Seiko’s Solar Speedtimer Chronograph has been dressed in many colourways in recent years from the stealthy Night Vision to the gulf-esque European Exclusive limited edition. Now, three new editions have joined the collection, each with a unique racing theme. The three new references are the ‘Circuit Race’ SSC941P1, ‘Grand Touring’ SSC939P1 and ‘Racing Sports’ SSC943P1.
Seiko Prospex Solar Speedtimer Chronograph ‘Circuit Race’ SSC941P1, £620
First up is the ‘Circuit Race’, which features a black dial, white minute scale and gold coloured accents across both the dial and 41.4mm steel case. It makes for a very serious aesthetic with a hint of luxury, perfect for the world of circuit racing. Circuits, whether dedicated tracks or on the road, make for some of the most intense motorsport action with drivers in a constant fight to maintain position and climb the rankings. They also draw some of the biggest crowds and prestige, which makes the gold elements of the ‘Circuit Race’ feel appropriate.
Seiko Prospex Solar Speedtimer Chronograph ‘Grand Touring’ SSC939P1, £600
The second of the new Seiko Prospex Solar Speedtimer Chronographs is the ‘Grand Touring’. Grand Tours are not typically competitive races, but more endurance challenges undertaken in the name of holiday – extended road trips across central Europe often leading from France to Italy. While you might not need a chronograph to time the tight laps of a race, they can still prove useful to keep track of your progress each day. This model has an anthracite grey dial with a blue tachymeter bezel, giving it a lighter tone. It reminds me of the Rado Captain Cook Plasma.
Seiko Prospex Solar Speedtimer Chronograph ‘Racing Sports’ SSC943P1, £590
Completing the trio is the ‘Racing Sports’ edition, which is certainly the most distinctive of three. It has an ivory tone dial with black subdials, giving it a panda style display, which has been paired with a dark green aluminium bezel. The addition of green is an intriguing curveball on what would otherwise be a very traditional chronograph colourway. Instead, the result reminds me of vintage Jaguar E-Types in British Racing Green with cream leather interiors. Which is appropriate because that is a classic racing sports car and this is the ‘Racing Sports’ Speedtimer.
Beyond the individual colourways, the three watches are otherwise identical. They’re all made from stainless steel with 100m water resistance ratings. Also, they all house the same movement, the V192 solar chronograph calibre. Being solar means that it’s a quartz movement with a battery charged by light, typically absorbed through the dial. It’s equipped with central hours and minutes and chronograph seconds, a small seconds subdial, a 30-minute timer, a 24-hour timer, a date window and a power reserve indicator.
As for price, the Seiko Prospex Solar Speedtimer Chronograph ‘Racing Sports’ is the most accessible at £590 as it’s presented on a perforated leather racing strap. The ‘Grand Tourer’ on bracelet is then £600 and the ‘Circuit Racer’ with its bracelet and additional golden colouring is £620. That might seem like a lot for a non-mechanical watch but Seiko are global industry leaders when it comes to solar and quartz movements so it’s understandable. Let us know which is your favourite in the comments!
Price and Specs:
More details at Seiko Boutique.
