Shohei Ohtani is a successful Major League Baseball player. Seiko has had him as an ambassador since 2016, and invited him to become a global ambassador in 2026. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Seiko and Ohtani's collaboration, Seiko held "SHO-ism Seiko | Shohei Ohtani - 10 Years Journey" in Tokyo and Osaka. In conjunction with this, on July 3rd, they held a press conference to announce the "Seiko Star Time," a supercomplication watch with a 1 million hour cumulative timer, which was conceived from Ohtani's ideas.
Text by Masayuki Hirota(Chronos-Japan)
[Article published on January 3, 2026]
The world's only "Seiko Star Time" watch has been unveiled.
Shohei Ohtani has been a Seiko ambassador since 2016. An event celebrating his 10th anniversary is "SHO-ism Seiko | Shohei Ohtani - 10 Years Journey." It will be held in Tokyo from July 3rd to 5th, and in Osaka on August 1st and 2nd.
In conjunction with this event, Seiko held a press conference for the media. They also released the "Seiko Star Time," a supercomplication watch that embodies Shohei Ohtani's ideas. This supercomplication displays up to 1 million hours (approximately 114 years) of accumulated time on five layers of discs. It is a mechanical timepiece that embodies his question: "How long can I continue as a baseball player, and how much time can I accumulate?"
A supercomplication that embodies Shohei Ohtani's desire to "accumulate more time as a baseball player." Five discs display 1 million hours of time. Automatic winding (Cal.9SA5 base). Bright titanium case (41.8mm diameter, 17.4mm thickness). 10 ATM water resistance. Not for sale.
Incidentally, many of Seiko's mechanical watches (including Grand Seiko and Credor) are made in Iwate Prefecture, Shohei Ohtani's hometown. It's no surprise that Ohtani, who has a deep love for his hometown, has consistently worn Seiko watches. Also, around the same time as Ohtani, Seiko's high-end Grand Seiko line has expanded globally and is achieving great success. Considering all this, it's perhaps not surprising that Ohtani and Seiko have remained partners for such a long period of 10 years.
At the event, following greetings from Shinji Hattori, Chairman, CEO, and CCO of Seiko Watch Corporation, Hideki Kuriyama, Chief Baseball Officer of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, shared some anecdotes about Shohei Ohtani. It turns out that Kuriyama, who selected Ohtani, is a user of Seiko's "Astron" watches. He even wore a limited-edition Ohtani model from Seiko at the 2023 draft. "I wear all sorts of outfits, but the Astron helps me move. It's light, easy to read, and feels like a part of me." Regarding his choice of the Ohtani-exclusive model, he said, "I wasn't trying to be superstitious at the draft, but I put my heart into it. A watch is an important point, after all. I wore it hoping to have a connection with a great player (like Ohtani)."
Kuriyama says that the reason for Shohei Ohtani's success lies in how he uses his time. "I think time was a major factor in his success. Many players practice, eat well, and then play in a game. But Shohei is both a pitcher and a batter, and he also takes rest. That's why time management is extremely important. I think his success is because he was able to manage his 24 hours well." Kuriyama says that Ohtani's favorite phrase is "It's not about the present." Many players are only conscious of the present moment, but Shohei has a perfect vision of the future. Kuriyama says that for a player like Ohtani, time and clocks must be very important.
Kuriyama explained Ohtani's reason for choosing Seiko: "When he went out into the world, Japan was going through a difficult time. In that situation, Japan is wonderful, it can conquer the world, and it gives you the courage to take on the world. You too can become the best in the world. You can compete against the world with something Japanese." In short, that's what a Seiko watch is for.
A clock that visualizes approximately 114 years of time.
The culmination of this connection between Seiko and Shohei Ohtani is the Seiko Star Time, a watch that accumulates 1 million hours using five layers of discs. This watch, which displays the accumulation of time, expresses Ohtani's feelings about time. The accumulated time from 24 hours, 1000 hours, 10,000 hours, 100,000 hours, and 1 million hours is shown below the red scale, starting from the disc hand in the center of the dial. In other words, the outermost disc takes approximately 114 years to complete one rotation. While there are watches that show constellations or time with rotating discs, this is probably the only one that visualizes approximately 114 years of time.
Yugo Hibayashi of the Product Design Department explained the details of this project. The project, which began about three years ago, started with Shohei Ohtani choosing the design. The Seiko development team then incorporated that design almost exactly into the product. However, through discussions with Ohtani, modifications were made, such as adding a diamond to the center and a blue sapphire to the crown. The watch has a diameter of 41.8mm and a thickness of 17.4mm. However, the case shape is ergonomic, and the strap was custom-made to fit Ohtani's wrist.
What's interesting is the movement it uses. Although Seiko hasn't publicly announced it, what's visible from the case back is the mechanical Cal.9SA5, the same movement used in the Grand Seiko, commonly known as the "Birch" model. Normally, Seiko would never use the movement used in the Grand Seiko in any of its other collections. This is especially true for the Cal.9SA5, which represents Seiko's prestige. However, the fact that they deliberately chose this as the base movement suggests a special relationship between Ohtani and Seiko.
An opportunity to see this unique piece in person
Unfortunately, the Seiko Star Time is a unique piece used exclusively by Shohei Ohtani and is not for sale. However, fortunately, you can see the actual watch at this event, which will be held in Tokyo from July 3rd to 5th and in Osaka on August 1st and 2nd. It is a one-of-a-kind complication that embodies Ohtani's philosophy on time. Although it is by reservation only, it is definitely worth seeing.
Tokyo venue
開催日程：2026年7月3日（金）14:00～19:00、 4日（土）11:00～19:00、5日（日）11:00～18:00
Venue: 6-35-6 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Note: Free admission / Reservations required via the official website or on-site.
Osaka venue
Dates: Saturday, June 2026th and Sunday, June 8th, 1
All events will be held from 11:00 to 19:00.
Venue: Grand Front Osaka North Building, Knowledge Plaza
Note: Free admission / Open entry
