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Sekonda 40496 Mila Octagonal Expanding Bracelet Watch - W32297
Ref. 40496
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Stepping up in the same dial colour
The Mila sits squarely in Sekonda's tradition of making dress watches accessible without stripping away the details that make a dress watch worth wearing. The octagonal case is the central decision here: at 21mm it is genuinely petite, and the geometric outline gives it more visual presence than a round case of the same diameter would carry. The expander bracelet means there is no clasp to fiddle with — it stretches to slip over the hand and holds the watch snugly against the wrist without adjustment. The mother-of-pearl dial reads pink in warm light and closer to white in shade, and the bold Arabic numerals keep it legible in a way that many decorative dials at this size do not manage.
- Reference
- 40496
- Brand
- Sekonda
- Case size
- 21mm
- Case thickness
- 8mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Octagonal
- Dial
- Mother-of-pearl
- Crystal
- Mineral
- Movement
- Quartz
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Weight
- 60g
- Warranty
- 2 years
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 (4,154), Stainless Steel Watches (2,848), Watches Under 37mm (1,522) and Watches Under £100 (570).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 21mm wears small and slips under any cuff
- Sits in the lower half of Sekonda's range as we list it
Worth knowing
- 30m means keeping it away from water
Sekonda 40496 Mila Octagonal Expanding alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 40496 | RJ471BX9 | 60275B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £40 | £45 | £40 |
| Case size | 21mm | 19mm | 23mm |
| Water resistance | 30m | 30m | — |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet |
| This watch |
|
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
No. At 30m it will survive rain and handwashing, but not submersion of any kind.
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 comparedCheapest place to buy
F.Hinds is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
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