Autoblog

Among the most iconic racing events held around the world, few American races have the clout to rival the 12 Hours of Sebring. Names like Andretti, Fangio and Moss have made it famous, and the annual "once around the clock" event continues as a mainstay of the American Le Mans Series calendar. But if you're going to count down the hours until the finish line, you're going to need the right equipment. At least, that's what the event's promoters figured when they teamed up with Swiss watchmaker Alpina Genève to offer an official timepiece of the race: the Alpina Extreme 12 Hours of Sebring.

The watch's case is made of black steel, with a matte black dial said to be reminiscent of the track surface with the requisite bit of carbon fiber at the center. The branding for a 12-hour race and a 12-hour watch practically creates itself, but we're impressed that the folks at Alpina resisted the urge to go all chrome and lacquer, opting for a decidedly subdued look instead. Only 257 examples will be offered, to commemorate the 57th running of the race this coming March 18-21, 2009.

[Source: TimeZone]