The new Seiko Prospex Speedtimer SRQ043 has landed!
I don’t know about you but I can already hear the sound of the starter gun going off. And that should signal the beginning of a queue for the new-for-2022 Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Mechanical Chronograph SRQ043.
Seiko’s latest chrono is meant to pay homage to the brand’s 1969 Speedtimer (below) which, depending on who you ask, is one of the world’s first automatic chronographs. More significantly however, was what was inside. The Calibre 6139 incorporated a column wheel and vertical clutch in its construction which made measuring elapsed time more precise.
That combination just so happened to be the first of its kind when it made its debut so, yeah. Big frackin’ deal it was. Now, on to the 2022 model.
“Let’s have the SRQ043’s tech specs first.”
Inside beats the Calibre 8R46. The 34-jeweled automatic movement beats at 4 Hz and possesses a power reserve of 45 hours. Like the original which inspired it, a vertical clutch-column wheel construction is also featured here.
The movement is cased within a 42.5 mm stainless steel case that stands at 15.1 mm. Lug-to-lug distance is 50 mm while the lug width is 20 mm. A dual-curved sapphire crystal with AR coating on the inner side and an exhibition caseback is present. As for the bracelet, a stainless steel unit with trifold clasp and push-button release comes alongside an extra calf leather strap. As for water resistance, that stands at 100 m.
“And how does it look?”
Even though I’m not a fan of chronographs, I’ll admit that this one looks… Purposeful. The dial features vertical hairline brushing which allows the blue to change shades depending on the viewing angle. Seiko has made the sub-dials and markers white while the chronograph hand is in a bright shade of crimson in order to enhance legibility.
And if you think that’s not enough, the red chronograph hand is also curved to hit as close as possible to the markers and tachymeter markings. Elsewhere, the minute and hour hands are coated in LumiBrite for improved low-light legibility while the pushers are thicc with a capital F.
“So, how much for SRQ043?”
I won’t lie, it’s a bit on the pricey side but if you’re serious about your chronographs, this is an equally serious bit of kit. The Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Mechanical Chronograph SRQ043 carries an approximate price tag of RM14,500 and is set to hit shelves in Malaysia this month.
