Seiko presents the Prospex Speedtimer Oregon 22 SRQ041

Seiko, the official timekeeper of the World Athletics Championships since 1985, is chargeable for figuring out the winners of various athletic disciplines the place fractions of a second could make or break a report. Held in Oregon in July 2022, Seiko comes with over 50-years of expertise in timing sports activities occasions. Celebrating its seventeenth consecutive position because the official timekeeper of this prestigious athletics occasion, Seiko presents a Prospex Speedtimer Restricted Version Chronograph SRQ041.

Seiko and Sports activities Timing

Seiko’s high-precision timing tools has been utilized in sporting occasions for effectively over fifty years. The 89ST sequence of handbook stopwatches produced in 1963 may measure 1/5^th, 1/10^th and 1/100^th of a second because of an progressive heart-shaped cam mechanism. The Crown Chronograph 5179 wristwatch, the primary chronograph wristwatch produced by Seiko and the primary of its type in Japan, was a pure evolution of Seiko’s stopwatches and appeared simply in time for the 1964 Summer time Olympics. Though we have a tendency to recollect 1969 because the yr when America received the house race and landed a person on the Moon, there was one other race between Swiss watch producers to develop the primary computerized chronograph motion. Whereas Zenith and the Heuer/Hamilton/Breitling coalition rushed to the end line, one other contender in Japan – Seiko – was additionally growing an computerized chronograph motion 6139 for its Speedtimer, the primary to be fitted with a column wheel and vertical clutch.

The 1/fifth second Seiko stopwatch from 1964, made for sports activities timing

The unique Seiko Speedtimer launched in 1969, with its computerized calibre 6139

Race observe motifs

Much like the Speedtimers launched in 2021 and earlier this yr, the chrome steel case is strengthened with a super-hard coating. The 100m water resistant case, which measures 42.5mm in diameter and has a thickness of 15.1mm, shows polished and brushed surfaces and options the outsized piston-style pushers that hark again to Seiko’s stopwatches of the Nineteen Sixties.

The dial has a gray grained sample that’s designed to evoke the feel of the sand on the operating observe. Yellow, which is the color used on all Seiko’s timing and measurement tools, is used for the hand of the 30-minute elapsed time counter at 9 o’clock and for the central chronograph hand that curves at its tip to alight on the observe. Each counters are barely recessed, and show snailed interiors with white markings to match the 60-seconds observe on the perimeter of the dial, with the quantity 60 picked out in yellow. The utilized hour markers have double-faceted profiles, and the white Lumibrite plots on the adjoining observe help legibility at nighttime. The backbone of the hour and minute fingers can also be handled with Lumibrite. A element many will recognize is the tone-on-tone date window with its darkish gray background to match the dial and light-weight gray numbers.

Calibre 8R46

The sapphire crystal on the caseback is printed with the emblem of the World Athletics Championships Oregon 22 and divulges the automated chronograph motion. Like Seiko’s progressive computerized chronograph calibre of 1969, the Prospex Speedtimer can also be outfitted with a vertical clutch and column-wheel mechanism to make sure the best attainable ranges of precision and sturdiness. Assembled by hand, the in-house calibre 8R46 is derived from Seiko’s most superior chronograph 8R sequence. Beating at a frequency of 4Hz, it delivers an influence reserve of roughly 45 hours. Along with the chronograph capabilities, it shows small seconds and date and provides stop-seconds performance.

The watch is fitted with a three-link chrome steel bracelet however may be changed with the black calfskin leather-based strap with yellow stitching included within the field.

Availability and Worth

The Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Oregon22 Restricted Version SRQ041 is a restricted version of 400 items and will probably be out there in June 2022. The retail value in Europe is EUR 3,200.

You may go to Seiko’s devoted web page for extra info on the Seiko SRQ041.