Casio unveils new titanium MRG-B2100 limited-editions with platinum, gold hand-finished dials

Casio has finally made its MR-G 30th anniversary watches official. There are two of them, both with the same name "Haruka." The MRG-B2100HR-1AJR is listed on Casio Japan at ¥1,100,000 including tax, or about $6,964, and becomes available in November. The gold MRG-B2100HS-9A is currently only on Casio's international site, but has no price yet.

Both are the work of Hiroto Rakusho, who's a metal leaf artist from Nishijin in Kyoto. He learned the craft from his father, Jisaku Nishiyama, and set up his own brand in 2002. The dial is a three-dimensional latticework, which Casio says takes its cue from kigumi, the Japanese joinery technique that uses no nails. Rakusho applies the leaf to every dial by hand — no two come out the same. The MRG-B2100HR gets platinum leaf, and the MRG-B2100HS gets gold.

The bezel and bracelet follow the same strategy. Casio uses an ultrashort-pulse laser to cut microscopic textures into the metal. It throws off color that shifts as you move. That's structural color, not paint or plating. The bezel is built from 27 polished parts.

Otherwise, you get the standard MRG-B2100. The case is 49.5 x 44.4 x 13.6 mm and weighs 122 g. Surprisingly, all that weight is with a titanium case. The watch also sports a Cobarion bezel and DAT55G bracelet, all DLC treated. The crystal is sapphire with an anti-reflective coating, the crown screws down, and water resistance is rated at 200m. Tough Solar handles the power, alongside Multi-Band 6 radio sync and Bluetooth. A full charge keeps you afloat for about five months, or 18 in the dark with power saving on.

The MRG-B2100HR is limited to 800 pieces worldwide and the MRG-B2100HS to 150, and both are serial numbered on the case back. The gold one also ships in a box gilded with gold leaf and signed by Rakusho.

We covered the leak yesterday, via Great G-Shock World — you can read more about that here.