Introducing: The Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph SSC955 With A Surprisingly Beautiful Dial
Seiko’s Speedtimer series is the Japanese brand’s chronograph collection that celebrates retro looks with modern technology. The series is part of the Prospex collection and has slowly grown in recent years. It consists of several impressive mechanical chronographs as well as multiple solar-powered models. I have had a chance to go hands-on with several of these watches, and they’ve impressed me every time. For the latest Speedtimer Solar Chronograph model, Seiko has a deceivingly beautiful trick up its sleeve. The new SSC955 was created for this year’s World Athletics Championships and features a lovely soft purple dial. It’s time to find out more.
Seiko’s Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph series includes two base silhouettes, making for an attractive lineup. The first is a range of bigger 41.4mm chronographs, while the second is a string of smaller 39mm models. This new Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph SSC955 is one of the latter. This watch celebrates the 2025 World Athletics Championships, which will take place in Tokyo from the 13th to the 21st of September.
The story of the Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph SSC955
For the occasion, Seiko created a special light purple dial. The color was inspired by “Edo purple,” a color cherished in the ancient city that would become modern-day Tokyo. As a nod to Tokyo’s historical Edo name, the soft purple was chosen as the official color of the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25. It’s a beautiful shade that I surprisingly adored, and it quickly made this watch one of my favorites in the series.
Let’s go over some details to get an idea. The SSC955 features a 39mm stainless steel case with a 13.3mm thickness, a 45.5mm lug-to-lug, and a 100m water resistance rating. It has circular-brushed top surfaces and a highly polished case band. Topping the case is a fixed black hard-coated steel bezel with an engraved tachymeter scale and contrasting white markings. On the right side of the case, you will find the well-proportioned crown and pushers. Seiko has paired the case with a three-row stainless steel bracelet with polished center links and brushed outer links.
The dial is a beautiful nod to Tokyo
But the true star of the show is the new soft purple dial. It features faceted black indexes, a black logo, and black markings for the minutes and elapsed seconds. The indexes at the cardinal points are different in size, and each has an application of Lumibrite. Fittingly, the dial is matched with matte black sword-style hands with white Lumibrite to ensure you can read the time in the dark. The three sub-dials also look nice, with their dark, eggplant-like tone and white hands. The registers hold the solar cells to charge the watch and have transparent discs with white printing on top of them.
As I explained in previous reviews, the register at 9 o’clock is for the running seconds, whereas the one at 3 o’clock serves as a 24-hour (AM/PM) indicator. Lastly, the register at 6 o’clock is the 60-minute chronograph register. It also serves as a power reserve indicator, with an “E” for empty and an “F” for fully charged. Overall, I love this new color scheme. I adore the gentleness of the colors, and the combination of a soft and darker purple works super well.
I also love that Seiko made the bezel black rather than keeping it natural stainless steel. It adds another layer of visual richness to the watch. One thing I would have changed, however, is the color of the date disc. As you can see, Seiko used a white date disc with black printing. The date disc sits relatively deep down the aperture, so it doesn’t stand out much, but it would’ve been nice if the date disc had matched the dial color.
The solar-powered V192 movement
If you turn the watch around, you will see the special commemorative case back with the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 logo. On top of that, it bears a unique LE number out of 6,000 pieces that Seiko will produce. Hidden behind the case back is the brand’s solar-powered V192 movement. The caliber has a power reserve of six months on a full charge and is accurate to ±15 seconds per month.
If the watch is almost at the end of its charge, the seconds hand will begin to jump in two-second intervals. A smart feature of the V192 caliber is that the solar cells can use any light source to store energy and power the watch. This results in a worry-free daily wearer.
Wearing the Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph SSC955
On the wrist, the watch left a lasting impression. The nice size, proportions, and color scheme made it a watch I won’t easily forget. Honestly, I am usually not the biggest fan of light purple and find it somewhat odd. However, this specific purple makes the dial almost look like a soft white tone from certain angles. It makes the SSC995 stand out compared to other purple-dial watches. Also, operating the chronograph is fun. The pushers start, stop, and reset the chronograph with firm, reassuring clicks, making this feel like a very well-made watch.
Additionally, the mirror-polished center links in the bracelet give the watch some added visual pizzazz. Admittedly, I am not the biggest fan of the large contrast between center and outer links, but here, it works well. Because the overall aesthetic is rather soft, the polished middle row pops nicely without being too loud. The watch wears well and feels sturdy and rugged. Additionally, the bracelet and the clasp feel well constructed, making this a very nice daily wearer.
Final thoughts on the Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph SSC955
Overall, I loved spending time with the new Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph SSC955. Although it was short, it was most definitely sweet. Even if you are not a fan of the World Athletics Championships, this watch is worth checking out. Since there is no specific event-related branding except on the case back, this could make for a go-to watch for anyone. But if you are a fan of the World Athletics Championships, that’s even better.
The new Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph SSC955 will be available starting in August for €770. Considering what you get for the money, I think it’s a great deal. If your love for watches isn’t limited to mechanical ones, this new SSC955 could make for a great, affordable daily watch. With the special dial color, it is somewhat of an acquired taste, but I somehow feel that Seiko will sell all 6,000 pieces of this new limited edition in no time.
