Want To Own Steve Jobs’ Seiko Chariot?

Steve Jobs' Seiko could now be yours. Well, a re-issue of it anyway.

In an iconic 1984 TIME magazine cover (check it out here) of the late Apple founder Steve Jobs, he is seen sitting on the floor, cradling the world’s first Macintosh computer in his lap while staring intently into the camera. But what’s really intriguing -- to watch nerds, actually -- is the fact that he was wearing a no-frills quartz ticker from Seiko. After all, this was someone who, by that time, was already a millionaire and could have afforded a much fancier timepiece.

Last year, the watch on Jobs’ wrist went for US$42,500 to a lucky bidder at an auction. But for the rest of us who want in on it, there’s still a slim chance we could get our hands on a replica of the watch. Seiko is collaborating with Japanese clothing retailer Nano Universe to launch a limited edition of the original Seiko Chariot watch, due to go on sale March 10. The catch? It’s only available in Japan.   

Four versions will be up for sale – the original 33mm one with black or white dial (Jobs had his in white), and a slightly larger 37.5mm one, also with black or white dial. All versions come in a black stainless steel case with black calf leather strap – fuss-free and minimalist, just as Jobs would have liked.

1,982 pieces each of both the white versions will be available, while 300 pieces each of the black version in both sizes will be available as a Nano Universe exclusive. The price? ¥20,000 (S$248) – decent for a three-hand quartz movement. But if you want one, you need to book that flight to Tokyo pronto. Find out more here.