Tuesday, November 9, 2021

The Speedtimer is back, and better than ever

 

I would love to know what Seiko is feeding their design and development team because they just keep smashing it out of the park and they don’t show any signs of slowing down. Possibly the coolest release from Seiko this year, and maybe even the best Seiko chronograph in their current line up. An homage to their classic 1969 Speedtimer, amongst other things, the design feels familiar but still very Seiko. 

Sitting them in a line up the first thing that stands out is the range of varying dial designs, all drawing inspiration from different generations of sport chronographs - they represent the journey of chronograph design through the ages. The first is the sandy coloured tan dial with matching bezel, drawing inspiration from the classic chronograph era from the 1930’s-1950’s, really the first generation of sports chronographs. The second is the navy blue and red dial and bezel combination reminiscent of the more bold and vibrant designs from the late 1960’s to 1980’s and draws direct inspiration from the first Speedtimer released in 1969. The third is the uniform black dial and bezel design which is timeless, but was very popular from the 1990’s until now. The fourth is the classic modern look chronograph with a black and white ‘panda’ dial which draws a rather obvious influence from a particular, unnamed, popular chronograph. 

At a glance this watch might just look like a regular quartz watch ticking away, but Seiko have cleverly integrated their solar technology into the sub dials; opening up a world of dial design opportunities which Seiko have definitely made use of with 4 options from this release. The watch is fitted with a Seiko calibre V192 which includes a chronograph, date function, 24 hour hand and has a power reserve of 6 months after being fully charged up. 

One of my favourite things about this watch isn’t even the watch itself but the metal strap it comes on. Usually reserved for the dressier "Presage" models, this metal strap is iconic for being one of Seiko’s best bracelet designs. With solid links and a three-fold clasp with push button release reminiscent of more expensive Swiss watches.

These chronographs stay true to their modern sport watch design inspiration with a smaller case size over their other chronographs, coming in at a compact 39mm. 

There has already been a massive buzz about the release of these watches online with many who were unsure about Seiko before, jumping on this model because of how attractive of a deal this is for only $1050. We have one of each of these model's in stock, buy one, buy them all - you won't be disappointed. 

39mm stainless steel case, curved sapphire crystal, V192 Solar movement, Chronograph function, Date function, 24 hour hand, 6 month power reserve, 100m water resistance, 5 year warranty. 

SSC813P White
SSC817P Tan
SSC815P Blue
SSC819P Black

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