-hued alloy which includes gold, and a type of copper called suaka, thanks to an AIP (Arc Iron Plating) process that creates a hardened, abrasion-resistant coating. Inside, the “Tetsu Tsuba” model is decidedly modern, with three-way time sync capabilities powered by Bluetooth connectivity to a G-Shock app, and the GPS Hybrid Wave Ceptor technology, which allows the watch’s wearer to accurately gauge his local time and location from anywhere in the world. The movement’s Tough Solar technology allows for self-charging via light sources and it’s jammed with high-tech functionality, including a stopwatch, countdown timer, alarms, world times in 39 cities, day/date display, full calendar, and LED illumination.

G-Shock MR-G MRGB2000BS3A "Hana-Basara"

Price: $8,000, Reference: MRGB2000BS3A, Case Size: 54.7mm x 49.8mm, Case Height: 16.9mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 200 meters, Movement: Quartz Solar

Representing both a new level of luxury and a creative foray into Japanese artisanal history, the Hana Basara edition was unveiled in 2021 in commemoration of 25 years of the MR-G collection. Its distinctive, colorful design takes inspiration from the ancient armor worn by the samurai of G-Shock’s native Japan. The blend of green, red, gold and black color areas on the stately case are an homage to those found on Hana-Basara armor, and the bezel, made of Cobarion, is formed in a facet-cutting technique commonly used to cut gems and meticulously polished to a mirror finish by a Japanese artisan. The main case as well as the bracelet are constructed of DAG55G titanium, with areas alternating in color from a brown IP finish to a traditional Japanese, iron-colored (kurogane) DLC coating. The multicolor theme continues on the dial, which hosts additional textures, applied indices, and other features inspired by the namesake armor.  Like previous MRGB2000 watches, this special edition features the pioneering Tough Solar power charging system along with dual time zones, a 24-hour chronograph, a 24-hour countdown timer, an alarm, and timekeeping assisted by radio-controlled synchronization.

G-Shock MR-G MRGB2000GA-1 “Gassan”

Price: $8,000, Reference: MRGB2000GA-1, Case Size: 54.7mm x 49.8mm, Case Height: 16.9mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 200 meters, Movement: Quartz Solar

Tied for the most eye-catching presentation, and the highest price tag, with the Hana-Basara described above, is the “Gassan” edition, limited to 500 pieces worldwide, released in 2023 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of G-Shock. The watch derives its name from the wavy visual motif on its bezel, which is made of recrystallized “hybrid titanium,” an alloy made from mixing pure titanium with Ti-64 powder in a lengthy, complex process that creates a pattern unique to each finished bezel. The bezels are then finished in a blue-gray AIP process that mimics the look of an ancient samurai sword — hence the name “Gassan,” after the multigenerational family of swordsmiths that have been renowned for their craftsmanship for over 800 years. The rest of the case is in pure titanium that has been heat-treated to achieve a sword-like crystalline pattern, as is the bracelet, which is distinguished by center links with engraved Japanese characters representing the mark of Gassan family craftsmen. The analog dial features a subtle rendering of the diamond-shaped hishimaki-gara texture found on Gassan sword handles, and its circumference evokes the look of a Japanese folding fan while hosting multifaceted hour markers echoing the curves of a sword blade. The highly artisanal exterior is complemented by the high-tech interior you’d expect: Multi-Band 6 radio-controlled timekeeping, Bluetooth connectivity via the Casio app, Tough Solar charging, and all the functions the company could pack in, from alarms to stopwatches to world time and LED illumination.