A digital watch small enough to wear on a finger should feel like a novelty. Instead, CASIO and J Balvin transform the ring watch into something far more relevant — a hybrid object sitting between jewelry, nostalgia and contemporary fashion culture. Released at a moment when luxury accessories are leaning playful again, the CRW-001JB-9 captures the growing appetite for tech pieces that feel personal rather than connected.
Let’s be upfront about what this thing is. The CRW-001JB-9 takes CASIO’s standard digital watch module and shrinks it down to fit on a finger. It’s not a smart ring like the Oura or the Samsung Galaxy Ring. There are no health sensors, step trackers, Bluetooth connectivity, or companion apps. It’s simply a very small, fully functional digital watch. This simplicity is part of its appeal.
What makes this release more than a novelty is the context around it. J Balvin headlined CASIO’s G-SHOCK 40th anniversary event in New York City in 2023 and released the DWE-5600JB-1A9 collaboration watch in early 2025. This is not a rushed celebrity tie-in. The relationship between CASIO and the Colombian artist has been gradually built over two years, and the ring watch feels like a natural, albeit unconventional, next step.
The design choices here are deliberate. The stainless steel case has a gold ion-plated finish and a textured brick pattern around the small digital display. Small rhinestones are set into the top and bottom bezels, and Balvin’s signature flower logo is engraved on the back of the case. This flower-and-lightning motif is a well-known visual signature of the artist. Its placement on the caseback, hidden from most viewing angles, gives the piece a quiet, almost private quality. You know it’s there. That seems to be the point.
Functionally, the watch far exceeds its physical size. The six-digit LCD display shows the time to the second, a dual time zone, a stopwatch, and an automatic calendar — all packed into a module reduced to about one-tenth of its original size using high-density mounting technology. The watch is just 19.5 mm across—small but capable. For those of you who care about wearability, the ring comes in a US size 10.5 and includes two inserts to size it down to a 8 or 9.
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Now, the broader question: Why a ring? For J Balvin, the answer is personal. The piece was inspired by the themes of his latest album: loyalty and brotherhood—things felt rather than spoken aloud. The official messaging around the release captures this well: Wear it, and you already know what it means. Whether or not you agree with that idea, the object itself carries that energy. The gold finish and rhinestone detailing unmistakably lean toward jewelry rather than utility.
Compared to the standard model, the CRW-001JB-9 features a gold brick motif on the dial, which was previously rendered in black, and extends it to the bezel. Some of the dial text has been removed from the side of the digital display, eliminating the words “MODE,” “ADJUST,” and “LIGHT” to simplify the look. This last change is notable. Eliminating functional text labels from a watch is a bold move, and it makes the piece feel cleaner — more like something you’d wear to a gallery opening than to a workout.
J Balvin, born in Medellín, Colombia, has sold over 35 million records worldwide. He is confirmed as a headliner for the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony and recently appeared as a special guest onstage during Karol G’s 2026 Coachella headlining set. At this level of visibility, a watch collaboration carries weight — or at least exposure.
The CRW-001JB-9 will be released online and at the G-Shock SoHo Store in New York City on June 4, as well as at select retailers. Pre-orders open on May 28. In France, the watch will be available on CASIO’s website and at G-SHOCK stores in Paris and Lyon for €199.