The new G-Shock Ref. 6900 — Subtract by Ed Sheeran for Hodinkee watch.
Courtesy of Hodinkee
During the North American dates of Ed Sheeran’s Mathematics tour, some fans spotted a bright yellow watch on the singer’s wrist at concert venues and assumed it might be a one-of-a-kind custom piece. It turns out that’s partly true. As revealed today, the musician has worked with watch news and shopping site Hodinkee, G-Shock and fellow singer John Mayer to design the sunny-colored timepiece collab.
Dubbed the G-Shock Ref. 6900 — Subtract by Ed Sheeran for Hodinkee, the resin watch features design elements inspired by the singer’s 2023 album, Subtract. Those include a sketched subtraction sign at 12 o’clock, as well as the yellow, red, orange, green and blue hues seen on the album’s cover art. The strap, also in resin, is dotted with black watercolor-like splatters inspired by Subtract’s artwork. On the caseback are engravings of the Ed Sheeran and Hodinkee logos.
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“This watch is so much more than just a watch for me. I collect watches because they allow me to collect memories, and this G-SHOCK is just that — it is a tangible memory of the stories, feelings, and experiences that influenced the Subtract album,” says Sheeran in a statement. “Wearing this watch over the last six months while on tour has allowed me to create so many more memories within it, and it has become a watch that I really don’t want to take off.”
He adds that it was Mayer — who has previously designed his own special G-Shock watches in collaboration with the Japanese watchmaker and Hodinkee — who reached out to him about creating this watch. “It was an easy yes,” continues Sheeran, “and I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Like John, G-Shock holds a special place in my heart and I hope that this is a piece of Subtract that fans can wear and, in doing so, create their own memories with the watch.”
Through the end of 2023, Hodinkee and G-Shock will debut more collaborations with additional artists, with Mayer serving as the curator of the series. (Mayer is also an investor in Hodinkee.)
The new G-Shock Ref. 6900 — Subtract by Ed Sheeran for Hodinkee watch, which is water resistant to 200 meters, is for sale online at G-Shock’s website and Hodinkee’s shop for $185. Sheeran, is also featured in a new episode of Hodinkee’s popular “Talking Watches” video series, in which the singer sits down with Mayer to talk about and reveal the prized pieces in his watch collection.
“Ed Sheeran has long been a friend,” says Mayer in a statement. “As a fellow musician and watch collector, we have bonded over our love of things that take time. The G-SHOCK Ref. 6900 – Subtract is bright, bold, and completely Ed Sheeran.”
