Seiko Solar Chronograph SSC143 Review & Complete Guide

Seiko Solar Chronograph SSC143 Review & Complete Guide

If you are looking for a sporty, distinct timepiece with a bold design, the Seiko Solar Chronograph SSC143 may just be the watch for you.

Seiko is a brand that has a large collection of timepieces for all tastes and preferences. From classic and traditional dress watches to sporty and robust dive watches. Amongst watch enthusiasts, it is perhaps the automatic dive watches that are the most popular from Seiko, but the fact is that Seiko has so much more to offer than that.

Sometimes, you may just want a watch that goes against the norm and dares to go its own route. Something that stands out in a world of classic, traditional watches. And for those people, Seiko has the answer to that question.

Seiko Solar Chronograph SSC143 Review

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As the name suggests, the SSC143 is a solar watch but also a chronograph.

This is not a watch that will sit discreetly on your wrist. In fact, quite the opposite. This is a watch that will stand out from the crowd and that will get noticed. It has a very complex design when it comes to the bracelet, dial, and case, anti is certainly very unorthodox.

Right off the bat, it is a very masculine timepiece. It’s black, it’s big, and it is bold. In other words, it is certainly not for everyone.

The chronograph designation is quite obvious. Expect sub-dials on the dials and pushers on the side of the case. The solar name may be a bit more unknown, but this simply means that the watch is solar-powered and is charged by solar and ambient light. It’s a very impressive and practical technical piece of innovation that Seiko has come up with, and we will look at this in detail further on.

There is a lot to say about this watch in terms of design, so without further ado, in this article, we are reviewing and looking closer at the Seiko Solar Chronograph SSC143.

Seiko SSC143 case

The watch is presented with a stainless steel case with a diameter of 44mm and a thickness of 12mm. With that said, it is a big watch that will have some serious presence on the wrist. This is particularly true for those with smaller wrists. This is why it is mostly suitable for men with medium to large wrists, and for those who actually enjoy a watch that you can actually feel is on the wrist.

The stainless steel case has a black ion coating with a shiny finish to give it that masculine and sporty look. The case has crown guards that extend from the side in order to see the crown protected. On each side of the crown guards, we have two chronograph pushers. Both the crown and pushers are made in steel which creates a contrast against the black case.

The watch has a stainless steel bezel with no black coating which additionally creates a contrast against the black case. The bezel has aggressive and sporty design features with notches and teeth. On the left side of the case, the case has a pointy side which adds to the sportiness but also balances the crown guards which extend from the case on the other side. Despite being a chronograph, it does not have a tachymeter scale on the bezel. However, it does have one….

The watch offers a water-resistance of 100m/330 feet which makes it suitable for swimming and diving, but not deep diving or snorkeling.

Sitting on top of the case, the watch has, unsurprisingly, a Hardlex crystal, which is more or less standard for Seiko watches in this price range.

SSC143 Dial

The watch is presented with a black dial with a striped pattern. Around the outer edge of the dial, it has a tachymeter scale which is used for measuring average speed via the chronograph function. Positioning the tachymeter scale inside the dial rather than on top of the bezel gives it a more refined and clean look, and the angled chapter ring also adds depth to the watch.

Positioned at 12, 6, and 9 o’clock, it has its chronograph sub.dials. The sub-dials feature shiny silver outlines which make them stand out from the black background and are easier to read.

At 3 o’clock, there is a date window with a silver frame around it for added practicality. In addition, the dial has applied metal hour markers with Lumibrite applied to them for improved legibility and an enhanced impression of quality finish.

The watch has short but broad sword-shaped hands with a polished metal frame around them and Lumibrite applied for improved legibility. The seconds are kept track of via the sub-dial at the 9 o’clock position. With that said, it does not have a standard seconds hand, which is something that some people do not like.

Seiko Solar Chronograph SSC143 movement

The watch is powered by the in-house Seiko stalwart V172 quartz movement. As mentioned, this is a solar movement, which naturally also means it is a quartz movement. It converts solar and ambient light through solar panels in front of the movement and behind the dial in order to generate energy for the battery. This removes the need for changing the battery which is good both for your convenience but also for the environment.

When fully charged, the movement still offers a power-reserve of 6 months which is quite good.

The movement has an alarm function, but at the same time, it seems to be a downside of this watch due to the low sound it gives off.

The most devoted watch enthusiasts may be scared away by the fact that this is a quartz movement and not a mechanical one, but there are actually some practical benefits of this, which is convenience and accuracy. After all, quartz movements are far more accurate than mechanical ones. 

Bracelet

The watch is fitted on a sporty and aggressive stainless steel bracelet which goes very well with the overall design of the watch. It is coated black but has contrasting silver accents along with the bracelet and between parts of the links. 

The bracelet has just as much going on as the case and the dial. It’s not an ordinary or toned-down bracelet in any way, but quite the opposite actually. You may find that together with the watch, there is simply a lot going on, so if you want something more discreet and toned down, you can always change to a NATO strap or a leather band. But if you want to go all-in with this sporty and bold timepiece, the bracelet works just perfectly.

Specifications

• Diameter: 44mm
• Thickness: 12mm
• Water-resistance: 100m/330 feet
• Power-reserve: 6 months
• Movement: Seiko stalwart V172 quartz movement

Conclusion

All in all, the Seiko Solar Chronograph SSC143 is a sporty, robust timepiece with an aggressive design. This is a sports watch that stands out from the ordinary and that will have a great presence on the wrist. The SSC143 is perfect for those who are looking for something completely different that will catch many eyes yet offer great build quality and dependability at an affordable price.

The Seiko Solar Chronograph SSC143 is available to order on Amazon.