Casio launches GW-9503KJ-2 G-Shock Mudman inspired by an endangered Shoebill bird

Casio is releasing a new G-Shock in Japan this month, and the design inspiration is surprisingly specific. The company has teamed up with the environmental NGO Earthwatch Japan to create a custom version of the Mudman watch (GW-9503KJ-2), themed entirely around the Shoebill, a large, vulnerable bird native to African wetlands.

Design Details

It’s an unusual choice for a watch colorway, but Casio has translated the bird’s physical features into the hardware pretty directly. The main body of the watch is a muted blue-gray to match the Shoebill’s plumage, while the metal bezel has an ion-plated finish to give it a slight gloss. To represent the bird’s massive beak, Casio added gold accents to the dial ring and front buttons, along with a light beige loop on the watch band.

Beyond the custom colors, this is the same Mudman hardware Casio has been making for a while. It uses the company’s Carbon Core Guard structure, which basically means it is built to survive heavy impacts, thick mud, and water down to 200 meters.

For outdoor tracking, the watch includes Casio’s standard Triple Sensor setup. There are dedicated buttons on the side of the case that let you pull up a digital compass, check the altitude and barometric pressure, or read the temperature. Because it has a duplex LCD screen, the watch can display these sensor readings on a separate visual layer right over the standard time display without making the screen look too cluttered.

You also don’t really have to worry about charging it or setting the time manually. It runs on Casio’s Tough Solar system, which keeps the battery topped up using ambient light. On a full charge, it can last about six months with regular use. It also uses Multiband 6 radio technology to automatically sync the time with global transmission towers every day.

Because this is an Earthwatch collaboration, the watch has a few environmental tie-ins. The resin parts of the case and band are made from biomass plastics rather than traditional petroleum-based plastics, and the packaging is made from recycled paper.

Pricing and Availability

The NGO’s logo shows up on the screen when you press the backlight button, and a portion of the ¥64,900 ($410) asking price goes toward funding Earthwatch’s field research. It is up for pre-order now on Casio’s Japanese website and ships later this November.

In related news, Casio has recently launched three Baby-G BGD-565FG watches with a ’90s faded denim look, alongside premium titanium watches featuring mother-of-pearl dials and solar charging.

(Casio)