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Sekonda 1197 Blue Dial Bracelet Watch - W31212
Ref. 1197
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Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The blue sunray dial catches light differently at different angles — straight on it reads as a clean, mid-depth navy; tilted, it shifts and brightens. Against that, the rose-gold hands and hour markers sit warmer than the steel case around them, which gives the dial a considered quality you would not necessarily expect at this end of the market. At 40mm with a 9mm case, it wears with enough presence to read clearly without pushing at the cuff. The deployment clasp and 20mm bracelet keep things neat on the wrist, and the date sits at six o'clock rather than the usual three, which keeps the dial symmetrical and uncluttered.
- Reference
- 1197
- Brand
- Sekonda
- Case size
- 40mm
- Case thickness
- 9mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Blue
- Crystal
- Mineral
- Movement
- Quartz
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Learn more about Sekonda
Sekonda was created in 1966, not as a manufacturer but as an export label. The Soviet state watch combine ChasProm needed a name under which to sell its output in the West, and Sekonda became that name — watches built at the First Moscow Watch Factory and the Petrodvorets Watch Factory in Leningrad, arriving in British shops as Sekonda rather than Poljot or Raketa.
That origin explains a curiosity of the vintage market: open a late-1960s Sekonda and you will often find a Poljot movement inside, stamped Made in USSR.
The quartz era changed the arrangement. Cheap, accurate Japanese movements undercut Soviet mechanical production, and after the breakup of the Soviet Union the brand cut its Russian ties entirely, moving manufacturing to Hong Kong in 1993.
What did not change was the position: reliable watches at prices most people do not have to think about. Sekonda had become the leading watch brand in the UK by 1988 and has stayed there, selling over a million watches a year, with Seksy, One and Xpose covering fashion and outdoor styles.
The brand is owned by Time Products, which also owns Accurist and Limit.
- 1966
- Created by ChasProm as an export name for Soviet watches.
- 1988
- Becomes the UK's leading watch brand.
- 1993
- Production moves to Hong Kong after Soviet ties end.
- 2014
- Owner Time Products acquires Accurist.
- 2026
- Sixty years of selling over a million watches a year in Britain.
Also in 4 collections
This watch appears in Back in Stock (4,007), Stainless Steel Watches (2,833), Blue Dial Watches (780) and Watches Under £100 (631).
Temporarily out of stock
F.Hinds is not currently taking orders for this reference. Last listed as available on 26 September 2026. Stock is checked nightly and this page updates when it returns.
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 40mm suits most wrists
- 9mm is unusually slim for a 40mm case
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Sits in the lower half of Sekonda's range as we list it
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
Sekonda 1197 Blue Dial Bracelet alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 1197 | 5484 | RJ647AX9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £35 | £35 | £35 |
| Case size | 40mm | 40mm | 39mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 30m | 30m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap | Leather strap |
| This watch |
|
|
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.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
It can, over time. Mineral glass handles daily wear but will pick up fine scratches that sapphire would not.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
Yes. It is quartz, so expect a battery change every two to three years at a jeweller.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedWhat 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.
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