admin A G-Shock to me is the best you can get of a plastic digital watch. It’s come to be accepted as a watch that expresses something unique about the wearer more than any other Casio. There’s just something about the G-Shock that’s endured as an easy-to-own watch that is a wonderful silhouette for different colorways, collaborations, different styles, different cultures. It’s just very universal in a great way.
What was it like designing with Ed this time, after working on the last three pieces solo? Was that an easy process for you?
Yeah. I just let him do his thing. He chose the 6900 as well.
Oh, so it was just coincidental that it was the same model as your pieces?
There’s probably 10 references that Casio let us pick from and the eye goes to the 6900. And when I saw Ed’s rendering, it was to me so much in his voice aesthetically that I didn’t want to change anything about it. This is what I love about watches: I would not have thought to make a G-Shock that was bright yellow and had black paint splatters on it, but it’s Ed’s watch and it represents his point of view, his aesthetic, his eye for things. And I will wear it sincerely as an extension of wearing something that speaks in someone else’s voice whom I really admire, whom I really look up to and love his work and love his friendship.
And I hope it goes to as many Ed Sheeran fans who don’t know a thing about watches, as I do hope it goes to watch enthusiasts who want to own something that represents Ed’s aesthetic point of view. It goes with who he is—it’s vibrant, it’s enthusiastic, it’s bold.
Can you talk about Ed’s taste as a collector?
I’ve known Ed for over a decade and he’s never stopped being curious about watches. I think curiosity is orders of magnitude more impressive to me than expertise. Curiosity always draws me in. He really does now completely understand what his tastes are in collecting. Completely understands the ethos of certain watches and how they relate to him, and how, interestingly, certain watches don’t.
When you see the “Talking Watches,” you’re just so endeared by him. He has some incredible pieces. It’s very hard in this world to have pieces that inspire awe and jealousy and not be sort of hated for it. When someone has a piece unique that you’ll just never have in your wildest dreams, but they appreciate it in a way that’s really humble and down to earth, you go like, “Yeah, man, I’m so glad you have that.”
