This ‘panda-dial’ Seiko chrono is great value but won’t be around for long

There’s a new panda-dial Seiko chronograph in town, and it might just be my favourite new watch of the year so far.

It’s called the Prospex Speedtimer Motoring and, as the name suggests, it’s a watch inspired by vintage cars.

Seiko says how the cream dial with sunray finish is inspired by the European classic cars, and that the perforated brown leather strap resembles the interior of a retro ride. For me, the dial could either resemble the paintwork of a classic car, or perhaps the dials of its dashboard, while the leather is a close match to a classic’s interior, but also the gloves one might wear to drive such a vehicle.

The so-called ‘panda-dial’ colour scheme has always been a watch fans’ favourite. But while the black-and-white contrast between the dial and subdials is currently best-known on high-end watches like the Tudor Black Bay Chrono and Rolex Daytona, I’m thrilled to see Seiko’s own take on the classic formula.

I also love how the 39mm case is fitted with a steel bezel and a tackymetre scale, which can be used to calculate the average speed of a vehicle travelling a known distance – like your vintage race car completing stages of a road rally, naturally.

The watch is powered by Seiko’s in-house V192 solar-powered movement, which is claimed to be accurate to +/- 15 seconds per month, and it charges when the dial is exposed to both natural and artificial light. When fully-charged, the Japanese watchmaker reckons it’s good for six months of life in total darkness. The watch is water resistant to 100 metres and comes with both a stainless steel bracelet and the aforementioned leather strap.

Unlike some other panda-dial watches, the Seiko Speedtimer Motoring doesn’t share its price tag with a classic car. Instead it’s priced at an entirely reasonable £730 – but you’ll have to be quick if you want one, because just 500 examples of this European-exclusive will be produced. It’s available for pre-order now.