SEIKO CONCEPTUAL SSB377P1 QUARTZ CHRONOGRAPH MEN WATCH

How do I use the chronograph and the tachymeter?

The chronograph times up to 12 hours in fifth-of-a-second steps, then stops automatically. The upper pusher starts and stops it — you can start and stop repeatedly to accumulate time across several intervals — and the lower pusher returns the hands to zero. Seiko advises resetting it and checking the hands sit at zero before you begin. There is no split-time function on this calibre, so it measures one running total rather than lap splits. The tachymeter scale on the bezel works with it: start the chronograph at the beginning of a known distance, stop it at the end, and the seconds hand points at the number of units you are covering per hour — kilometres an hour if you measured a kilometre, miles an hour if you measured a mile. The same method reads any repeating task as a rate per hour. It is designed for events that finish inside a minute, since the seconds hand only passes the scale once.

Is there a wrong time to set the date?

Yes, and the window is specific to this calibre. Seiko's instructions for the 8T67 say not to set the date between 9:00 pm and 3:00 am, because the movement is engaged with the date change through those hours and adjusting it then can stop the date advancing the following day. Move the hands to a safe hour first, then set the date, then set the time.

Will the bracelet be sized to my wrist?

Yes. City Chain offers complimentary bracelet sizing at any outlet — bring your warranty book along for the service. The clasp is a three-fold design that opens on a push button release rather than a pin buckle, so it stays closed without a strap hole to wear through. Have it sized in store rather than attempting it yourself.

Can I swim with it?

Yes. At 10 bar, Seiko's guidance covers swimming and snorkelling as well as everyday contact with water. Scuba diving is not covered — Seiko's own manual states that watches marked 10 or 20 bar are not for diving — and the 100-metre figure is a pressure rating rather than a depth you can take the watch to. Two instructions from the manual are worth following: do not turn or pull out the crown while the watch is wet, and do not wear it in a bath or sauna. Rinse it in fresh water after swimming.

How long does the battery last?

Seiko states approximately three years, and bases that on around an hour of chronograph use a day — run the chronograph more than that and it will be less. So stop and reset the chronograph once you have taken a reading rather than leaving it running. City Chain can replace the battery at any outlet, and it is worth having the case seals checked at the same time, since the gaskets are what maintain water resistance as the watch ages.

How does 41.5mm wear?

It is a standard contemporary size for a men's chronograph, and the 46.5mm lug-to-lug span is the figure that really governs fit, since that is what reaches across the wrist. At 12.1mm deep and 136g complete it has some substance to it. The lugs take a 22mm width, which is proportionate to the case. Any City Chain outlet can put it on your wrist before you decide.

What warranty does this watch come with?

The SSB377P1 comes with a 3-year warranty when purchased from City Chain Singapore, an authorised Seiko retailer. The warranty covers manufacturing defects rather than accidental damage, wear or battery depletion. Keep your warranty card and proof of purchase — both are required when submitting the watch for service.