When it comes to vintage Seiko watches, few references inspire the kind of feverish following as the 6138-8020, better known as the "Panda." Introduced in the early 1970s, the watch was powered by Seiko's bulletproof 6138 automatic chronograph movement and featured a highly attractive panda-style dial comprised of chronograph registers at 12 and 6 in dark blue against an off-white backdrop with an inner tachymeter color-matched to the registers. The watch has become highly collectible thanks to its agreeable looks, modern 40mm case size and reliable performance.
Now, Seiko is again tapping its extensive legacy as part of its ongoing 100th-anniversary celebrations by releasing a pair of new Prospex Speedtimer Mechanical Chronographs directly inspired by the '70s-era Panda. The new watches come in two flavors, a traditional panda (SRQ047) and a reverse panda (SRQ049), and both bring retro vibes in a big way. Here's everything you need to know about them.
The new watches aren't a remake
If you look at a vintage Seiko Panda next to this new Prospex Speedtimer, you'll note some similarities — the multi-link bracelet, the panda coloring, the inner tachy bezel, the orange-tipped seconds hand — but you'll also notice that the two are completely different watches. The new style features a tri-compax chronograph layout and a tiny date window at 4:30, whereas the 50-year-old watch had a bi-compax layout with a day-date complication at 3 o'clock.
The new watches also feature many improvements over the vintage style, reflecting the gains in watchmaking Seiko has made over the past half-century. The new Speedtimers are powered by the Seiko Caliber 8R48, a 34-jewel automatic chronograph movement with a column wheel, a vertical clutch and 45 hours of power reserve. Its three sub-dials track 30-minute and 12-hour increments of elapsed time for the chronograph, along with running seconds for the main time.
The new Speedtimers are also considerably more robust than their 1970s forebearers. They feature sapphire crystals with AR coating on the underside, Lumibrite on the hands and indices for high nighttime visibility, superhard coating on the finely-finished stainless steel case and bracelet, redesigned pump-style chronograph pushers with shorter stems that Seiko says improve performance and a nice-to-have 100m of water resistance. They've also been sized up a bit, now clocking in at 42mm in diameter and 14.6mm thick.
What we think about the new Seiko Pandas
Um, yes please! These look utterly fantastic. The inspiration from the original Panda is very apparent, but I'm glad Seiko took these in a more modern direction rather than reproducing a one-to-one copy. These watches can both live on their own as a cool retro-style chronograph while also paying homage to the vintage Seikos we all love. I personally wouldn't mind the watches coming in a little smaller, but that's more of a personal preference as 42mm across and 14.6mm thick will be agreeable to most customers shopping for an automatic chronograph. The finishing looks to be very good, especially on the bracelet, which is a reworked vintage design that isn't seen often but looks great.
Where do I expect people to complain about these watches? For one, no one is going to want that 4:30 date window. It looks like an afterthought, it's in an awkward place, and it throws off the symmetry of the dial. Seiko should have omitted it. And secondly, the price. I don't think $2,500 is terrible for a well-finished, gorgeous automatic chronograph with an in-house vertical clutch chronograph movement and Prospex-level finishing. But a lot of people think modern Seikos are overpriced, particularly from the Prospex line, and I expect some will feel the same here.
How to buy the SRQ047 and SRQ049
Both new watches will go on sale in December at Seiko boutiques and select retailers worldwide, but one will be easier to get a hold of than the other. The white-dial panda, ref. SRQ047, is non-limited and is priced at $2,500, while the blue-dial reverse panda, ref. SRQ049, is limited to 1,000 pieces, comes with an additional leather strap and is priced at $2,700.
