A finger is among the least practical places possible to strap a watch, and even watches themselves have become a fairly impractical redundancy in the smartphone age. And yet, we want the new Casio G-Shock Nano anyway. A lot. Following up on the 50th anniversary edition ring watch Casio introduced last year, the new Nano adds a beefier build with 200-m (660-ft) water resistance, shock resistance and a working miniaturized strap. This one is truly a G-Shock shrunken down to ring finger size.
Casio’s newfound prowess in watch rings began in 2023, when the company decided to use its specialized molding technology to develop a ring in the shape of a G-Shock watch, the CRW-001 Ring Watch. It was originally meant to be a mere model trinket but quickly evolved to include the concept of a miniaturized working timekeeping module embedded on the top of the ring.
Casio
Engineers live for this kind of challenge, and Casio’s team quickly set to work shrinking down watch components to ring size, 1/10 the size of the actual G-Class DW5600 watch that served as their inspiration. Beyond just minimizing the size of the components, the team had to reduce cost as much as they could and develop the watch ring to be compatible with mass production systems and processes.
Casio
Casio wasn’t trying to make a high-priced piece of bespoke jewelry but a stylish gizmo that fans of Casio’s affordable watches could purchase and appreciate as part of the company’s celebration of 50 years of watchmaking (the Casio brand has roots back to 1946 but didn’t introduce its first wristwatch until 1974).
The team worked outside the box, used new materials, thinned components down near the limits of physical integrity, packaged them together in new ways and proved successful in creating a working module small enough to fit in a ring. It used a metal injection molding process to create the shiny stainless steel ring in the spitting image of an actual Casio watch, housing the module on the top. It even worked in a removable glass face for changing the battery since the back was a molded part of the ring, as well as spacers for adjusting to different finger sizes.
Casio
The thing looked just brilliant when we spotted it last winter – a shiny, stylish 16-g ring with a watch built right in. We had absolutely no use for it, but we wanted one desperately.
Unfortunately for us, so did many other buyers and faithful Casio fans. The US$120 CRW001 sold out quickly in the few markets in which it was offered. We didn’t even have a chance. Casio did subsequently re-release the coveted model this summer, but those units got scooped up in a hurry, too.
Casio
The CRW-001 was always meant to be a limited anniversary edition, but the speed with which it sold convinced Casio that another version was in order. This time, Casio has adapted its miniaturized electronics and components to a more traditional watch case and strap, all small enough for a finger.
This one’s called the DWN-5600 or G-Shock Nano and brings some improvements to the budding Casio ring watch family, including the type of shock-resistant performance and 200-m water resistance you get with a full-size G-Shock wristwatch. Like the CRW-001, the Nano measures 1/10 the size of an actual G-Shock DW5600 watch, but instead of a steel ring body, it includes a resin bezel and strap. The strap actually works just like a wrist strap, adjusting to different sizes via a clasp and integrated holes.
Casio
Since the G-Shock Nano is not a molded ring, Casio is even able to include a removable stainless steel backplate for changing the battery. The plate removes via four corner screws, leaving the mineral glass face permanently installed for better fit and waterproofing.
Like the CRW-001, the 6-g Nano ring watch boasts several functions beyond mere time telling, including an automatic calendar, a 1/100 stopwatch and a “time flash” notification on hour and day changes. It allows for 12- and 24-hour time formatting and has an LED backlight to improve screen visibility.
The DWN-5600/G-Shock Nano will launch this month (November 2025) for a price of US$110. Casio hasn’t listed a specific date, so we suggest checking in regularly if you’re serious about grabbing one of the first.
Source: Casio
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