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Seiko SSB479P1 Chronograph Bracelet Watch - W25524
Ref. SSB479P1
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Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The 8T63 that drives this watch is what separates it from a purely conventional quartz chronograph. The movement runs a mechanical module for the stopwatch function, meaning the seconds hand sweeps rather than steps, and snaps back to zero with the crisp, instantaneous reset that most quartz chronographs cannot manage. It is a thoughtful piece of engineering hidden behind an unassuming dial. That dial borrows its layout from the tri-compax chronographs Seiko produced in the 1970s and 80s — three subsidiary registers balanced across a glossy black face, ringed by a tachymeter bezel that nods to the same era. At 38.7mm with a lug-to-lug of 44.8mm, the proportions land closer to a dress chronograph than a sport one, sitting flat and centred on most wrists without the overhang that plagues larger cases. At 110 grams the bracelet wears lighter than it looks, and the whole piece disappears under a cuff more readily than the tachymeter bezel might suggest. Link adjustment here is done with split-pins rather than screw-links, which is worth knowing before you reach for a tool roll — a pin punch does the job, and sizing it correctly matters for a watch that wears this well when it fits properly.
- Reference
- SSB479P1
- Brand
- Seiko
- Collection
- Discover MoreCase Size: 38
- Case size
- 38.7mm
- Case thickness
- 12.55mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Hardlex
- Bezel
- Fixed tachymeter
- Movement
- Quartz
- Calibre
- 8T63
- Functions
- Chronograph, Date, Small seconds, Tachymeter
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- LumiBrite
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 44.8mm
Learn more about Seiko
Kintaro Hattori opened a watch and clock shop in Tokyo in 1881, aged twenty-one, and began manufacturing under the name Seikosha — roughly, house of exquisite workmanship — in 1892. The Seiko name appeared on watches from 1924.
The company's significance is that it broke the Swiss monopoly twice. First on precision: Seiko was appointed official timekeeper of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and built the quartz chronometers and printing timers to do it, and in the 1960s its movements placed highly at the Neuchâtel and Geneva observatory trials against the best Swiss houses.
Then on technology. On Christmas Day 1969 Seiko released the Astron, the world's first quartz wristwatch, accurate to five seconds a month where mechanical watches managed that per day. The consequences for Switzerland were catastrophic — employment in the Swiss industry fell by roughly two-thirds over the following decade. Seiko deliberately did not enforce its quartz patents, allowing the technology to spread.
The same year it produced the 6139, among the first automatic chronographs, and it has since introduced Kinetic, Spring Drive — a hybrid regulating a mechanical mainspring electronically, giving a perfectly gliding seconds hand — and its own dive and field lines.
Seiko remains fully vertically integrated, making its own hairsprings, quartz crystals, and even the Zaratsu-polished cases, at price points from under a hundred pounds upward.
- 1881
- Kintaro Hattori opens his Tokyo shop.
- 1924
- The first watches carry the Seiko name.
- 1964
- Official timekeeper of the Tokyo Olympics.
- 1969
- The Astron becomes the first quartz wristwatch.
- 1999
- Spring Drive enters production.
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 38.7mm suits most wrists
- 44.8mm lug-to-lug keeps the 38.7mm case wearable
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
Compare alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | SSB479P1 |  H69401160 |  96K112 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £400 | £425 | £399 |
| Case size | 38.7mm | 38mm | 40mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| This watch | Closely matched | Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Showering yes, swimming no. 50m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.
Will the glass scratch?
It resists most everyday knocks. Hardlex is a hardened mineral glass — tougher than standard mineral, softer than sapphire.
Does it need a battery?
Yes. It is quartz, so expect a battery change every two to three years at a jeweller.
What size strap does it take?
20mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 44.8mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16cm (6¼ inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's, though at 38.7mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.
Cheapest place to buy
F.Hinds is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
Who are F.Hinds?
F.Hinds has been run by the same family since 1856 and is now in its fifth generation, with more than 115 shops across England and Wales. They are a member of the Responsible Jewellery Council and an Authorised Diamond Dealer.
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