Seiko watch celebrates Honda Super Cub
Only the cruellest of hearts could fail to be enchanted by Seiko’s limited-edition ode to the long-lived Honda Super Cub motorbike
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Every high-end car marque from Aston Martin to Lamborghini, from McLaren to Ferrari and from Porsche to Jaguar is represented by an equally high-end watch partner. But what about the maker of one of the most successful vehicles ever to turn a wheel?
Yes, the legendary Honda Super Cub motorcycle has previously been completely ignored by the watch world – but now Seiko has done the decent thing and produced this great-looking, affordable and decidedly ingenious limited edition to acknowledge the bike’s staggering longevity.
In the unlikely event that you’ve never encountered Honda’s two-wheeled marvel (considerably more than 100 million sold to date), what has become the most produced vehicle in history was launched in 1958 as a motorcycle for the world.
Quiet, easy to start and ride, economical, nippy enough and with sensibly-sized 17in wheels that made it suitable for use in locations where roads were poor, it was intended to be sold around the globe – and it was. And still is.
The famous advertising slogan ‘You meet the nicest people on a Honda’ helped to attract a whole new class of people, both male and female, to lightweight motorcycling by buying a Super Cub which, despite its diminutive engine, proved superbly reliable and capable of massive mileage.
To mark the model’s 60th anniversary in 2018, for example, Englishman Ed March rode a 90cc version – built in 1988 and bought for £150 – more than 110,000 miles around the world (he even did a lap of the Nordschleife that took him 17 minutes and 41 seconds).
It’s seems only right and correct that Seiko should present him with one of its limited edition 5 Sports Honda Super Cubs, the design of which is cleverly based on some of the motorcycle’s notable features. Its small, round headlamp inspired the 12 o’clock marker, while the one o’clock and 11 o’clock indexes are based on the bike’s indicators.
The silhouette of the bike’s legshields as seen from the front has been used to create a contrasting band that runs through the centre of the dial, which carries the Super Cub’s logo at six o’clock, while the winding crown is decorated with ‘E’ and ‘F’ fuel gauge markings.
The watch is finished-off with an extra-long nylon strap that enables it to be worn over the cuff of a riding jacket. The only downside is that it will be limited to 6000 examples in green and 5000 in black.
But if you want to try your luck at getting one, the 5 Sports Honda Super Cub is available from Seiko boutiques – and, with its tried and tested automatic movement seems to offer remarkable value for money for a watch that’s likely to become an instant collector’s piece.
Seiko 5 Sports Honda Super Cub Limited Edition, from £340. seikoboutique.co.uk
To mark the 50th anniversary of the 911 Carrera RS 2.7, Porsche and official watch partner TAG Heuer have got together to produce two special versions of the popular (and handily named) Carrera chronograph which are inspired by the car. There will be 500 in steel with white and blue dials, blue ‘Carrera’ script on the side of the case and a white and blue fabric strap as well as a steel bracelet, plus 250 rose gold versions with red detailing and red leather straps. Both feature winding rotors in the shape of an RS steering wheel.
TAG Heuer Carrera X Porsche RS 2.7, £6400 (steel), £19,550 (red gold). tagheuer.com
As many a GP fan might know, 2023 will see Cosworth celebrate its 65th anniversary – and 2022 marked the 55th anniversary of its most famous product: the DFV V8 engine that dominated F1 in numerous chassis up until the 1980s. Young brand Cadola1946’s tribute to Cosworth takes the form of this three-hand automatic that’s delivered in a helmet-shaped winding box coloured to match the model’s dial detailing.
Cadola1946 DFV Cosworth, £1160. cadola1946.com
Precision is written by renowned luxury goods specialist Simon de Burton