Forbidden Fruit: Seiko x Giugiaro Rider’s Chronograph Watch
Seiko and Italdesign team for a collection just for motorcyclists. It’s handsome, practical, reliable, and cheap. Too bad you can’t have it.
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You know Seiko. Based in Japan, the brand has been turning out timepieces since 1881, everything from dive watches to digital pieces, trendy to traditional. If you’re after a durable, affordable, imminently customizable wristwatch, Seiko has you covered. Likewise, you know Giugiaro Design. That’s ‘Giugiaro’ like Giorgetto Giugiaro, the prolific Italian responsible for penning everything from the original Lotus Esprit concept and first Volkswagen Golf to the BMW M1, Saab 9000, and DeLorean DMC12. His firm, Italdesign, has been cranking out designs since 1968. So those guys have time on their side, too.
These two firms have collaborated before, most notably in 1983, creating the 7A28-7000, a.k.a. “Alien’s Ripley,” the futuristic watch Sigourney Weaver’s iconic Ellen Ripley character wore in James Cameron’s classic sci-fi Aliens franchise. Seiko x Giugiaro reissued that one last year, and now they’re bringing back another nostalgia design: The Rider’s Chronograph.
This one’s made with motorcyclists in mind. The dial is tilted 15 degrees, so it can be easily read while gripping a handlebar. More clever still, the watch face is also canted 5 degrees on its Y axis, more in line the rider’s eye. There are five variants, all in scarce quantity. Black with red (SCED055) and orange (SCED053) lettering are limited to 1,500 pieces. Another run, which includes black on green (SCED057), black on blue (SCED061), and an unfinished stainless steel version (SCEDS059), will number just 1,000 in total. Regardless of finish, the guts are the same: a trust quartz chrono movement, rated for a five-year battery life and -/+15 second monthly accuracy. Handsome, practical, reliable. What’s not to like?
Here’s the catch: At present, the Seiko Spirit Giugiaro Design Rider’s Chronograph is only slated for release in Japan. Which is really a shame, because it’s a reasonably-priced collection, ranging from $290 to $339. Still, all hope is not lost: Keep your eyes peeled on Seiya after the Rider’s Chronograph drops on November 11.
