Seiko’s Best Affordable Chronograph Just Got a Japanese Style Upgrade

To mark the World Athletics Championship returning to Tokyo in 2025, Seiko is releasing a special edition "Edo Purple" dial on the most appropriate watch.

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Since 1987, Seiko has been the official timekeeper of the World Athletics Championships, the second most prestigious global track and field competition after the Olympics.

To mark the games returning to Tokyo for the first time in 35 years, Seiko is releasing a special edition reference in the most appropriate watch.

No watch is better suited to represent a track and field competition than a chronograph , and Seiko makes an excellent, affordable option in the solar Prospex Speedtimer .

The limited edition SSC995 is based on the SSC813 "panda" solar Speedtimer , which anchors the robust collection of over a dozen color varieties. However, the white dial has been swapped for a pearly violet, which matches the official color of the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.

Purple was chosen for its historic association with Tokyo, and the official name of the radial sunburst brushed dial is "Edo Purple," referencing the city's former name.

Timing speed

When Seiko introduced the Speedtimer in 1969, it was only the second automatic chronograph ever created, narrowly beaten by a cohort of Swiss brands . That original design only had a single sub-dial totalizing 30 minutes and no running seconds, but it did have Seiko's signature day-date window.

Seiko's current Speedtimer lineup, now part of the Prospex family of sporting tool watches, is robust. It ranges from affordable solar quartz references to nearly $3,000 automatic movements .

The latter is ideal for representing the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 because it is so approachable. If you can get past any quartz snobbery, of which I am as guilty as anyone, it is a bargain watch with a quintessential chronograph look.

The 2025 Tokyo games are acknowledged on the case back of SSC995 with an etching, along with each watch's number in the limited edition run of 6,000.

The Speedtimer was initially inspired by and designed for motosports, but the stopwatch complication is just as applicable to measuring top-end human speed.

An Edo sunset

Purple has a rich history in Tokyo as a preferred hue in art and clothing. Just as in Europe, it was one of the most challenging colors to create before the invention of modern artificial pigments.

Today, purple is associated with Japan's vibrant sunsets. Seiko has referenced this natural beauty as recently as with the King Seiko Vanac relaunch , which was introduced earlier this year.

Unlike its main competitors, Citizen, Omega and Rolex, Seiko doesn't sponsor many sporting events. References that are officially tied to leagues or games are even rarer still.

The solar quartz Prospex Speedtimer may be far from the best Seiko chronograph, but it is still a great-looking watch for an approachable price. This somewhat limited edition watch offers a striking spin on the standard "panda" version.

Availability and pricing

The Seiko Prospex Speedtimer SSC95 "Edo Purple" will be available from Seiko in August 2025 for $775.

It is a numbered limited edition, but there are 6,000 pieces, so it shouldn't be too challenging to land.

Seiko Prospex Speedtimer SSC955 'Edo Purple'

 Specs 

•  $775 at Seiko 

About the Author: Brad Lanphear is an associate editor at Gear Patrol covering watches and style. Before joining the publication, he previously wrote for Heddels and Men's Health. Now, he's on a never-ending quest to find the perfect pair of Japanese denim.