What Watch Does Shohei Ohtani Wear?

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Shohei Ohtani is Seiko’s global brand ambassador. His most high-profile public watch appearance came at his December 2023 Dodgers signing press conference, where watch specialists identified the piece on his wrist as what appeared to be a Grand Seiko SBGJ217 Hi-Beat 36000 GMT — a discontinued automatic that retailed for roughly $6,000 to $8,000 USD. Everything else he has worn publicly has been Seiko.

The Grand Seiko at the Dodgers Signing

When Ohtani stood before the press on December 14, 2023, to announce his ten-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, watch-focused outlets took notice of what he had on his wrist. The Japanese watch publication webChronos analyzed the piece and identified it as what appeared to be a Grand Seiko SBGJ217, a Hi-Beat 36000 GMT that had been part of the core Grand Seiko Sport collection before it was discontinued.

The SBGJ217 sits in the more accessible end of Grand Seiko’s range, below the hand-crafted Shizukuishi Studio pieces. Its Hi-Beat movement — running at 36,000 vibrations per hour rather than the conventional 28,800 — delivers a smooth, almost continuous sweep of the seconds hand and a claimed accuracy of plus or minus 5 seconds per day. The identification at the press conference was hedged by webChronos as “believed to be,” since the photos of Ohtani that day were not taken at a close enough angle to read the reference number.

Spec	Grand Seiko SBGJ217
Case	Stainless steel, 40.0 mm
Movement	Caliber 9S86 automatic Hi-Beat 36000 (36,000 vph)
Power reserve	Approximately 55 hours
Water resistance	100 m
Features	GMT (second time zone), date display
Crystal	Sapphire with anti-reflective coating
Status	Discontinued; was approximately $6,000–$8,000 USD new

It is worth noting that some sports media outlets reported the watch as a “Seiko SBGM221,” but that reference does not correspond to a known Grand Seiko model number in the standard lineup. The more credible identification, based on watch-specific coverage, points to the SBGJ217. Because it has been discontinued, buyers looking for a close current equivalent should explore the SBGJ271 or other Hi-Beat GMT models in Grand Seiko’s active catalog.

Ohtani and Seiko: A Decade-Long Partnership

Ohtani first became a Seiko brand ambassador in Japan in 2016, the year he turned 22 and was already one of Nippon Professional Baseball’s most compelling players. The relationship deepened as his career progressed through his Angels years and into his record-breaking free agency. On April 9, 2026, Seiko announced that Ohtani would become its global brand ambassador — the tenth anniversary of the original partnership. The announcement launched new campaigns featuring the brand’s Prospex (reference SPB519, approximately $1,800) and King Seiko lines (reference SLA083, approximately $3,300).

At roughly the same time, Grand Seiko — which operates as a distinct brand above Seiko’s core line — launched a parallel initiative called the “Grand Moments Project,” tying Ohtani to its global marketing. This means that Ohtani now represents both Seiko (the accessible-to-mid-range line) and Grand Seiko (the premium Japanese watchmaking tier) simultaneously. The celebrity watch landscape rarely produces partnerships this vertically integrated within a single group.

In Seiko’s 2025 advertising campaigns Ohtani appeared wearing pieces from across the range, including the Seiko Astron Nexter SBXC175 (a GPS solar watch priced at Â¥247,500), the Seiko Prospex 1968 Heritage GMT SBEJ029 (Â¥176,000), and the King Seiko VANAC SDKV001 (Â¥396,000).

The Seiko Prospex Ohtani Limited Editions

Seiko has released at least three rounds of Ohtani-themed limited editions on its Prospex 1965 Diver’s Heritage platform. The first was the SBDC191 in 2023, followed by a pair of 1968 Heritage GMT models in late 2024. The 2026 editions, announced in February of that year, are the most elaborate to date.

The two 2026 pieces — the SBDC222 in gray and the SBDC224 in a Dodgers-inspired blue — each carry gold accents on the bezel, crown, hands, and indices. The crown is engraved with the number 17 (Ohtani’s jersey number), and the exhibition caseback reads “SHOHEI OHTANI LIMITED EDITION” alongside an individual serial number. The clasp is etched with his signature and includes a six-stage micro-adjustment that can extend the bracelet by up to 15 mm. Both editions were limited to 1,700 pieces each, priced at Â¥286,000 (approximately $1,832 USD), and sold exclusively in Japan through Seiko Global Brand Core Shops and select authorized dealers starting April 24, 2026.

Spec	Seiko Prospex SBDC222 / SBDC224
Case	Stainless steel with gold plating, Diamond Shield hard coat, 40.0 mm wide, 46.4 mm lug-to-lug, 13.0 mm thick
Crystal	Curved sapphire, inner anti-reflective coating
Movement	Caliber 6R55 automatic with manual wind and hacking, 72-hour power reserve
Water resistance	300 m
Bezel	Unidirectional rotating with LumiBrite insert
Bracelet	Stainless steel, six-stage micro-adjustment (extends up to 15 mm)
Price	¥286,000 (~$1,832 USD); Japan only; 1,700 pieces per dial color
Release	April 24, 2026

The Star Time: Seiko’s One-of-a-Kind Watch for Ohtani

In July 2026, Seiko Chairman and CEO Shinji Hattori presented Ohtani with what the company described as the first unique piece it had ever created specifically for one person. The “Star Time” is a mechanical wristwatch with five concentric rotating discs rather than conventional hands. The innermost disc shows the current time on a 24-hour scale, with a red “17” marking. The four outer discs track elapsed time cumulatively at intervals of 1,000, 10,000, 100,000, and 1,000,000 hours — roughly 114 years in total. The concept reportedly began three years earlier, after Ohtani asked Seiko’s engineers how much time he had left in his professional career.

The case is made from Seiko’s High-Intensity Titanium and measures 41.8 mm across with a sapphire crown cabochon. The strap is silicone, cut to Ohtani’s wrist measurement, with a titanium folding clasp. Water resistance is rated to 100 m. The movement is automatic; Seiko has not disclosed the specific caliber. The Star Time is not for sale and has no commercial price.

Affordable Watches That Capture Ohtani’s Style

Ohtani’s watch wardrobe runs almost entirely through one brand, which makes finding alternatives straightforward for Seiko fans. For readers who want the feel of his press-conference Grand Seiko GMT without paying $6,000 or more, the brand’s own entry-level GMT pieces — clustered around $2,000 to $3,500 USD — are the natural starting point. The Grand Seiko Sport collection and the SBGP series (Spring Drive and Hi-Beat) both offer GMT functionality at the lower end of the range.

At the mid-tier level, Seiko’s current sub-$1,000 Prospex range offers a credible connection to the ambassador relationship: the diver-focused SPB143 and its relatives use the proven automatic caliber 6R35, deliver 100 m water resistance in a compact 40 mm case, and retail for roughly $600 to $700 USD. These are not the same watches Ohtani wears, but they sit directly in the product line he represents.

For the most affordable option, Seiko’s 5 Sports line — many models under $200 — uses day-date movements with dependable in-house calibers and shares the same Japanese manufacturing philosophy that underpins everything from the Prospex to the Grand Seiko. If the goal is wearing something from the same house, the 5 Sports line is the entry point. For more on Seiko’s most iconic public appearances, see our guide to every Seiko James Bond wore.

FAQ

What watch does Shohei Ohtani wear?

Ohtani wears Seiko watches in public and in advertising. His most documented personal watch was identified by watch specialists as what appeared to be a Grand Seiko SBGJ217 Hi-Beat 36000 GMT, which he was photographed wearing at his December 2023 Dodgers press conference. He is Seiko’s global brand ambassador as of April 2026.

Is Shohei Ohtani sponsored by Seiko?

Yes. Ohtani has been a Seiko brand ambassador in Japan since 2016. In April 2026, Seiko expanded the relationship to make him its global ambassador, coinciding with the tenth anniversary of the original partnership. He also appears in Grand Seiko campaigns under a parallel initiative called the Grand Moments Project.

How much is Shohei Ohtani’s watch?

The Grand Seiko GMT he appeared to wear at his Dodgers signing was discontinued, but retailed for approximately $6,000 to $8,000 USD when new. The Seiko Prospex limited editions bearing his name and jersey number were priced at ¥286,000 (about $1,832 USD) and sold only in Japan. The one-of-a-kind Star Time watch Seiko presented him in July 2026 has no commercial price.

What watch did Ohtani give his Dodgers teammates?

On Opening Day 2026, Ohtani gave each of his Dodgers teammates a Seiko chronograph with a smoky blue dial and a silver bracelet. Reports put the retail value of each watch at approximately $4,000 USD.

Can I buy a Seiko watch like Shohei Ohtani’s?

The Grand Seiko SBGJ217 he wore at the press conference is discontinued, but similar Hi-Beat GMT models remain available from Grand Seiko dealers. The 2026 Prospex limited editions (SBDC222 and SBDC224) were sold only in Japan and are likely sold out. Current Seiko Prospex models in the brand’s campaign lineup, such as the SPB519 (around $1,800), are sold globally through authorized dealers.

What is the Seiko Star Time watch?

The Star Time is a one-of-a-kind mechanical watch that Seiko created for Ohtani over three years to mark ten years of their ambassador partnership. Rather than conventional hands, it uses five concentric rotating discs to display both current time and cumulative elapsed time up to one million hours (approximately 114 years). It is a unique piece and is not for sale.

Sources

• webChronos: Grand Seiko identification at the Dodgers press conference (January 2024)
• Seiko: Shohei Ohtani appointed global brand ambassador (April 2026)
• SJX Watches: Seiko Star Time one-off watch for Shohei Ohtani (July 2026)
• HiConsumption: Seiko Prospex Diver’s 1965 Heritage Ohtani 2026 editions (February 2026)
• Hypebeast: Seiko celebrates Shohei Ohtani with Prospex limited editions (February 2026)