Seiko has announced the Astron GPS Solar wristwatch, which it claims is the first watch to change timezones automatically anywhere in the world. The watch uses GPS satellites to triangulate its position and change the time to one of thirty-nine official timezones, as well as keeping precise time when you're not traveling. By default, it only connects once per day, but it's also possible to manually instigate a GPS search. The automatic GPS limit is probably down to battery life — the watch is solar-powered and constantly using GPS would likely kill its built-in battery extremely quickly.
The idea isn't completely new: watches that automatically set the time via radio waves have been around for a long time. However, they've always been limited to a few specific locales, making them less than ideal for those of us that like to walk the unbeaten path. Despite its high-tech components, the Astron GPS Solar is still water-resistant up to 10m, which should at least help protect your gargantuan investment — sales will begin in Japan this September for between ¥152,250 (around $1,860) and ¥210,000 ($2,570).
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