Seiko 5 Sports and Brian May's legendary "Red Special" guitar
LOFTThroughout his long and continuous career, rock legend Brian May has relied on his "Red Special" guitar to create the sound that helped make Queen one of the world's most admired and celebrated rock bands. He's also relied on Seiko. For more than 40 years, Brian has worn a Seiko dive watch whose enduringly popular design is the inspiration for the latest Seiko 5 Sports collection. Brian purchased his Seiko watch while first touring in Japan in the 1970s. Since then, his guitar and watch have traveled the world together, making great music and keeping great time.
The Red Special now inspires a new Seiko 5 Sports watch whose dial echoes the design of the guitar Brian and his father built in the early 1960s. The guitar was made by hand, using only hand tools. The neck was carved from the wood of an old fireplace, 100 years old at the time. The body was made from block board with an antique oak inset, and covered with a mahogany veneer that Brian stained and polished himself. The innovative tremolo system designed by Brian featured a hand-carved mild steel rocker plate pivoting on a knife's edge, with the string pull balanced by motorcycle valve springs.
To complete the job, the tremolo arm was improvised from part of a bicycle pannier rack, covered with a piece of sturdy knitting needle. The Red Special is a labor of love that has uniquely served Brian on stage and in the studio for over half a century.
The new Seiko 5 Sports watch is built very differently, but it's also built to last.
With the long-trusted caliber 4R36 at its heart, 10 bar water resistance, a Hardlex crystal, and its robust steel case, it has all the qualities that have made Seiko 5 Sports so popular over the decades. The dial has the same red and black color scheme as the "Red Special" and features a delicate wood-like pattern like the guitar's body.
The watch is offered as a limited edition with Brian's signature on the caseback and comes with a special presentation box designed along the lines of the Red Special's custom flight case.
The presentation box also contains a commemorative coin based on the six-cent piece he has used throughout his career as a pick player. The watch is presented on a black nylon strap, designed to mirror the strap Brian now uses on his guitar.
Seiko thanks Brian for the opportunity to celebrate his creativity and music with this Seiko 5 Sports watch. Brian commented, "I'm thrilled to see this watch come to life, and I'm proud that my dad and I've created this watch all those years ago inspired this collaboration. I love my Seiko, and it has served me well for many years. I will wear this new one with pride."
| SEIKO 5 SPORTS BRIAN MAY LIMITED EDITION |
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REFERENCE : SRPE83K1 |
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MOVEMENT : Automatic Seiko 4R36, 21,600 vph, MR 41 h, 24 j |
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CASE : Stainless steel, 42.5 x 46 x 13.4 mm |
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WATERPROOFNESS : 10 bars (100 m) |
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GLASS : Hardlex |
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STRAP : Nylon |
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LUMINESCENCE : LumiBrite on hands and indexes |
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BEZEL : Unidirectional rotating |
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BOTTOM : Transparent screw cap |
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FUNCTIONS : Hour, Minutes, Seconds, Day, Date, Hacking |
Source: Seiko
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