In 1965, Seiko debuted the 62MAS. It was its very first dive watch and would be prescient of what was to come from the brand in the future. Only a few years later, the Japanese watchmaker came out with the Speedtimer, the industry’s first-ever automatic chronograph to feature a column wheel and vertical clutch in the movement, which made time-telling more accurate. In the ‘70s, during the heyday of auto racing, the Speedtimer became quite beloved, and today, fans clamor for new releases so they can reach their hand back to the past and hope for some magic of nostalgia to rub off. Well, with its latest release, Seiko has delivered one of its most retro-looking Speedtimers yet.
Not a reissue of any watch per se, the Prospex Speedtimer SSC937 certainly looks like it could have been made in 1969. The first thing you’ll notice is the stainless steel bezel that surrounds the sky blue dial — the latter of which appears like it could have faded that way due to age. Matching the period-correct 39mm steel case (the retro-inspired Speedtimers from last year were larger at 41.4mm), the bezel features a racing tachymeter, and it doesn’t call too much attention to itself. As for the dial itself, it sports a tricompax configuration of black subdials, with the seconds hand and the small seconds hand colored orange for accent.
For the movement, the timepiece runs on the solar-powered caliber V192 quartz chronograph, just like the previous six in this series, and allows for more affordability compared to an automatic chronograph. Not just the sun, but other light sources can power up this watch, which boasts a six-month power reserve. If the battery ever does begin to die, the seconds hand will jump in two-second intervals.
Limited to just 3,000 pieces, the Prospex Speedtimer SSC937 is currently available from Seiko’s website for €780 (~$858).
