We recently published a story on R Garage in La Union, the first Toyota car museum in Southeast Asia. Just in case you haven’t noticed, we love watches as much as cars—Seiko watches in particular. So, where’s the connection?

Well, the gentlemen behind Toyota La Union and R Garage decided to create a customized Seiko timepiece that pays tribute to the museum and celebrates 10 years of the La Union dealership.

The mechanical timekeeper is basically a Seiko 5 Sports (SRPD65) diver’s styled piece (since it only has 100m of water resistance) with a stainless-steel case finished in gunmetal with a matching gunmetal bracelet. This handsome watch retails for P19,000 from the Seiko website.

At the heart of the watch beats a reliable 4R36 automatic movement with 24 jewels and a power reserve of 41 hours, housed in a 42.5mm-diameter case. This workhorse comes with hacking and manual winding functions, as well as a Seiko Diashock anti-shock system.

Other features include a day/date display, a scratch-resistant Hardlex crystal face, and a uni-directional turning bezel. Hands and markers are painted with Lumibrite, Seiko’s proprietary luminous material.

Though we aren’t too fond of modified Seikos, this piece really hits the spot for both Seiko and Toyota enthusiasts.

The custom work on the flat black dial is where it’s most evident with a gray diagonal geometric pattern design (matching the interior architectural touches of R Garage), an image of the iconic A80 Supra (well-known for being Brian O’Connor’s ride in the Fast and Furious flick) sitting above the six-o’clock marker, and the Toyota La Union and R Garage logos found right under the Seiko badge.

Printed on the see-through caseback is “2022 Toyota La Union 10 Years” and ”R Garage Inauguration” commemorating two significant occasions for the dealer group.

Toyota La Union has been integral in the brand’s presence and mission here in northern Luzon, and R Garage simply elevates Toyota car culture to another level.

That said, this custom piece is a constant reminder of the brand’s spirit and the passion Rene and Richmond So (the gentlemen behind Toyota La Union and R Garage) share for the marque that they faithfully represent. It truly is a joy to wear on the wrist.

On a side note, I had to scratch a big itch by playing with aftermarket straps in my collection that would complement the timepiece. I feel the straps you see in the above photos match the styling and the essence of this special watch (of which only 50 examples exist).

You simply just can’t go wrong with a Seiko, especially when it is a properly customized one. What do you guys think of this watch?