Seiko has revealed a set of new watches with links to the Datsun 240Z rally car and its victory at the 1971 East Africa Safari Rally.
The highlight of the collection is a solar-powered model with a red and black colour way inspired by the car's competition livery and Seiko branding. Priced at £880, the watch is available now.
Seiko’s on a roll at the moment, having revealed a whole suite of new Prospex Speedtimers, plus a range of watches in collaboration with Japanese car brand Datsun.
Now though, I think it might have released my favourite of the bunch. It’s called the Prospex Solar Speedtimer x Datsun Fairlady Z, and it’s a solar-powered chronograph watch with a red and black colourway that pays tribute to a 1970s rally car.
Limited to 4,000 pieces worldwide, the watch celebrates the Datsun 240Z’s victory at the East Africa Safari Rally in 1971.
Granted, it isn’t the most obvious link for a watchmaker to follow, but I’m here for it. Matching the car’s bodywork, the watch features a black bezel with tachymeter for calculating average speed, and a red ring around the outer edge of the black dial. There are also red markings on the bezel, and two of the three sundial hands are blue – a nod towards Seiko’s blue and white logo worn by the rally car’s competition livery.
As its name suggests, the watch is driven by a solar-powered movement. Made by Seiko, it’s called the V192 and it can be charged by both natural and artificial light; it’s accurate to plus/minus 15 seconds per day and offers up to six months of power reserve when fully charged.
Other details linking the watch to the car include a dashboard-inspired font and a Datsun logo on the dial. Turn the watch around, and its stainless steel back features a 3D emblem of the winning car. Available to order now, the watch is priced at £880.
In other Seiko news, the company has also just revealed another couple of new Prospex Speedtimer models.
These include a second Datsun collaboration, but this time with a black case, a black leather strap and an automatic mechanical movement.
Called the Prospex Speedtimer x Datsun Fairlady Z and pictured above, the watch is limited to just 500 pieces and – along with the non-limited Speedtimer Maximum Precision 8 R Mechanical Chronograph – is priced between £2,400 and £2,950.
