Casio is widely recognized for its electronic keyboards and calculators, but its watches—particularly the rugged G-Shock lineup—are arguably its best-known products. While G-Shocks are popular for their affordability and durability, fewer people know that Casio also produces specially designed watches for the United Kingdom’s armed forces through a recently disclosed “Special Projects” division.
The Special Projects unit is a discreet arm of Casio dedicated to creating bespoke, mission-ready timepieces for elite military, police, and intelligence personnel. According to an interview published in Esquire with Warren Halliwell, who leads Special Projects, the division has produced tailored watches such as the “Trident” G-Shock—the custom GMW-B5000 created for the Royal Navy Submarine Service. That model has even supported charitable efforts, raising funds for the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity.
Growing Demand
Photo: Casio
While high-end brands such as Bremont, Tudor, and Breitling have long supplied watches made with military units in mind, Casio’s digital designs offer a more practical option for operators in the field. Launched in 2024, Special Projects addresses a rising demand for customized operational gear and marks the first time Casio has formally offered unit-specific customizations for frontline use.
Halliwell highlights a key operational concern: modern smartwatches can compromise security through GPS tracking and wireless communications. For this reason, analog and simple digital “dumb” watches remain essential tools for many field operators. Feedback from military users has also influenced consumer G-Shock models—features like low-visibility red LED displays first requested for tactical use have migrated into commercial releases.
“There are certain things we can’t discuss. But units get in touch saying, ‘We’d like to have our crest here,’ or, ‘We’d like a watch made out of a particular material,’ or, ‘We’d like a watch to serve a very specific purpose.’ That didn’t exist until we started it.”
“Casios and G-Shocks are issued to the military as standard. If you’re a new recruit, you receive a Casio or a G-Shock anyway, so we’re very lucky in that respect. But this is very specialised stuff. It’s for certain units, built to withstand and do certain jobs.”
Strict Security and Operational Focus
Special Projects operates under tight security protocols to protect sensitive requirements and designs. The division focuses on non-connected models that reduce electronic vulnerabilities and on watches hardened against electromagnetic pulses for high-risk environments. Many of these commissions remain confidential, but some publicly acknowledged projects include watches for the Royalty Protection Unit at Windsor Castle, Counter Terrorism Bomb Disposal teams, and Royal Navy submariners.
To ensure bespoke watches reach only authorized recipients, Casio uses strict verification procedures in collaboration with the UK Ministry of Defence. These checks confirm that purchases go to active personnel, verified veterans, or immediate family members. The controlled distribution reflects the operational sensitivity of many of these timepieces.
Casio continues to expand its custom tactical work, subjecting watches to rigorous testing that mirrors the demands of frontline use. Custom pieces are evaluated for resistance to extreme temperatures, intense magnetic fields, shock, and other specialized stresses. The company’s approach blends field-derived requirements with engineering and materials choices that preserve the practical reliability G-Shocks are known for.
Beyond bespoke builds, the influence of military-grade design on mainstream Casio models highlights a two-way relationship: user feedback from demanding environments helps steer consumer features, while mass-market improvements benefit from lessons learned in specialized operations. This exchange underpins the continued popularity of Casio timepieces among outdoor enthusiasts, first responders, and professional operators alike.
As Special Projects develops further, Casio appears positioned to grow its role as a supplier of hardened, mission-oriented watches—combining the familiar toughness of G-Shock engineering with discreet, purpose-driven customization for units that require more than an off-the-shelf solution.