Seiko and Giugiaro: for some, this may sound like a very unlikely collaboration, but fans of the two brands will know that they have been working together on some of the coolest Seiko watches for over three decades now – and that’s pretty legit. Today, a new chapter opens with the Seiko Spirit Giugiaro Design Limited Edition “Rider’s Chronograph” watches that come in a bunch of different color variants, all clad in stainless steel with plastic straps, and limited in production.

This clash of Italian and Japanese design at this price level – or, come to think of it, pretty much any other – is extremely rare, but the point is that these new pieces are real head-turners. To learn more about Giugiaro and see what a modern collab looks like between these two brands, check out our article on the Seiko Astron GPS Giugiaro Limited Edition here. Oh, and if you still want some more drool-worthy retro-futuristic Italian-Japanese watch goodness, read Ariel’s thoughts in our hands-on article with the Seiko Giugiaro “Alien’s Ripley” watch here.

Seiko Spirit Giugiaro Design Limited Edition “Rider’s Chronograph” SCED055 and SCED053, these two are limited to 1,500 and on sale from November 11, 2016

Alright, so these latest pieces come in all-steel cases which measure in at 44.2mm tall, 43mm wide, and a manageable 11.4mm thick, and sport a 100m water-resistance rating. There is a total of five different references: four in black coated steel and one non-coated version. To complicate things more, Seiko has separated two pieces from the rest, namely the black-red and black-orange versions, making them available in 1,500 numbered pieces on sale from November 11, 2016, while the other three will be numbered up to 1,000 and won’t be on sale until January 27, 2017.

Seiko Spirit Giugiaro Design Limited Edition “Rider’s Chronograph” SCED057, SCED059 and SCED061, each numbered to 1,000 and on sale from January, 2017.

Save for the color options on the dials – and the lack of black surface treatment on the SCED059 reference – all the Seiko Spirit Giugiaro Design Limited Edition “Rider’s Chronograph” watches are technically the same. They all feature Seiko’s 7T12 quartz chronograph movement that promises 5 years of battery life and a monthly accuracy of -/+15 seconds. Functionality includes a one-hour chronograph, date, and a 24-hour display (don’t be fooled: it’s not linked to the chronograph, unfortunately).

Operation should be nice and easy, though because the dial is slightly rotated inside the case, so is the movement – you’ll just have to look for the chronograph pushers and crown moved to a slightly lower position on the right of the case.

Called 7A28-7A00 and available as references SBBJ005, SBBJ0051, SBBJ007, and SBBJ0071, here’s a cool ad showing the vintage Seiko Giugiaro Rider’s Chronograph watches.

Speaking of the tilted dial design, it is about time we clarify what that’s for: Giugiaro and Seiko first designed such a “Rider’s Chronograph” back in the 1980s. This piece, a close homage to those from some thirty years ago, has a dial that was tilted clockwise by 15° and, here’s the coolest bit, also three dimensionally by 5°, so that it “slopes” towards the wearer. Even the raised plexi front, Seiko says, has been modified so that it works better with this unusual positioning of the dial. The end result is that even when riding a bike with your hand holding the handle, reading the time will be nice and easy… and if you’re not a biker, you’ll more than likely appreciate this little subtle quirk that sets the Seiko Spirit Giugiaro Design Limited Edition “Rider’s Chronograph” apart from the rest.

“Here comes the black soup” – as we say in Hungarian – these five pieces are likely going to be JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) only, meaning that you will have to shop around online to be able to get one elsewhere. Prices are quite reasonable, though, so even with shipping and customs added, you won’t be breaking the bank. The Seiko Spirit Giugiaro Design Limited Edition “Rider’s Chronograph” watches are priced at JPY35,000 (about US$335 at time of writing) for the black and JPY30,000 (about US$290) for the normal steel versions, with sales starting in November or January for the respective models (check a bit further up for more details on that). seiko-watch.co.jp