Seiko has announced a pair of new watches in its Prospex line – its watch family ‘designed for adventure seekers […] with a distinct Japanese aesthetic’, in its own words.
The new models tie-in with the brand’s long-running association with international sports timing, and are being launched to commemorate the World Athletics Championships taking place in Budapest this August.
The first model is the Prospex One Hundredth of a Second 40th Anniversary Speedtimer Solar Chronograph.
This watch is being released to commemorate the anniversary of Seiko’s world-first analogue quartz chronograph from 1983 and takes some of its design cues from the brand’s ground-breaking 1/100th second chronograph in 1992, with its black bezel and khaki-coloured dial.
Model number two, the Prospex One Hundredth of a Second 2023 World Athletics Championships Speedtimer Solar Chronograph, emphatically commemorates the brand’s role as the official timekeeper in Budapest this year.
As such, the dial features a running track motif, while the gold hands are added to evoke winning gold.
We see what they did there.
Seiko’s involvement with international sports timing dates back to the 1964 Olympic Games, when it was commissioned by the Japanese government to produce high-precision timing equipment. Seiko has since timed many of the world's leading sporting events, including the World Athletics – a partnership that began in 1985.
The two new models measure 42mm and run on a new movement, the Seiko-developed solar chronograph calibre 8A50.
As its name suggests, the calibre is solar-powered and both models may be charged by either natural or electric light.
The 2023 Word Athletics Championships run from August 19th-27th.
The new editions will be available later this month.
