Casio is a well known brand for its iconic watches and calculators. In recent history, on December 12, 2017, Casio’s G-SHOCK watch made history by setting a Guinness World Record. 

This achievement involved enduring the immense weight of the heaviest vehicle ever driven over a timepiece. During a test conducted by Guinness World Record officials, a 24.97-tonne truck successfully drove over the Casio G-SHOCK DW5600E-1.

Owing to the success of the G-SHOCK series, the brand is teaming up with Polygon Labs to introduce an NFT version. This virtual G-SHOCK will be on the Polygon blockchain.

Virtual G-SHOCK Creator Pass 

G-SHOCK Creator Pass Collection consists of 15,000 NFTs that grant access to a vibrant community. Casio aims to expand brand visibility, generate fresh prospects, acknowledge loyal customers, and promote collaboration with the pass. 

The pass enables collaborative design proposals. Pass holders can submit their design ideas for validation via a community voting system. The G-SHOCK Creator Pass Color Design Contest is a tangible example of how this process works.

This strategy leverages Polygon’s rapid, eco-friendly minting to boost on-chain engagement.

Distribution Phases for Virtual G-SHOCK Creator Pass 

There will be an early distribution phase and a public distribution phase. The early distribution phase is restricted to Casio customers who have completed their CASIO ID registration on the company’s membership site. 

This will run from September 23rd till 26th. Afterwards, a public distribution phase will commence from September 26th to September 29th. Prospective NFT holders will require a MetaMask Wallet to obtain NFTs.

Takahashi Oh, the senior general manager of Casio’s timepiece division, attributed Web3’s increasing popularity to a rising demand for virtual experiences. He explained that this initiative will broaden the G-SHOCK brand by establishing connections with previously out of reach demographic groups.

The Concept of Virtual Timepieces

The emergence of virtual timepieces and NFT-backed watches is gaining traction. While the virtual G-SHOCK is a notable entrant, it is not the pioneer in this space. 

In 2022, Timex, a famous watch manufacturer, partnered with Bored Ape Yacht Club to launch timepieces as phygital NFTs. This year, Breitling, a luxury Swiss watchmaker, followed suit by unveiling its NFT-backed luxury watches. These developments highlight traditional watch companies’ increasing interest in virtual watches and NFT-backed timepieces.