A Golden Milestone: G-SHOCK’s ‘Zero to One’ Chronograph Celebrates 50 Years of Innovation

In 1974, when traditional timepieces required tedious manual adjustments and struggled with mechanical inaccuracies, CASIO’s debut timepiece, the Casiotron, revolutionised the industry with its automatic calendar and pinpoint-accurate crystal oscillator, spinning the clock hands directly to the future. Now celebrating 50 years since this release, CASIO is giving the traditional gift for five decades with the gold-adorned GMCB2100ZE-1A ‘Zero to One’ Chronograph. This anniversary edition not only reflects CASIO’s evolution from its humble origins, but also honours the spirit of craftsmanship that’s made the brand a timepiece titan today.

From Calculators to Calendars: The Casiotron 

Already lauded for their work with calculators and electronic devices, CASIO saw an opportunity to apply their expertise to wristwatches and flip the market on its head. The Casiotron was the result, but it wasn’t just any timepiece – it was among the world’s first digital watches to feature quartz technology. This innovation relied on a quartz crystal oscillator, vibrating at a precise frequency when energised by an electric current. In layman's terms? This technology had deadeye accuracy, especially when compared to traditional mechanical models.

While this was an impressive feat, the Casiotron’s piece de resistance was the automatic calendar function. A circuit-breaking achievement at the time, the Casiotron’s futuristic calendar automatically adjusted for different month lengths. Up until then, users had to manually adjust the date changes for every month – and yes, the Casiotron even accounted for leap years. This technology, paired with the Casiotron's beloved boxy 1970s visuals, cemented its place as a lasting icon in the CASIO canon.

Continuing the Revolution: the GMCB2100 

Spin the clock forward a few decades and CASIO has solidified its reputation for precision and innovation with the unrelenting G-SHOCK brand. While the Casiotron laid the groundwork with its revolutionary calendar function, G-SHOCK introduced CASIO to the winning formula for creating timepieces that could withstand the harshest conditions on Earth. Within this lineage, the 2100 series – debuting in 2019 with the resin GA-2100 – emerged as a fundamental pillar for G-SHOCK. Dubbed the ‘CasiOak’ among its legions of fans and renowned for its super slim case and octagonal bezel, the 2100 channelled the retro charm of its predecessors while embracing modern toughness.

The GMCB2100ZE ‘Zero to One’ Chronograph represents the latest evolution in this legendary lineage. Combining the indestructible DNA of its predecessors with cutting-edge features, this model honours the 50th anniversary of the Casiotron and also paves the way for the next 50.

And Then There Was Light…

The third model of the 50th anniversary line-up follows the ‘The Spirit of Craftsmanship, From Zero to One’ theme on the new GMCB2100ZE-1A, as it explores the notion of creating new value from scratch. This endlessly creative mindset traces back to CASIO’s beginnings, when founder Tadao Kashio and his brothers crafted innovative solutions to everyday challenges. Their creations were guided by a philosophy of anticipating needs and delivering groundbreaking answers. The spirit of Monozukuri – dedication to ‘creating from nothing’ – remains at the core of CASIO’s legacy, driving their commitment to craftsmanship and innovation.

The timepiece features a hypnotic interplay of black and gold, symbolising CASIO’s journey from humble beginnings to its gilded status today. This colour scheme again illuminates the collection’s ‘Zero to One’ philosophy, bringing light (creating one) out of darkness (from zero). While the black and gold combination has long been a hallmark of G-SHOCK’s design heritage, the 50th-anniversary edition reimagines this contrast by subtly reducing the prominence of gold, creating a more dramatic balance between light and shadow. The GMCB2100ZE-1A now joins the ranks of CASIO’s iconic black and gold timepieces, including the GA110GB-1A, GSTB100GB-1A9, GMB2100GD-9A, and GSTB500GD-9AER, cementing its place in the brand’s celebrated pantheon of timeless designs.

In terms of hardware, all that glitters really is gold here. A striking gold segment adorns the black ion-plated band, laser-engraved with ‘50th Anniversary’, while a bespoke dial commemorates this milestone moment. Along the dial’s outer edge, binary ‘0’ and ‘1’ digits nod to the brand’s forward-thinking ethos. The full-metal module technology is also brimming with cutting-edge gadgets, including Bluetooth connectivity, Tough Solar power, and high-brightness LED illumination.

This year, CASIO’s iridescent metal legacy shines brighter than ever as we celebrate 50 years since the groundbreaking Casiotron. From pioneering quartz tech with the Casiotron to crafting molten tough full-metal marvels, CASIO has marked every minute with innovation. Be part of this ironclad legacy with the 'Zero to One' Chronograph, a tribute to CASIO’s half-century of groundbreaking watchmaking.