The most intelligent watch ever built?

The biggest Seiko launch in 2012 and one of its biggest in many years is the Astron, last used in 1969 when Seiko launched the first Quartz watch. Three models will be available in South Africa later this year – the Prestige Collection, the Sports Collection, and the Limited Edition. Not to be overshadowed in any way by all the excitement with the new Astron, Seiko’s Sportura range is continuing its relationship with the world’s most famous football club, FC Barcelona, and is introducing updated styles, namely the new Aviator Chronograph (SNAE97) and the new Ladies’ collection of Sportura (SNDX95).

THE WORLD’S FIRST SOLAR GPS WATCH

The Astron is called the watch that understands time zones. By developing a patented, low-energy-consumption GPS receiver, Seiko has been able to create a watch that receives GPS signals and identifies time zone, time and date data using the global network of GPS satellites. The Astron recognises all 39 time zones on Earth. Like its celebrated 1969 predecessor, which was the world’s first quartz watch, the new Seiko Astron ushers in a new age of timekeeping technology. Could this be the most intelligent watch ever built?

Once a day, the Astron receives the time signal automatically and, on demand, connects to four or more of the GPS satellites that orbit the earth, thus pinpointing its position and identifying the time zone and the exact time. The hands adjust automatically to the correct local time with Atomic Clock accuracy. The Seiko Astron is solar powered, so it never needs a battery change, and it also has a perpetual calendar, so the date will always be as accurate as the time. When you step off the plane, just press the button and within 6 seconds your time has been reset.

To combine Seiko’s solar technology with GPS exactitude required years of painstaking and ground-breaking R&D, which has resulted in no less than 100 patent applications. Relying on its own advanced energy-efficiency technology, Seiko could invent the miniature GPS receiver that requires so little energy to receive GPS signals from four or more satellites. With Seiko’s unrivalled skills in micro-engineering it became possible to package this technology into a watch that is just 47 mm in diameter and weighs about 135 gr ams despite its durable casing and band. And only Seiko’s advanced IC circuitry expertise could make it possible to divide the world into one million “squares” and allocate a time zone to each.

The Seiko Astron will be available in limited numbers and three models will be distributed in South Africa, with price available upon request. The Prestige Collection (SAST003) comes with a high intensity Titanium case and band and the latter features a three-fold clasp with push button release. The Sports Collection (SAST009) is housed in a Stainless Steel case, and is issued with an extra-strength silicon band with three-fold clasp with push button release. The Limited Edition 2012 (SAST001) has the same high-intensity Titanium but with black hard coating on the case and band. Its band also features a three-fold clasp with push button release. All three models sport Sapphire glass with super-clear coating and up to 10-bar water resistance.

SPORTURA & FC BARCELONA

Seiko’s precision chronographs have been synonymous with sporting excellence for almost 50 years. The most celebrated relationship has been with FC Barcelona, the world of Xavi, Iniesta, Messi and Fabregas. Winners of everything worth winning in football, the motto of this Catalan club is engraved into the back of every Sportura – “More than a club.”

The passion, speed and style of Barcelona’s play are captured in the design of the 2012 Sportura FCB chronograph. The secret of the appeal is in the detail. The long, curved lugs give the watch a perfect fit on the wrist, the chronograph buttons have a wide surface area to ensure precise operation and the chronograph minute hand has a curved and sharply pointed shape to make exact reading of the elapsed time easy in any light conditions. All these characteristics speak volumes of Seiko’s long experience as a leader in chronograph technology and demonstrate how only long experience at the highest levels of sport can teach a watchmaker to design a chronograph that is truly worthy of the best team in world football.

Much like the manner in which Barcelona trains and breeds their own future stars in the La Masia academy, Seiko shares a philosophy of in-house development, and every single component that goes into the Sportura is manufactured by the company.

SPORTURA AVIATOR

Not all the world is a round ball, so for the more intrepid sportsman, the Sportura Aviator (SNAE97) follows in another deep tradition. Seiko’s first aviation watch took to the skies in 1970 and, ever since, Seiko has been one of the leading makers of authentic aviation watches. The new Sportura aviation chronograph combines a full-function, rotary slide rule with excellent legibility and Seiko’s renowned durability.

SPORTURA COLLECTION FOR WOMEN

The new Sportura (SNDX95) design lends itself with grace and ease to women’s watches, as is clear from the refined look of the new chronographs for women. The two styles have ceramic bezels and each is presented in a unique combination; a bracelet of steel and ceramic or high-grade leather strap. The dial on the signature piece combines mother of pearl with 8 diamonds.

Seiko watches are available from American Swiss, Forma Viva, Galaxy, NWJ and Arthur Kaplan Jewellers. For more information contact Treger Brands: +27 11 089 6000.

By Charl du Plessis
Published by Playboy South Africa May 2012