The new Sportura is a real sports watch for those who know the true values of sport
For over a decade, Sportura has been synonymous with success in sport. Today, the spirit of Sportura is expressed anew in a collection of sports watches that only SEIKO, with almost five decades of experience at the leading edge of sport and sports timing, could build.
The value of experience.
Tokyo, 1964. The Olympic Games were about to open and SEIKO was about to face its sternest ever test. As the official timekeeper to the Games, SEIKO had to time thousands of athletes on the greatest stage of all. For three years, SEIKO’s engineers had been designing, building and testing the 1,278 timing devices that were needed to do the job. Just 15 days later, it was all over. The Games were completed and the timing had been flawless. SEIKO had proven itself at the highest level and had demonstrated to the world that the challenge of sport was the perfect inspiration for the creation of great timepieces. Since that auspicious start, SEIKO has been dedicated to the world of sport, timing hundreds of events and creating industry leading sports watches like the first titanium diving watch in 1975, the first analog quartz chronograph in 1983 and the first chronograph with glide motion hand in 2007.
The new Sportura collection.
The new Sportura collection draws on this rich heritage. With six handsome alarm chronographs and three rugged Kinetic Diver’s watches, Sportura offers the real sportsman a collection that is as appropriate for scuba diving as it is for motor sport. Whatever the sport, the fundamental requirements of a watch are the same: precision timing, high durability, total security and high legibility. Sportura combines all these attributes in a design that is as sophisticated as it is practical.
The secret is in the detail.
As every sportsman knows, it is the attention to fine detail that makes the difference between a good performance and a great one, and so it is with the creation of a sports watch. Look at the long, curved lugs that wrap round the wrist to deliver a close and comfortable fit. Study the cone-shaped chronograph buttons, whose wide surface area ensures precise operation. Turn the face of the diver’s watch away from your eye and see how the hands and markers align perfectly, thanks to the angled edge to the dial. See how the chronograph minute hand has a ‘pointer’ shape to ensure that the correct number is easily read at a glance. And notice the color co-ordination of the chronograph hands. Only long experience in the real field of play teaches a watchmaker how to optimize every facet of the design so that a sports watch is truly fit for purpose.
Real functionality is its own refinement.
In every aspect of the design, authentic functionality was the absolute priority. But, paradoxically, with this purity of purpose come true refinement and beauty. Look, for example, at the uniquely designed Arabic hour markers. The 2, 4, 8 and 10 numerals are silver, while the 1, 5, 7 and 11 are in pure white. This is done to ensure that the hands contrast sharply with the dial and markers. Time is therefore easier to read, but this subtle, function-driven feature also adds depth and modern style to the whole watch. Similarly, the chronograph buttons are designed, like those on the 1964 stopwatches, to be easy to use, but they also add to the power of the overall design.
The new Sportura is the choice of FC Barcelona.
SEIKO recently entered into a three year partnership with FC Barcelona, the most successful team in world football, and will feature the team and its star players in a global communication campaign that starts this Spring. The profile of FC Barcelona could not be higher; in 2008/2009 the Club won all six competitions it entered, including the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup, becoming the first team in history to achieve this. In 2009/2010, they retained their Spanish title, and, this season, are once again challenging for the top spot. No less than eight FC Barcelona players were in the Spanish World Cup winning squad and three home-grown players from FC Barcelona, including the winner Lionel Messi, were finalists in the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2010.