Updated

Updated · Runner's World · Jul 23

David Perry Builds 10-Carat Gold Amazfit Watch for Josh Kerr's 3:42.66 Record Mile

Updated

Updated · Runner's World · Jul 23

David Perry Builds 10-Carat Gold Amazfit Watch for Josh Kerr's 3:42.66 Record Mile

Q: Was Josh Kerr's custom gold watch a high-tech tool or the world's fastest fashion statement?

It was both, but primarily a performance device dressed as a luxury object. At its core, Kerr’s watch was a custom Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro used in a world-record attempt. Amazfit said Kerr also wore a Project 222 Helio armband/strap to capture performance data, and the system fed metrics such as heart rate, pace, splits, cadence and stride information that Kerr and coach Danny Mackey could review afterward in the Zepp app. In that sense, it was part of a broader race-day monitoring setup tied to his eight-month “Project 222” build toward a 3:42 mile. What made it unusual was the jewelry work. David Perry Jewelry added a solid 10-carat gold bezel, diamonds and a “222” engraving on the buckle, while engineering the piece so it would not interfere with the electronics or fit. Perry’s team 3D-scanned the watch and created a bar-locking system instead of soldering, specifically to preserve function and keep the bezel secure and comfortable for an elite runner. So the watch was not merely decorative, but the gold-and-diamond treatment clearly made it a fashion statement as well. The more purely technical tracking appears to have come from the wider Amazfit wearable setup, especially the Helio armband, while the watch itself symbolized the blend of elite sports tech, branding and personal style that surrounded Kerr’s record run.

Q: What data from his armband could unlock the key to his powerful 150-meter finishing kick?

The most useful armband data would be the metrics that explain how Kerr sustains pace to the bell and then produces a decisive final 150 meters: heart rate, movement quality, stability, muscle load, and broader recovery-readiness signals such as HRV and physiological strain. Amazfit said Kerr wore a custom Project 222 Helio Armband during the record mile, and its body-worn system is designed to capture more than standard wrist data. That matters because a finishing kick is not just about raw speed; it depends on how efficiently an athlete is moving after three hard laps, how much muscular load he is carrying, and whether his body can still recruit force cleanly under fatigue. Heart-rate and strain data could show how close Kerr was to his limit before launching the kick. Movement-quality and stability data could help identify whether his form stayed economical as he accelerated, while muscle-load readings could indicate how much stress his legs were absorbing in the closing stages. If paired with training trends, HRV and recovery data could also help explain why he was able to delay his move until the final 150 meters and still finish powerfully. In practical terms, the key is likely not one number but the combination: cardiovascular load, neuromuscular freshness, and running mechanics. Together, those data points could offer the clearest explanation for the finishing burst that helped carry Kerr to a 3:42.66 world record.

2 articles · Updated · Runner's World · Jul 23

Eight weeks before Josh Kerr’s record mile, Amazfit hired jeweler and former runner David Perry to create a custom Cheetah 2 Pro he could actually race in.
Perry chose a solid 10-carat gold bezel with diamonds for durability, then avoided heat damage to the watch’s electronics by engineering a custom bar-locking system instead of soldering.
The team scanned the watch in 3D, hand-polished the bezel to sit flush on Kerr’s wrist, and laser-engraved “222” on the gold buckle for the seconds needed to beat the previous mark.
Kerr wore the finished watch during Sunday’s 3:42.66 world-record run, tying Perry’s athlete-focused jewelry brand—launched in 2020—directly to the performance.

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Runner's World2h ago

David Perry Designs Custom Gold-Diamond Amazfit Watch for Josh Kerr's Record Mile

Instagram2h ago

Strava or it didn’t happen right @joshhkerr 😉, Not quite splitting it on the line but that data will be there forever from the one of one diamond encrusted @amazfit.global watch ⌚️ , Listen to and ...

Was Josh Kerr's custom gold watch a high-tech tool or the world's fastest fashion statement?

How did a 'nothing special' training philosophy shatter a legendary 27-year-old world record?

What data from his armband could unlock the key to his powerful 150-meter finishing kick?

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2 total

Runner's World2h ago

David Perry Designs Custom Gold-Diamond Amazfit Watch for Josh Kerr's Record Mile

Instagram2h ago

David Perry Builds 10-Carat Gold Amazfit Watch for Josh Kerr's 3:42.66 Record Mile

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