Alright, so today I wanted to talk about this Seiko Prospex Speedtimer I got my hands on. It wasn’t like I just woke up one day and decided, “Yeah, a Speedtimer!” Nah, it was more of a slow burn, you know?
How It All Started
I’d been seeing bits and pieces about these re-issues online, mostly pictures at first. Some folks were raving, others were kinda on the fence. Me? I was just browsing, not really looking to buy. My collection, if you can call it that, is a bit of a mishmash. Nothing too fancy, just stuff I liked the look of, or that had a bit of a story I guess.
But this Speedtimer thing, it kept popping up. The “panda” dial, mostly. It looked sharp, I’ll give it that. I remember thinking, “Okay, that’s a good-looking watch.” But then I’d see the price, and I’d think, “Hmm, okay, maybe later.” You know how it is. You’ve got other things going on, other shiny objects catching your eye.
The Nudge
What really pushed me over the edge was actually a chat with a buddy. He’s not even a huge watch guy, but he’d picked up one of the solar Speedtimers, the smaller ones. He was going on about how practical it was, solar-powered, good size. And I thought, “You know, he’s got a point.” I wasn’t keen on another battery watch myself, been there, done that, felt like a bit of a dead end for me personally. I wanted something with a bit more… I dunno, mechanical soul, if that makes sense without sounding too pretentious.
So, I started digging a bit deeper into the automatic versions, the SRQ series. Yeah, pricier. Way pricier. That was a bit of a gulp moment. I spent a good few weeks just looking at pictures, reading what little real-people reviews I could find, not the glossy magazine stuff. Most of it was just specs, specs, specs. I wanted to know how it felt, how it wore.
Making the Move
Pulling the trigger was a whole process. I actually went to a couple of local shops. One didn’t have it, said it was “hard to get.” The other had one, but it was the blue one, and my heart was kinda set on the white dial, the SSC813P1 look-alike but automatic, you know, the SRQ037. They tried to sell me on the blue, real hard. “It’s more unique!” they said. Maybe. But it wasn’t what I had in my head.
I ended up finding one through a dealer I’d bought from once before, online. Took a bit of back and forth, checking stock, then the usual waiting game for shipping. That’s always the worst part, right? The waiting.
Unboxing and First Impressions
When it finally arrived, I was actually a bit nervous. You build something up in your head, and then you worry it won’t match up. The box was standard Seiko Prospex stuff, nothing too over the top. Pulled it out. First thought? Hefty. It’s got some weight to it, not in a bad way, just… substantial. The bracelet felt pretty good, better than some other Seikos I’ve handled in this sort of price bracket. Not amazing, but solid. The clasp, though, that’s always a Seiko thing, isn’t it? Functional, but not exactly luxury.
The dial, though. Man, that dial. It really is something in person. The texture, the way the light hits the subdials. That’s where the money is, I reckon. The pushers for the chronograph had a nice, crisp click. No mushiness, which was a relief. I started it, stopped it, reset it, probably a dozen times in the first hour. Just because.
Living With It
So, I’ve been wearing it pretty regularly for a while now. What’s the verdict from actually, you know, living with it?
- The size: It’s listed as 42.5mm, which sounds big, and it is. But the lug-to-lug is manageable, so it doesn’t wear like a dinner plate, at least not on my wrist. Still, it’s no shrinking violet. You know it’s there.
- The crystal: Sapphire, curved. Good visibility, not too many reflections, which is nice.
- The movement: The 8R46. It’s been keeping good time. The chronograph function is smooth. I don’t use the chronograph much, if I’m being honest. Who does, really, on a daily basis? But it’s cool to know it’s there, and it works well. It’s like having a sports car, you don’t always redline it, but you like knowing you can.
- The bracelet again: Yeah, it’s decent. Comfortable enough. But I’ve been tempted to try it on a strap. Think it might look pretty killer on some nice leather. That’s a project for another day.
- The “Speedtimer” legacy: I like that it connects back to Seiko’s history. It’s not just some random design they cooked up. There’s a lineage there, and I appreciate that.
One thing that surprised me was how many comments it doesn’t get. And I mean that in a good way. It’s not flashy. It’s kind of an “if you know, you know” watch. People who are into watches might spot it, give a nod. Otherwise, it just looks like a nice, sporty watch. I prefer that. I’m not wearing it for anyone else.
My only real niggle? Maybe the date window. It’s kinda tucked away there at 6 o’clock. Legible enough, but a bit small for my aging eyes sometimes. But that’s a minor thing, really. And the thickness. It’s a chunky boy. Sits high on the wrist. You gotta be okay with that. It’s not sliding under any tight cuffs, let me tell you.
So, Yeah…
Overall, I’m pretty happy with this whole Speedtimer adventure. It was a considered purchase, not an impulse buy, and I think that makes a difference. It filled a gap I didn’t really know I had. It’s robust, looks good (to me, anyway), and has that mechanical heart I was after. It’s not perfect, no watch is. But it’s a solid piece, and it feels like it’ll be with me for a good long while. It’s funny, you start out just looking, and then you get sucked in. This watch journey, it’s always taking you to unexpected places, isn’t it?
