Originally published by DodgerBlue.com
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani has been a brand ambassador of Seiko for 10 years, and in recognition of this milestone, the company gifted him a one-of-a-kind mechanical wristwatch.
“I wanted to wear something that reflects the time I’ve put in so far and how much further I can go,” Ohtani said after receiving the watch. “Seeing the watch in person, it’s exactly as I had imagined, and I think it’s truly wonderful. Thank you very much.”
Seiko began the development of their Star Time watch approximately three years ago in response to Ohtani’s reflection on his time in baseball. Ohtani asked: “How much more time do I have in my baseball career?”
Seiko then embarked on an unprecedented project to develop a wristwatch with a display capable of tracking up to one million hours, or just over 114 years.
The timepiece features an innovative design with five layered discs. The discs display cumulative time within their respective ranges: 24 hours, 1,000 hours, 10,000 hours, 100,000 hours, and 1,000,000 hours, while the innermost 24-hour disc also indicates the current time of day.
At present, no wristwatch other than the Seiko Star Time can measure and display up to one million hours with five disc indicators as of July 2026.
As the discs move, their motion is imperceptible to the naked eye. Yet, much like the time and effort accumulated by Ohtani, each progresses steadily over time.
In this way, the diamond-set discs mirror the motion of the stars, which, though gradual, leave a lasting trace across the night sky. Inspired by this concept, the name Seiko Star Time was chosen for this special creation.
The five discs are significantly thicker than conventional dials and hands, presenting a major design challenge. To minimize overall thickness, a newly developed structure, created exclusively for this model, was adopted.
This approach required not only close integration between the designs of the discs and the movement, but also modifications to the movement’s configuration and the establishment of new assembly methods. As a result, a solution was realized through close collaboration between the design and manufacturing teams.
Throughout the project, repeated discussions were held between Ohtani and the development team. During this process, the idea of setting a diamond into each rotating disc was adopted, resulting in a highly distinctive design.
Additionally, the silicone strap was designed for enhanced wearability and produced in a custom length tailored to Ohtani’s wrist. The result combines a comfortable fit with excellent practicality.
“We are truly delighted that Mr. Ohtani is pleased with the creation,” Seiko CEO and CCO Shinji Hattori said. “The members of the development team, who devoted their full efforts in response to his passion, also feel that their work has been rewarded.
“The creation of a wristwatch with such outstanding cumulative timekeeping performance represents a major milestone for us, and we are proud to have contributed to the further development of watchmaking culture.”
In addition to his sponsorship with Seiko, Ohtani also began a global partnership with Grand Seiko earlier this year.
Shohei Ohtani gifted Seiko watches to teammates
Ohtani gifted each of his teammates a high-end Seiko watch on Opening Day this season. Along with it was a note with a message from Ohtani, celebrating the new season and looking forward to another championship.
“Happy Opening Day!! Three-Peat!! – Shohei Ohtani.”
The Seiko watch gifted to the players featured a smoky blue dial with a silver bracelet and a chronograph.
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