Most of us would love to own a Caterpillar P-5000 Work Loader, the yellow mechanical exoskeleton Ellen Ripley used to fight the Xenomorph Queen in the 1986 sci-fi horror thriller Aliens. The closest we can get has been scale models and action figures. But you can own a full-size recreation of the Seiko watch worn by Ripley in the sequel to one of the scariest films of all time. The Japanese watchmaker is reissuing its classic gray Chronograph Sport 100 (model 7A28-7000) watch, a model worn by Sigourney Weaver through most of the film. The Ripley reissue models will include the gray SCED035 and the black SCED037.
Other cast members wore different Seiko watches; the android Bishop sported a 7A28-6000 (now commonly known as the “Bishop”) while the colonial marines used a digital S234-501A, also known as the Pulsemeter.
The Seiko X Giugiaro Design watches bear the name of famed Italian designer Giorgetto Giugaro, who worked on camers, computers and cars. Besides being consulted on design by manufacturers ranging from Alfa Romeo to Zastava, he helped to create one of the most iconic vehicles in film history: the DeLorean DMC-12, also known as the “Back to the Future car.”
Giugaro has worked with other watch designs, but this was one of his first, reports ablogtowatch.com. His background in cars from the 1970s and ’80s is evident in the shape and functionality of the timepiece. The colors are flat but evoke a futuristic feel, and the oversized sidepiece sports equally oversized stopwatch buttons.In fact, the extra metal was added to make it easy to get to the buttons in a hurry, which is perfect for the Aliens protagonist. They are in fact just extensions of the regular buttons, which are hidden inside the removable sidepiece.
Pull up a collection of photos of ’80s instrument panels and you’ll find among them a smattering of yellows, grays, and blacks, similar to this face on this watch.
According to the product page, Giugaro wanted the buttons to be perpendicular to the arm to prevent accidental activation, but are easily accessible by one operating a two- or four-wheeled vehicle, especially while wearing driving gloves.
These watches are reissues, not replicas, so there are some differences from the original. The extra pusher and crown are both gone from the left side of the watch, giving it a more streamlined look.
Seiko is producing a limited run of 3,000 units for each model. The gray will retail for about $260 and the black will come in just under $300 before shipping.
