G Shock Goes Graphic With Joshua Vides Collaboration
Sometimes a watch release is about specs. Sometimes it is about history. And sometimes it is about pure visual fun. The latest releases from G-Shock fall firmly into the latter camp.
Two new models are on the way, the DW 5600JV and DW 6900JV, and they arrive courtesy of a collaboration with Los Angeles visual artist Joshua Vides. Vides has built a reputation for transforming everyday objects into striking black and white illustrations using his distinctive Reality to Idea style.
The watches look exactly like that concept brought to life on the wrist.
At first glance they almost appear two dimensional, as if someone has sketched a G Shock in thick marker and it has somehow escaped the page. Bold outlines, exaggerated shading and comic style detailing create the illusion of a hand drawn watch rather than a moulded resin one. It is a clever visual trick and one that fits perfectly with the playful side of G Shock culture.
The collaboration lands on two of the brand’s most recognisable platforms. The square DW 5600 arrives in white with black illustration style accents, while the round DW 6900 flips the concept with a black base and white drawn lines.
Under the graphic exterior, things remain reassuringly familiar. Both watches deliver the usual G Shock digital toolkit including a 1/100 second stopwatch, countdown timer, alarm, hourly signal and full automatic calendar running through to 2099. Water resistance is rated to 200 metres, because even comic book watches need to survive the real world.
There are also a few nods to the collaboration itself. The LED backlight reveals a traffic cone graphic, a playful reference often used in Vides’ artwork, and the artist’s signature appears on the stainless steel caseback along with special edition packaging.
The watches are expected to debut on 14 March via a pop up launch tied to the artist before appearing online shortly after. Wider international availability has yet to be confirmed, though history suggests these sorts of G Shock collaborations rarely stay hidden for long.
If your watch box is currently full of serious divers and sensible chronographs, this might be the antidote. Loud, playful and unmistakably different, these G Shocks prove that sometimes the best watch releases are the ones that refuse to colour inside the lines.
Launching firstly nationwide in the US on the 16th March and expected to retail at $180.00.
