Heavy-duty digital clock.
1946 | TOKYO, JAPAN | Tadao Kashio / Toshio Kashio / Kazuo Kashio / Yukio Kashio

CASIO, a brand that has built its current status, originated from Kashio Seisakusho, a subcontracting factory for metal products such as parts and gears, founded in 1946 by Tadao Kashio. Its first hit after its establishment was an innovative product called the "ring pipe," which allowed people to smoke cigarettes down to the butt during the post-war era when supplies were scarce.

In 1954, Tadao was joined by his three brothers, and they prototyped a small solenoid-type electric calculator, referencing overseas-made electric calculators. Furthermore, by applying relay elements used in telephone exchanges, they commercialized the world's first small, purely electric calculator, the "14-A," in 1957. It is said that the funds obtained from the aforementioned "ring pipe" project were used for this development. Around this time, the company name was changed to Casio Computer Co., Ltd.

The "14-A" was significantly quieter and faster than the mechanical calculators prevalent at the time, but it was a large, desk-integrated calculator. In the 1960s, the company incorporated the latest technology and made continuous improvements, developing a series of compact desktop calculators, typewriter-integrated calculators, and electronic calculators with programmable functions. By the late 1960s, the company had grown to have bases all over the world, including Australia, Switzerland, the United States, Canada, and Germany.

In 1972, Casio released the "Casio Mini," the world's first palm-sized personal calculator. Its compact size and low price, which defied conventional wisdom at the time, made it a massive hit, selling 1 million units in just 10 months. In 1974, Casio released the "CasioTron QW02," the world's first digital wristwatch with an automatic calendar function, marking its full-scale entry into the watch industry.

Furthermore, in the 1980s, Casio developed a variety of products, including the electronic keyboard "Casiotone," the electronic dictionary "TR-2000," the pocket computer "PB-100," the pocket-sized LCD TV "QV-10," the ultra-thin digital watch "Pera," and the electronic still camera "VS-101." In 1995, they released the world's first consumer digital camera with an LCD monitor, the "QV-10," followed by the "Cassiopeia," a pioneering tablet device, in 1998, and the "WQV-1" wearable wristwatch camera in 2000, continuing to release groundbreaking digital devices.

Among these groundbreaking products, the one that made Casio's name widely known around the world was probably the "G-SHOCK," released in 1983, which overturned the conventional wisdom that "watches are fragile." This revolutionary watch, which was thoroughly committed to shock resistance from the internal module to the exterior and also achieved 20 ATM water resistance, gained popularity not only among workers in harsh environments but also among skaters and other fashion enthusiasts. Furthermore, in 1994, they released the "Baby-G," a ladies' size with pop colors.

In 2014, Casio released the "G-SHOCK GPW-1000," which could receive both GPS signals and standard radio waves from six stations worldwide, allowing users to know their exact location and time anywhere in the world. In 2017, the G-SHOCK series achieved the remarkable feat of shipping a cumulative total of 100 million units, but Casio has not rested on its laurels and continues to evolve.