Solar is the only way to go with a quartz chronograph - no need to worry about draining the battery prematurely by actually using the chronograph function, and no need to do a "system reset" after changing the battery!
I’m wearing mine while I watch this. It arrived yesterday and I love it. It’s the first time I paid retail for a Seiko, but they are currently hard to find in the U.S. fits perfectly on my smaller 6.25 wrist.
I feel for ya. I woke up 3 weeks ago half blind and it's been a round of tests and pokes since then. Good luck and good health to you. When we are not at our best it puts all else into perspective.
I look at these watches more as pandas than Daytona homages. Tissot has one; when I look at it, the furthest thing from my mind is the Daytona. I am not sure if I am the only one to feel this way but I am getting the impression that the homages to the big ones are now as credible as the originals. They look good and offer a lot of value for the money.
Damn it, that must be one of your best t-shirts ever. I love the story about that "restored" mural painting. Besides from a few flaws you pointed out, that's a nice Seiko, especially if you manage to get a decent deal on it.
Bought the golden dial one last week for a few hundred AUD under retail. Is it still overpriced? Yes. Are there QC issues? Obviously. Do I love it? Absolutely!
Jody, I appreciate you evaluating this watch on its own terms. There is nothing unique or original about a Daytona, so it’s weird that people keep claiming different watches are an homage to it. This Seiko looks great, and I bet it will be spectacular on a leather strap.
Heuer Autavia came out before the Daytona, chronograph, reverse panda dial, three subdials in same layout as the Daytona, thick black bezel, double pushers in same layout as the Daytona...So, If anything, the Daytona and this Seiko took inspiration from the Autavia.
Hi Jody, I have put the cart before the horse in this instance, as I just received this very watch for Father's day '22 - so now I am watching your unboxing and mini-review. Well when discussing my watches, I made the point that I had never pulled the trigger on a white faced watch, and as my daughter and son-in-law knew my penchant for Seiko. Thanks for the great review, I mostly own diver's but this seems to be a lovely addition to the collection; and thanks for all the crystal clear macro images. Cheers mate.
I like it, and this likely will be both the solar and panda I eventually add to my collection. That said, like with most Seikos, I'm more than willing to put this one off for maybe 1-2 years, and then hope to grab one for half of MSRP like I've done with others.
Those proportions look even better than the Daytona. The clasp looks similar to the unwearable Alpinist one but doesn't seem to stick out as badly on this bracelet. I wonder if I could change it. Hmm
What's Seiko doing attaching the Speedtimer name to a quartz chronograph? The Speedtimers were Seiko 5s and were the first automatic chronographs, even before the El Primero. Way to dilute a name that has great marketability, Seiko.
There’s always some freaking Seiko keeping me awake at night, and this is the current reason for my lack of sleep! I just won’t be happy until I have one!
Not ceramic...no matter. Sweet watch, great on the wrist, works with a variety of bands both rubber (currently) and leather. It one of the nicest gifts I've ever received.
I have one and I absolutely love it. I would love it more if it was an automatic but you honestly barely realize that it's a solar. Still super cool tech for a chronograph, never have to worry about how much you run the chrono.
You are my hero Jody AND you take requests!! Great review, so quickly after release. My July 1983 Seiko 7A28-7039 that I purchased new, is apparently safe for holding my Seiko chronograph affections. 😀🙏
Jody, I paid $1,050 for the blue dial with a couple of red hands. I think the bezel is plastic. Knowing Seiko it would cost me $1,500 for ceramic. What do you reckon?😄
I think the Seiko solar chronographs are my favourite watch movement (or maybe second after the Sea-Gull ST19). They are super cheap, absolutely bulletproof and they work really well. I've had many, many Seiko solar chronos, and despite having some nice watches up and down the price range, my SSC009 is actually what I wear 2/3 of the time. It has never let me down in the 7 years I had it.
It's almost like they took a couple of good bits from the recent mechanical chronos they released and brought it down to the affordable range and injected the solar movement instead. Not bad. Not bad Seiko. Have no issue with quartz chronos, especially those hybrid VK ones that give it a mechanical-esc sweep
Nice watch! I don't think Rolex has 'dibs' on the colorway, BTW. My chief complaint is that Seiko is pricing their watches at a higher level than their products warrant. A very similar colorway for less capital is a Bulova Precisionist. A larger watch for sure but in my estimation you get more watch for less money. I'll move a box or two and see about posting a photo of that one.
Thanks Jody, FYI, your video cut before you said finished saying goodbye! Somebody else probably mentioned it already but I dont see it. Cheers from the Caribbean!
I broke down and bought the SBDL089 gold dial version from Seiya Japan. Can’t wait to get it. It’s only 499 with the Black Friday discount. Can’t wait!!
I really like that, would make an excellent beater looks like it fits well. Interesting as I am waiting on the arrival of the Mitch Mason Maelstrom. I guess we like what we like.
I have about 35 analog chronographs (and a mechanical stopwatch collection). What I do not like about my Japanese chronographs (Citizen, Seiko, Casio and newer Bulova) is their 60 minute sub-dials. I have pretty good close-up vision, but 60 divisions are too many on a sub-dial. My Glycine, Timex and older Bulova chronographs have 30 minute sub-dials, which are much easier to read.
@@louiscyfer6944 Bulova is one of my favorite brands, however, they have made so many models that it is hard for me to keep track of them all. What is the model number of your Bulova?
@@louiscyfer6944 From the pictures I found, the 97B122 is a Precisionist Chronograph, like my 96B183, 96B260 and 96B270. These all have 60 minute sub-dials. Bulova could have used a 30 minute sub-dial without losing any functionality, since the watches have a 12 hour sub-dial. Even if a chronograph does not have an hour sub-dial, I still prefer a 30 minute sub-dial for the readability.
I like that one a lot, see what you mean about the minutes hand but overall it’s a winner I think. Might be tempted to go for the Pagani though if I was after that look.
I just got this watch and was Stunned!! by how small it is!! The smallest watch in my entire watch collection. I am so used to large dive watches, the SPB143 is larger than this Seiko.
What a disgusting T-shirt. That was an unauthorized restoration of a painting in a church in Spain (Borja) by an elderly woman ... apart from the crime committed is a kind of laughing off the woman. For sure Jody did not know all this.
Just bought one with a 25% discount. The solar cells are kind of cool actually and make for a talking point, which is always nice in a watch. The repurposing of a sub dial as a battery Meter is a great touch. Shame the 24hr dial is not a second time zone, that would be peachy! It wears very similar in size and weight to a Rolex seadweller 16600. Nice review
@@SaSpursFan From Salera's jewllers, Melbourne, Aus. I still love the watch. And i am one for flipping sub $1000 watches all the time. This one is just so comfortable on wrist, honestly looks a million dollars and looks great next to watches many times its price. i'll be keeping this one
I have the sand colored version of this. Couldn't find the Panda, doesn't matter, I like it. Some folks have bitched about the bracelet not matching the watch but it really doesn't bother me at all.
I mean it’s obvious why everyone talks about this panda version, but for me, people are missing out. The blue dial one, SSC815P1, is the one to get. Legibility looks great, with the same hands but a blue background. But yeah, waiting on a deal. ~700€ is a bit much, especially when you compare it to a full titanium, radio controlled citizen for 500.
What's the point of a 24-hour sub dial indicator that doesn't corelate with the chronograph? Some sort of AM/PM indicator if you live on a submarine or north pole I presume.
For the price, as someone who has the wrist for it, I’d far rather have the Bulova Lunar Pilot. More consistent styling, some history, signed crown and buckle, etc.
This, although the sizing on this one does fit more wrists than the Lunar Pilot does (although I own one, and at 7" it fits me fine). Also keep in mind the Lunar Pilot does go on deep sale lots of times (I got mine at about 50% off), and personally my plan is to also get this Seiko, but not until hype dies and it can be had for about half off as well.
Looks like a missed opportunity to me. Seiko could have knocked it out of the park here with just a little more thought/effort/care. I've been a huge Seiko-phile for years but recently they seem to have been afflicted by "That'll do" syndrome. The little details that make all the difference are just left as "that'll do". Such a shame
Please review Seiko Men's SPC129P1 Neo Classic Alarm Perpetual Chronograph White Dial Brown Leather Watch. It's been the most accurate quartz I've owned yet.
This T-shirt made my day... ha,ha,ha!! A real tale happened in my country some years before the original Jesus Christ painting was called "Ecce Homo" and the devoted parishioner called Cecilia tried to restore the artwork. There's the result! Nice Seiko as well! Saludos!!!
I got so close to buying this one. I went in and was ready to pre-order it. None of the ADs seemed at all interested. Only one even called me back to let me know that it is available. Since this was announced, LeJour released the LeMans LM 009 in a color way I had been dreaming of for years and years. It is twice as pricey but it beats this in every single way. I am so glad I went the way I did but I am sure this will sell well to the masses. Jody, thanks as always for the great review.
Thanks for this, Jody. I had high hopes for this one, but why does Seiko insist on that 24h register?? It's pretty easy to tell if it's night usually. Even my cheapo Timex explorer has a tenths dial. (And having that bottom dial over on full/empty is a cool option, but if it always sits there when the chrono is off, ugh!) Next! 👍
I live in Spain, where the Monkey Christ' is a well known image. As soon as I saw the the t-shirt the phrase' if you are not qualified, don't even start.' rung in my head. So I put down the watch I was about to dismantle and asked Helen to hide the watch makers tools. My retro Oris thanks you from the bottom of it's mechanical heart!
2 years later, Amazon has it for $450 (US). I got mine with gold face for $350 (US) delivered. I replaced the bracelet with a two-tone jubilee-style Seiko(SGF650). It had to be customized to match the lugs.
Hey Jody. Thanks for another great review. You state that you think the bezel on the SSC813 is ceramic. I am quite confused on this specification as I've heard varying opinions from other reviewes stating that they thought it to be stainless steel or aluminium. Which is correct and how can we confirm? Your thoughts on this are appreciated. Thank you again. 😎
So I’m supposed to shell out 500 quid on a watch with a mismatched bracelet? I suspect I am completely biased about Seiko, but at these prices they simply aren’t good enough.
I don't mind Solar - in fact I made the decision that I'm willing to buy a quartz if it's solar more than if it's battery. I don't particularly mind the slight purple tinge of the complications. What I'd ask is why the white isn't a solar cell. I bought a white Citizen Eco-Drive watch, and the white solar cell dial isn't just okay, it's *beautiful*. It looks like the dial is made of white mother-of-pearl.
I think the SBTR0027 is a better looking Daytona homage, though it is not solar (I don't know why Seiko doesn't make the main face on the SBTR0027 a solar panel). The SSC813 looks nice but seems a bit overpriced when you look closer.
