Cordero Studios/www.corderostudios.com
Kinetic Quartz
June 1, 2007
With Swiss watchmakers
generally offering the finest, most coveted timepieces, it
is rare for a Japanese brand to register on the watch connoisseur’s radar. No
stranger to the art of timekeeping, Seiko introduced the world’s first quartz
watch in 1969, and lately has garnered much deserved attention with the
limited-edition Sportura Kinetic Chronograph.
Carrying a price tag of $5,700, the racy Sportura, of which
only 400 will be offered in the U.S., is a symbol of Seiko’s partnership with
the Honda Formula One racing team and thus epitomizes the "speed, accuracy, and
perfection" associated with the most elite form of motor sports. Comprised of
more than 500 hand-assembled pieces, the Sportura utilizes a stainless steel
case, a titanium carbon nitride-plated bezel, a carbon-fiber dial, and a
stainless steel and carbon-fiber bracelet. The face, measuring 45 mm in diameter
and 17 mm thick, showcases five sub dials (each with its own sapphire crystal),
while the screw-down, see-through case back highlights the kinetic movement.
The first quartz watch powered by motion—an oscillating weight
is rotated by the movement of your wrist, creating a magnetic charge, which
produces electricity that is stored in the rechargeable battery—boasts a full
charge duration of approximately one month, an overcharge prevention function,
and an energy depletion forewarning function. Each Sportura is numbered on the
case back and comes packaged with a gear from a Honda F1 racecar, as well as a
certificate of authenticity signed by driver Jenson Button.
Seiko
201.529.5730
www.seikousa.com
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