Most panda chronographs only borrow the famous black-and-white colour pattern. Seiko has taken the panda idea literally. The new Seiko Panda Chronograph HHK001 and HHK002 come with droopy panda eyes, ear-shaped pushers, bamboo-leaf hands, a tiny nose and smile, and even a panda tail on the case back.

Both watches are part of the Seiko Power Design Project Collection 2. In India, Seiko currently lists both models at ₹58,000, with the limited editions scheduled for release in November 2026.

What Is the Seiko Power Design Project?

The Seiko Power Design Project gives the company’s own designers room to experiment with unusual watch ideas without following the normal commercial formula.

The panda concept first appeared at Seiko’s Incredibly Specialized Watch Exhibition in 2024. It attracted plenty of attention, and two years later Seiko has turned that playful concept into a real production watch. Collection 1 came earlier with the SSEH series, making these panda watches the second production release under the project.

Seiko HHK001 Panda Chronograph white and black Power Design Project Collection 2

Seiko Panda Watch Design: Almost Everything Is a Panda Reference

This is where the Seiko panda watch becomes more than a normal chronograph with contrasting sub-dials. Seiko has used the working parts of the watch to build an actual panda face.

  • Droopy eyes: The two black sub-dials look like a panda’s sleepy eye patches.
  • Working ears: The two round pushers at the top act as the panda’s ears while controlling the chronograph.
  • Nose and smile: A small nose and mouth sit at the 6 o’clock position.
  • Bamboo hands: The hour and minute hands are shaped like bamboo leaves.
  • Fur-like dial: A radial embossed texture gives the dial a soft, fur-inspired look.

The watch uses a bullhead layout, which simply means the crown and chronograph pushers sit at the top of the case instead of the side. That layout is what allows the pushers to become the panda’s ears.

Seiko HHK001 Panda watch design detail

What Is the SASAMETER?

A normal chronograph may have a tachymeter scale that helps calculate speed. Seiko has renamed its scale the SASAMETER. The name comes from sasa, the Japanese word connected with bamboo grass.

The joke goes one step further. Seiko explains that if a panda ran at full speed for two minutes, the scale would show roughly 30 km/h, close to the quoted top speed of a panda.

There Is Even a Panda Tail on the Back

Turn the watch over and the panda theme continues. The case back shows the panda from behind, complete with a raised tail. Seiko has kept the detail close to a real panda, so the tail is white rather than black.

The words LIMITED EDITION are placed above the tail. The packaging is also different for the two versions. The HHK001 box uses a playful panda-on-grass theme, while the HHK002 gets a pink presentation with soft material inspired by baby panda fur.

Seiko HHK001 vs HHK002: What Is Different?

The two watches use the same case, movement and basic specifications. The biggest changes are the colour and the number of pieces being made.

Seiko HHK002 pink Panda Chronograph Power Design Project Collection 2
FeatureSeiko HHK001Seiko HHK002
Dial colourWhite with black panda facePink with black panda face
InspirationClassic adult giant pandaNewborn baby panda
StrapWhite cow leatherPink cow leather
Production3,000 pieces2,000 pieces
ReleaseNovember 2026November 2026
Amazon searchSee listingsFind it here

If rarity matters to you, the pink HHK002 is the harder one to get because Seiko is making 1,000 fewer pieces worldwide.

Seiko HHK002 pink Panda watch design detail

Seiko Panda Chronograph Specifications

Behind the playful face is a proper working quartz chronograph. Both models use the Seiko Caliber 8T61.

SpecificationSeiko HHK001 / HHK002
MovementSeiko Caliber 8T61 quartz
AccuracyPlus or minus 15 seconds per month
Battery lifeApprox. 3 years
ChronographUp to 60 minutes in 1/5 second steps
Other functionsSmall seconds, SASAMETER tachymeter
Case diameter43.0 mm
Thickness14.6 mm
Lug to lug44.1 mm
Lug width20 mm
CrystalHardlex
StrapCow leather
Water resistance3 bar / splash resistant
Magnetic resistance4,800 A/m

Hardlex is Seiko’s hardened mineral crystal. It is tougher than ordinary mineral glass, although it is not as scratch resistant as sapphire.

The 43 mm diameter sounds large, but the 44.1 mm lug-to-lug measurement is fairly compact for the width. The watch should therefore sit more comfortably than the diameter alone suggests.

Water resistance is limited, so this is not a watch for swimming or showering. It is better treated as a fun everyday or casual watch.

Seiko Power Design Project Collection 2 Price in India

Seiko India currently lists both the HHK001P1 and HHK002P1 at an MRP of ₹58,000. International pricing varies by market, but both colours are priced the same within each region.

MarketSeiko HHK001 / HHK002 Price
India₹58,000
United StatesUS$540
United KingdomGBP 510
EuropeEUR 590
AustraliaAUD 875

For a numbered limited edition from a major Japanese watchmaker, the pricing keeps it within reach of collectors who mainly want the unusual story and design.

Want a Seiko Panda Dial Watch Right Now?

Only 5,000 pieces are being made across the two new models, so getting one may not be easy. If you simply like the classic white-dial, black-sub-dial panda look, Seiko already has other chronographs worth checking.

WatchStyleMovementLink
Seiko SSB425P1Everyday steel panda chronographQuartzCheck current price
Seiko Prospex Speedtimer PandaRetro 1969-inspired panda styleSolar quartzView deals
Seiko white dial chronographsMore panda-style optionsQuartz and solarBrowse the range

You can also browse our hand-picked chronograph watch collection for more stopwatch-style watches across different brands.

If you prefer solar power, also read our article on the Seiko-backed AZ5019X1 solar chronograph.

Why the Seiko Panda Watch Stands Out

Seiko is often linked with serious dive watches, tool watches and clean dress designs. Our coverage of the Seiko Prospex Marinemaster 1968 Heritage shows that more traditional side of the brand.

The new panda chronograph goes in the opposite direction. It takes watch-collector slang, turns it into a joke, then builds a fully working chronograph around it. Designer Kiyotaka Sakai also works on Grand Seiko designs, which makes this playful project even more interesting.

Fun limited editions are becoming an easy way to bring new buyers into watches. Character pieces such as the Fossil Star Wars Grogu Neutra watch set follow the same basic idea: give people a reason to enjoy the watch before they start worrying about movement specifications.

Quick Recap

  • The Seiko Power Design Project Collection 2 turns the panda-dial nickname into a real panda face.
  • HHK001 is white and black and is limited to 3,000 pieces.
  • HHK002 is pink and black and is limited to 2,000 pieces.
  • Both use the Seiko 8T61 quartz chronograph inside a 43 mm bullhead-style case.
  • Seiko India lists both models at ₹58,000.
  • Availability begins in November 2026.

This is the kind of watch that can make you smile before you even check the time, and that is probably the whole point.