My dad would have loved the Seiko Prospex Speedtimer.
My dad introduced to me a lifelong love for all things mechanical. He loved cars and he loved watches. My father was a silent, almost taciturn man but the thrum of engines and a second hand moving across a dial would get him into an animated mood, and he could talk for hours on end about the things he loved.
I remember a lot of things about my dad. On his wrist, a 1969 Seiko Speedtimer with a beautiful blue dial which he coincidentally wore for his wedding with mom in 1977. Working for Traders Royal Bank, he would go to Japan often and he got one of these beauties negotiating a credit line. He loved that watch, and it’s somewhere at home, with a beautiful patina from years of love and well worn use.
And now nearly five decades later, I’m wearing its descendant – the Seiko Prospex Speedtimer. It’s rightly considered as one the best sports watches in the Philippines.
From Past To Present, The Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Always Delivers
The 1969 Speedtimer my dad wore was a special watch. It was one of the first ever automatic mechanical chronographs. Fitted with a Seiko Caliber 6139, it features an innovative vertical clutch and column wheel for accurate and precise timekeeping. It is considered the first automatic mechanical chronograph to be made available to the public.
This horological DNA has been refined over the ages to produce the latest generation of watches. Now under the Prospex line, the Seiko Prospex Speedtimer is a worthy addition to that unique and powerful heritage of the original watch.
And because of unique features and design, the Seiko Prospex Speedtimer is one of the most beloved Seiko sports watches in the Philippines. And now they released a new line that would impress even the most discerning of enthusiasts, even my dad.
The Seiko Prospex Speedtimer SSC911P1
- Movement: V192 Solar
- Power Reserve: Approximately 6 months (when fully charged)
- Precision: ±15 seconds per month
- Case: 41.4mm stainless steel
- Crystal: Curved sapphire crystal
- Clasp: Three-fold clasp with push button release
- Water Resistance: 10 Bar
- Functions: Chronograph, Tachymeter bezel
When I saw this I immediately thought my dad would have wanted this watch. He drove around a 1994 silver Mazda Miata which he drove around with gusto. This silver dial and stainless steel case almost fits that car to a tee, with the subdials looking like
This Seiko Prospex Speedtimers is an excellent chronograph. The extra toggles act as the controller for the chronograph function. With this you can time your laps if ever you find yourself in a racing circuit. That sweet V192 chronograph movement under curved sapphire crystal is such a beautiful thing to see.
The Seiko Prospex Speedtimer SPB513J1
- Movement: 6R55 Automatic with Manual Winding
- Power Reserve: Approximately 72 hours (3 days)
- Precision: +25 to -15 seconds per day
- Case: 39.5mm stainless steel with super hard coating
- Crystal: Curved sapphire crystal
- Clasp: Three-fold clasp with push button release
- Water Resistance: 20 Bar
- Functions: Stop second hand function
The alter-ego of the first watch is actually more my speed. Go figure as a family man I drive a white 2019 Innova. It’s surprisingly fast for what it is but it’s still a minivan.
I love the off-white dial of the Seiko Prospex Speedtimer SPB513J1 though. I can wear this while going to the kids’ PTA sessions and it would look perfectly okay with my chinos and polo shirt.
It has the same rotating bezel as the first watch which I unironically use to track the laps for my youngest’s swim meets. The 10 bar water resistance comes in handy when I fish her out of the water.
The Seiko Prospex Speedtimer SRQ055J1
- Movement: 8R48 Automatic with Manual Winding
- Power Reserve: Approximately 45 hours
- Precision: +25 to -15 seconds per day
- Case: 42.0mm stainless steel with super hard coating
- Crystal: Dual-curved sapphire crystal
- Clasp: Three-fold clasp with push button release
- Water Resistance: 10 Bar
- Functions: Stop second hand function, chronograph with 30 minutes & 12 hours, date display
We all have our grail watches, and conversely, our grail cars. I’ve always wanted a metallic gray Toyota Yaris GR and to match that pocket rocket, I want a full on mechanical chronograph.
The Seiko Prospex Speedtimer SRQ055J1 fits the bill so much. It has to be one of the sought after Seiko chronographs in the Philippines. Look at the gorgeous black on black dial and subdial combo. The extended pushers just give this chronograph watch so much presence.
I’m thinking about how smooth that sweep would be when I reset the stopwatch function. I’ll be playing with this all day, maybe as I dream of driving my future GR on the twisty lanes of Talisay en route to Taal.
And what’s more, it has this nifty double-curved sapphire. A lot of us know that sapphire is for scratch resistance but when it’s dual-curved the clarity is absolutely stunning and the curvature lets you play with the light. It’s one of the absolute best Seiko racing watches.
We All Have That Need For Speed
I guess what my dad really taught me was this love of fine craftsmanship. Whether it was really fast cars or a watch that’s built for the racers, all of these are marvels of engineering and technical know-how. The need for speed is answered by the finely tuned movement of gears to create stunning works of art.
In the end, the Seiko Prospex Speedtimer is exactly the type of watch both my dad and I would wear. Extremely well built and that unmistakable racing pedigree gets my blood going. It’s that strange alchemy of having a watch built for the fast lane that makes it so irresistible.
And what’s more, you can buy an authentic Seiko Prospex in the Philippines. Later at the end of the year, I’m headed over to my favorite Seiko Philippines Boutique to get my grail watch. It’s something I want to do because I really love that watch and because of what it would have meant for my father.
If you’re feeling the need for speed give this Seiko Prospex Speedtimer a try. You won’t regret it.
