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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFratello’s five picks are Rowing Blazers, Nano Universe, Giugiaro Design, Kosuke Kawamura and Beams. They are a watch journalist’s personal favorites, not an official Seiko ranking or a definitive list: Fratello’s Jorg Weppelink notes that Seiko has made too many collaborations for one list to settle the question. The appeal ranges from vivid Seiko 5 Sports designs to a film-linked chronograph and a scarce 62MAS diver. Fratello’s original article was published April 28, 2023.
What makes these five collaborations stand out?
The partner’s influence takes different forms. Rowing Blazers and Kawamura use recognizable visual treatments on Seiko platforms; Nano Universe collaborated on several distinct releases; Giugiaro Design helped shape unusual case and dial forms; and Beams put a playful character reference on a technically substantial diver. The list is best read as five different approaches to collaboration, rather than five watches competing on the same criteria.
1. Seiko × Rowing Blazers: bold bezels on the Seiko 5 Sports
Rowing Blazers founder and creative director Jack Carlson and vintage-watch expert Eric Wind worked with Seiko on three Seiko 5 Sports designs. Their visual language combines regatta and prep references with the look of vintage Seiko rally divers: the bezel and NATO strap do most of the talking.
- SRPG49: checkerboard bezel and mint-green NATO strap; Fratello reports a 500-piece limited edition.
- SRPG51: red zigzag bezel motif and colorful striped NATO strap; also reported as limited to 500 pieces.
- SRPG53, “Color Block”: four-color bezel and black NATO strap; Fratello says it joined the permanent collection rather than being one of the two limited runs.
Fratello describes the shared platform as a 42.5 mm-wide, 13.4 mm-thick watch with 100 m water resistance, automatic 4R36 movement and day-date display. It reports an original list price of $495 for each of the three models. Those are historical launch details, not confirmation that the limited references remain available new. Fratello also notes a later four-watch follow-up collaboration.
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2. Seiko × Nano Universe: a series, not a single model
Nano Universe’s place on the list reflects multiple releases across different styles and movements. Fratello covers a six-watch Spirit Smart series introduced in 2015, a 2017 revival of the Seiko Chariot, and later chronograph and compact quartz models.
Spirit Smart, 2015
The six limited Spirit Smart watches paired monochrome designs with a 45 mm conical case and automatic 4R35 caliber. Fratello gives their original price as just under €300. The large, sharply shaped case makes these the most overtly contemporary pieces in this Nano Universe group.
Chariot revival, 2017
The Chariot reissues drew on the simple Seiko watch Steve Jobs wore in a 1984 photograph. Fratello describes 33 mm and 37.5 mm versions and identifies two limited references: white-dial SCXP04, produced in 1,984 pieces, and black-dial SCXP061, produced in 300. They use quartz caliber 7N01; the article reports accuracy of ±15 seconds per month.
Rank #2
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Chronographs and a compact quartz model
Fratello names 2020 meca-quartz chronographs SZSJ005 and SZSJ006, with 39.8 mm cases, 8T67 caliber and launch pricing of about $250. It also mentions a later SZSJ007. Another release, SZQV020, is a 300-piece quartz watch with a 35 mm case, 100 m water resistance and 7N42 caliber. These details describe releases covered in the 2023 article, not a current Seiko catalog or statement of present availability.
3. Seiko × Giugiaro Design: watches shaped by industrial design
Seiko and Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro’s studio began a series of watch projects in 1983. Fratello highlights the Speed Master “Ripley” and “Bishop,” whose unusual forms make the design partnership central to the watches rather than merely a logo or color treatment.
The Ripley and its 2015 re-release
The Ripley’s rounded and rectangular shapes and distinctive bracelet are associated with the watch worn by Sigourney Weaver’s character in Aliens. Fratello describes the 2015 SCED035 as a 42 mm stainless-steel quartz watch with 7T12 caliber. The re-release came in two colorways, each limited to 3,000 pieces. The article reports an original price just under $350 in 2015. It also gives a secondary-market estimate of roughly €1,000–€2,000 in 2023; that dated estimate should not be treated as a current valuation.
Rank #3
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Fratello also discusses the tilted-dial Riders Chronograph and a 2016 tribute series. A later point of crossover was the 2017 SCED065, made with White Mountaineering in a 700-piece run.
4. Seiko × Kosuke Kawamura: the dial becomes the collaboration
Graphic artist Kosuke Kawamura used the Seiko 5 Sports platform for two watches inspired by Seiko Time Sonar designs from the 1970s. Their transparent dials expose the day and date wheels, making the movement of the calendar part of the graphic effect.
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- SRPJ41: transparent tangerine-and-teal dial; Fratello reports 3,000 pieces and an original price of €450.
- SRPJ43: transparent black-and-teal dial; Fratello reports a 500-piece boutique-only run and an original price of €500.
Both are 42.5 mm watches with automatic 4R36 movements and approximately 41 hours of power reserve. Fratello says each came with a bracelet and an additional black NATO strap. Weppelink’s judgment is explicitly personal: “If you ask me, that is the best you could want from a collaboration between a watch brand and an artist.”
Rank #4
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5. Seiko × Beams: a 62MAS with a characterful case back
The Beams selection is a 2020 limited Prospex reissue of Seiko’s 1965 62MAS diver, produced in 300 pieces. Fratello reports a 39.9 mm Ever-Brilliant Steel case, 14.1 mm thickness, 44 mm lug-to-lug length and 200 m water resistance. It has a black dial, black and beige rubber straps, and automatic 8L35 caliber, which the article describes as based on Grand Seiko’s 9S55 and offering a 50-hour power reserve.
The playful detail is on the case back: a dolphin wearing a hat and carrying a briefcase. It references Tora-san, a character who wore an original 62MAS in the Japanese television series It’s Tough Being a Man. Fratello’s estimate of €6,000–€7,500 on the secondary market was made in 2023 and is not a current price guide.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the five picks compare
The editions differ in what the partner contributed, the watch platform and the reported production scale. Edition counts and launch prices below are Fratello’s historical reporting; they do not establish current stock or resale values.
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| Collaboration | Design or historical hook | Reported production | Platform and movement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rowing Blazers | Prep and regatta colors, rally-diver-inspired bezels and NATO straps | SRPG49 and SRPG51: 500 each; SRPG53: permanent collection, no limited quantity stated | Seiko 5 Sports; automatic 4R36 |
| Nano Universe | Several distinct projects, from conical Spirit Smart cases to the Jobs-associated Chariot | Chariot SCXP04: 1,984; SCXP061: 300; SZQV020: 300; other quantities not stated here | Multiple families and movements, including 4R35, quartz 7N01, meca-quartz 8T67 and quartz 7N42 |
| Giugiaro Design | Unconventional case, bracelet and tilted-dial forms; Ripley linked to Aliens | 2015 Ripley colorways: 3,000 each; 2017 SCED065 with White Mountaineering: 700 | Speed Master Ripley SCED035; quartz 7T12 |
| Kosuke Kawamura | Transparent, graphic dials inspired by 1970s Time Sonar watches | SRPJ41: 3,000; SRPJ43: 500, boutique-only | Seiko 5 Sports; automatic 4R36 |
| Beams | 62MAS diver reissue with a Tora-san case-back reference | 300 | Prospex 62MAS; automatic 8L35 |
Which collaboration should you look for?
Start with the feature you value, not an assumed ranking. Rowing Blazers suits someone after vivid bezel and strap design on a familiar Seiko 5 Sports base. Kawamura offers the most visibly integrated artist’s treatment, with the calendar wheels incorporated into the dial’s composition. Giugiaro is the pick for distinctive industrial design and a film connection. Beams combines a historically rooted diver format with a small-run character detail. Nano Universe is the broadest answer if you want to explore a sequence of collaborations rather than one signature watch.
Several references are described as limited editions, and this article does not establish whether any are currently for sale new or what they trade for today. Check the exact reference, condition and authenticity when considering a pre-owned example; a 2023 secondary-market estimate is not a present-day quote.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
