Seiko Introduces The 2012 Sportura FC Barcelona Chronograph

In 2011, the spirit of Sportura was re-expressed with a new style and new technologies that only Seiko, with five decades of experience at the pinnacle of world sport, could create. The collection was an immediate international success and is now expanded to include a new chronograph that honors the success of our partners, FC Barcelona, a dramatically styled aviation watch, and a striking design for women.

Seiko. The choice of FC Barcelona.

When Seiko was appointed as watch partner of FC Barcelona, the profile of the club could not have been higher and, during 2011, they once again swept all before them, winning La Liga, the UEFA Champions League and, most recently, the FIFA Club World Cup. The passion, speed and precision of their play are now captured in the design of the 2012 Sportura FCB chronograph. The secret of the appeal is in the detail. The long, curved lugs give the watch the perfect fit on the wrist, the chronograph buttons have a wide surface area to ensure precise operation and the chronograph minute hand has a curved and sharply pointed shape to make exact reading of the elapsed time easy in any light conditions. All these characteristics speak volumes of Seiko’s long experience as the world leader in chronograph technology and demonstrate how only long experience at the highest levels of sport can teach a watchmaker to design a chronograph that is truly worthy of the best team in world soccer.

Seiko and FCB. A partnership of shared philosophy.

Seiko and FCB share many values, including a dedication to perfection in our very different areas of expertise, but the harmony of our outlooks goes much deeper. Seiko has always believed that leadership could only be achieved if its watchmaking skills were all developed in its own facilities by its own people, which is why, today, Seiko is one of the very, very few ‘manufactures’ to make the components of every type of watch, mechanical and electronic, in-house. Similarly, FC Barcelona has a clear goal to develop as much of its team as possible from young players who learn their trade at FCB. Today, their new La Masia academy stands as clear evidence of their commitment to bring on the next generation of players who will, one day, take the place of the current graduates of La Masia, like Xavi, Iniesta, Messi and Fabregas.

The Sportura Aviation Chronograph. A triumph of precision measurement.

Seiko’s first aviation watch took to the skies in 1970 and, ever since, Seiko has been one of the leading makers of authentic aviation watches. The new Sportura aviation chronograph is true to this tradition, combining a full-function, rotary slide rule with excellent legibility and Seiko’s world-renowned durability. There are four references, each with different color highlights, but all with the same quality of design and manufacture that only long experience makes possible.

The Sportura Collection For Women.

The new Sportura design lends itself with grace and ease to women’s watches, as is clear from the refined look of the four new chronographs for women that are premiered at Baselworld. All four have ceramic bezels and each is presented in a unique combination; two have combination bracelets of steel and ceramic and two have high-grade leather straps. The dial on the signature piece combines mother of pearl with 8 diamonds.

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