Prospex Speedtimer Chronograph Mechanical Grey Ref. SBEC009

Alongside Seiko’s rich and ever-growing sporting heritage in the field of professional diving most of us are vastly familiar with throughout the Prospex collection, producing high-precision timing instruments has also been a forte for the Japanese brand as one of the earliest brands to produce an automatic chronograph in the watchmaking industry. That being said, Seiko introduces a series of six new stunning chronographs models to the Prospex line up, consisting of two mechanical models and four stunning solar-powered models that joins the collection.

Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Chronograph Mechanical Grey Ref. SBEC009 / SRQ037

Inheriting a design inspired from some of Seiko’s most historical chronograps including the 1964 Crown Chronograph, Seiko’s and Japan’s first chronograph wristwatch, and the 1969 Seiko Speedtimer chronograph which was powered by the innovative in-house Cal. 6139 automatic chronograph movement, these new releases alluringly revisits Seiko’s prodigious tradition in sports timing while flexing their modern watchmaking expertise in producing some really good-looking, yet performance-oriented chronographs — Seiko definitely hit a home run with this one.

Seiko set a stage for themselves on a international level with the endorsement of their incredibly accurate time-measuring equipments by sports federations worldwide in many of the world’s leading sports events, this success was made possible with the incorporation of Seiko’s “heart-shaped cam” mechanism, a revolutionary development which delivered a level of precision once thought unachievable by manual sports timing devices. Following the release of the 1964 Crown Chronograph during the Summer Olympics, in May 1969, Seiko launched the Seiko Speedtimer, the world’s first mass-produced automatic chronograph timepiece driven by a column wheel and vertical clutch, an especially favored feature that became widespread in today’s scene of high-end chronograph watches. These were phenomenal watches that allowed Seiko to be established as one of the leaders in wristwatch chronograph technology, and these series of newly-released models certainly pays a strong tribute to the mighty performance and visual beauty of their eminent forefathers. 

Seiko Calibre 8R46 with (MEMS) technology

Constructed out of 316L stainless steel, the Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Chronograph Mechanical Grey Ref. SBEC009 is presented in a well-built case with a rounded geometry alongside a set of compact and slender lugs that provide a comfortable fit on the wrist. Measuring in with a case diameter of 42.5mm, a thickness of 15.1mm and a lug to lug distance of 45.5mm, the watch pops with a ton of character with its bold sporty appearance. As expected from Seiko, finishing is executed immaculately, displaying an entirely brushed case contrasted with a brilliant highly-polished bezel. To further enhance scratch resistance, the case is treated with Seiko’s proprietary super-hard coating, preserving the sleek beauty of the fine case finishes.

The Prospex Speedtimer Chronograph Mechanical Grey Ref. SBEC009 takes on a different visual style compared its white dial limited edition counterpart with a spectacular radial brushed charcoal grey dial inspired by the 1964 Seiko Crown Chronograph, Seiko’s and Japan’s first ever chronograph wristwatch, which marked the brand’s journey in manufacturing chronographs. Featuring beveled hour markers and sharp Lumibrite-filled alpha-style handsets, the dial closely resembles the distinctive elements on the original while incorporating it in an elegant bi-compax layout. The dial exhibits a pleasing symmetry with an overall balanced layout, featuring a 30-minute counter at the 9 o’clock subdial, a running seconds subdial at the 3 o’clock position and a well-positioned date window at the 6 o’clock position. 

Constructed out of 316L stainless steel with bi-compax layout dial

Encompassed by a sloped black rehault for the tachymeter scale, the dial adopts a particularly dressy approach while leveraging on historical prominence of the 1964 Crown Chronograph. Regardless, functionality is not compromised with the tip of the chronograph second hand gently curving down towards the dial to be as close as possible to the dial’s markers, ensuring time can be read accurately at a glance. The dial is then complete with a dual-curved sapphire glass with anti-reflective coating on the underside.

At the heart of the Speedtimer Chronograph Mechanical Grey Ref. SBEC009 lies Seiko’s latest and most advanced automatic chronograph caliber introduced in their 8R series of movements — the Seiko in-house Cal. 8R46. Featuring all the hallmarks of the Cal. 8R48 such as a vertical clutch and a column wheel for the highest levels of precision. The 8R46 movement’s performance is enhanced by the use of micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) technology to produce the escapement, resulting in an improved stability for the watch’s mechanical precision. Beating at a rate of 28,800 beats per hour (BPH), the movement houses an astonishing 34 jewels and a capable power reserve of approximately 45 hours. As a result of this new caliber, operation of the pump chronograph pushers feels incredibly gratifying with crisp and defined actuations.

Seiko's LumiBrite luminous

The movement is showcased with a sapphire exhibition caseback, revealing a beautiful striped finish on the self-winding rotor. Despite not being a dive watch, the watch is well-equipped with a substantial 100m of water resistance, providing protection from light water splashes in everyday use. The watch comes delivered on a 20mm solid 3-link style stainless steel bracelet in a finely brushed finish, secured on the wrist with a push-button milled deployant clasp that rests flush on the wrist.

This phenomenal new release by Seiko certainly takes a vintage Seiko classic to a whole new level with a whole range of impressive modern upgrades both in terms of visual style and mechanical performance. Showcasing a stunning new chronograph caliber and a fresh contemporary form factor, the Speedtimer Chronograph Mechanical Grey Ref. SBEC009 truly captures the essence of one of Seiko's most outstanding chronographs that made its mark on the history books of horology. 

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