G-Shock watches are among the most sought-after collectible items among Malaysians. So, it’s not even a surprise that many fans of the brand are willing to go the extra mile to get their hands on the items, or in this case, meet the creator of the timepiece in person.
This G-Shock watch collector, in particular, found himself becoming an internet sensation this week. According to mStar, the local man was willing to travel from Kuala Lumpur all the way to Bangkok, Thailand upon learning that the “Father Of G-Shock”, Kikuo Ibe was there. As revealed by the fan, Irzuddin Shukor, he came across the watch designer’s visit to the country after the news was shared by one of the “top collectors” there.
“You can’t call yourself a G-Shock fan if you don’t know, or if you don’t intend to meet Kikuo Abe. Just mention the name Kikuo Ibe, and there are going to be tons of people flocking to meet him, take pictures with him, and even want to get his autograph. To get both (autograph and photo) or either would be a momentous moment, regardless if you have an expensive watch on you or not,“ he told mStar after meeting his idol.
During the chat with the portal, Irzuddin also revealed that he started collecting G-Shock watches since 2020. He said, “I used to work as a sales consultant for Perodua for nine years. However, when the pandemic broke out and we had to undergo a lockdown period, I had to resort to another source of income. Eventually, I branched out into the world of fashion, namely G-Shock watches. I started by selling spare parts of this brand, before doing repairs and restoring watches. Currently, I post tips and facts about the products (on social media).”
Irzuddin also stated that the opportunity of meeting the G-Shock creator face-to-face felt like a dream for him. “He came to Kuala Lumpur earlier in September for the launch of G-Shock’s new collection. However, I didn’t get the chance (to meet him) because the quota was mainly for the media. So, this time I decided to head straight to Bangkok as the event was open to the public,” he said.
It was also revealed that Irzuddin and his friend took the train to reach the destination. He travelled from KL Sentral, all the way to Padang Besar in Perlis earlier on Wednesday (19th October). “The next day, I had the opportunity to meet him and ask him for an autograph, apart from taking some photos together,” the fan shared with mStar.
To date, Irzuddin has about more than 20 personal collections of various G-Shock models. He also said that the most expensive watch he owns costs RM35,000!
Source: mStar
