Seiko Chronograph SPC129 Review & Complete Guide
There’s no question that Seiko makes watches that offer great value for money. Over the course of the decades, Seiko has continuously improved its craft and its manufacturing methods, allowing the company to increase the quality of its products. At the same time, Seiko has effectively, implemented large-scale watch manufacturing which allows the brand to manufacture high-quality watches at rather affordable prices. With that said, Seiko watches generally offer exceptional value for the money.
Furthermore, as Seiko has grown and evolved over the decades, so have its collections. Today, Seiko has a large collection of timepieces in all shapes and forms, prices, and purposes. Whether you are looking for a dress watch or a dress watch, you can be sure that you are getting a reliable timepiece that offers great value.
In this article, we are looking closer at one of these timepieces. Specifically the Seiko Chronograph SPC129
Seiko Chronograph SPC129 Review
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As the name suggests, this is a chronograph timepiece equipped with a chronograph function. With that said, it does have a sense of sportiness to it, but at the same time, it is more built as an elegant dress/everyday watch.
The SPC129 has a really interesting balance between classic and elegant lines with sportiness.
Whilst it is a watch that has a lot going on, most notably by looking at the dial, it is still very elegant in its nature and works great with formal attire.
This is a really interesting watch with a lot of interesting functions which can feel overwhelming if you are just discovering this watch. But without further ado, in this article, we are reviewing the Seiko Chronograph SPC129.
Seiko Chronograph SPC129 case
The watch is presented with a stainless steel case with a diameter of approximately 43mm. The thickness measures approximately 11.5mm.
In terms of design, the case is quite simple and straightforward. It has a relatively thin clean and polished bezel with satin-brushed sides. The case does, however, have a slightly twisted lug design where the bevels/sides of the case are polished. The polished bevels create a lovely contrast and truly enhance the impression of the quality and finish of the case. And for the price, the case definitely has a higher finish than you would expect.
Being a chronograph, it has two chronograph pushers positioned on the side of the case, and in. Between them the crown. The crown and pushers are rose gold colored and match the accents of the dial.
The watch offers a water resistance of 100m/330 feet. This means it is suitable for swimming and can handle water splashes, but it is not suitable for deep dives. At the same time, considering that this is a dressy watch, you will probably not be in contact with too much water wearing this watch. And if you wear it on the original leather strap, you should keep it away from water for that reason.
Sitting on top of the case is Seiko’s proprietary Hardlex crystal.
Seiko Chronograph SPC129 dial
The watch is presented with a white patterned dial which already at first glance reveals that it has a lot going on. But don’t let the busy dial scare you, because once you learn what the different functions are for and how they work, it will make a lot more sense.
First off, the dial has a rather large chapter ring which takes up about a fourth of the real estate of the dial. The chapter ring is divided into two parts. The first part is angled and is positioned right at the dial. Printed on this, we have the date and the months (but only every other month is printed in order to fit). The other part of the chapter ring is flatter and has a tachymeter scale printed on it.
The actual dial is white and has an almost waffle-shaped pattern. This makes the dial more intriguing and interesting. The dial has broad applied hour markers with beveled edges which, as mentioned, match the crown and chronograph pushers with their rose gold/copper look. This is carried onto the sub-dial hands as well.
The dial of the SPC129 presents a lot of different functions, which include chronograph sub-dials displaying 60 seconds, 60 minutes, 24 hours, and alarm. An indicator (sub-dial) for the day of the week is placed under 12 o’clock. The watch also features a leap year indicator.
The hands of the watch are finished in rose gold too and have beveled sword shapes. They are clean and elegant and fit very well with the classy look of this timepiece.
Despite having a lot going on, the dial is still perceived as very elegant and classic because the colors are simple and toned down. We have white, black, copper/rose gold, and only a few discreet red details.
Seiko Chronograph SPC129 movement
The SPC129 is a very complicated watch, but it is made possible thanks to the Seiko Caliber 7T86 Quartz. This movement offers a great deal and technology and functions which would be difficult and very costly with a mechanical movement.
Having a quartz movement, in this case, is good both for the functions but also for accuracy. After all, quartz watches are far more accurate than mechanical movements. The battery life is also about 5 years which means it can continue to tick for a long time before having to replace the batteries.
Seiko Chronograph SPC129 strap
The Seiko Chronograph SPC129 is equipped with a brown alligator-embossed leather strap with buckle closure.
The fact that it is presented on an embossed leather strap reveals that its purpose is to be more of an elegant dress watch. The brown leather strap actually matches the rose gold accents on this watch perfectly and it makes the whole watch appear dressier.
With that said, the leather strap contributes to this watch’s versatility by making it more elegant, but also more comfortable and neat to wear.
- Specifications
- Crystal: Hardlex
- Case back: Screw-down
- Water resistance: 100 meters
- Movement: Seiko Caliber 7T86 Quartz
- Case thickness: 11.5mm
- Case diameter: Approximately 43mm
- Lug width: 22mm
- Functions: Tachymeter, chronograph function, Leap year indicator, alarm function, perpetual calendar
- Battery life length: Approx 5 years
Conclusion
To conclude this review, the Seiko Chronograph SPC129 is a really interesting timepiece that stands out from the crowd and has a lot going on. Many of the functions presented in this timepiece, however, can be truly helpful and convenient in everyday life, not to mention the day and date indicators.
Furthermore, it has found a nice balance between elegance and sportiness and is never perceived as boring, which perhaps could have been the case if the dial had been emptier.
The finish and build quality of this watch are great, especially when you factor in the price. It has a lovely case finish and details, and the dial accents and details also show that Seiko has gone above and beyond with this timepiece.
The Seiko Chronograph SPC129 is available to order on Amazon.
