Seiko Launch Prospex Solar Speedtimer 2025 Tokyo World Athletics Championships Limited Edition in Edo Purple

Seiko have a longstanding partnership as the official timekeeper of the World Athletics Championships. As part of that, they release special edition watches in honour of the topflight competition in athletics. With the championships heading to Tokyo this year, in September, you can bet that the most famous brand from Japan isn’t going to miss the chance to celebrate. They’ve released the Prospex Speedtimer 2025 Tokyo World Athletics Championships Limited Edition to do just that.

The new watch is essentially a Japan-themed version of the Prospex Solar Speedtimer European Exclusive from last winter. By that I mean that it features an Edo purple, or Edo-Murasaki, dial – one of the signature colours of Tokyo and the official colour of the 2025 championships. It’s a heritage colour derived from a textile dye and makes for a very attractive lilac display providing great contrast to the black tricompax subdials.

While the case and dial layout is the same as the European Exclusive, measuring 39mm in diameter, the colour actually reminds me more of the ‘Crystal Trophy’ edition. Both have an almost glass-like translucence and gentle quality to their colours. Translucence is actually an intentional quality because, as a Solar Speedtimer, it charges its quartz movement via solar power absorbed through the dial. Specifically, it houses the V192.

There’s a tendency to dismiss solar and quartz watches but they do serve an important role in the watch industry. For one, they’re less susceptible knock and intense movement than delicate mechanical calibres meaning that they’re better suited to the wrists of athletes swinging their arms like crazy people. Though let’s be honest, all athletes are already kitted out in the latest digi-tech to track every possible biometric.

It’s priced at £650. That puts it in direct competition with entry level mechanical watches, which demonstrates the amount of research and development Seiko have put into quartz. It’s also a limited edition of 6,000 pieces, which in practical terms means it may as well not be limited as it outnumbers most watchmakers’ entire production runs.

More details at Seiko.