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Thread: The Seiko Alpinist Will Be Back In 2020

  1. #51
    Grand Master Wallasey Runner's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by davidj54 View Post
    Anyone any idea whether these will be JDM only watches like the old Alpinist Sarb017 or international? I’m assuming because of the Prospex logo they will be widely available.

    Also, has the case size been confirmed? The 38.5mm of the old Alpinist was so good.
    I doubt these will be JDM only, but like everything else nothing has been confirmed yet including the case size. Even if they were JDM they would be easy enough to obtain.

  2. #52
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    I’ve fancied a SARB017 for at least a couple of years now without actually parting with the cash for one. Dithered too many times when decent ones have appeared on SC. Spotted one on the Chronomaster website earlier this week. But £465 for one from 2015 was too rich for my liking.
    Didn’t expect to see what looked to be a good one when I was browsing on the Austin Kaye website this afternoon. Thought about it for a couple of minutes before deciding to buy. I paid £395 for a 2018 model. No charge for postage and a two year Austin Kaye guarantee.
    Last edited by seabiscuit; 10th November 2019 at 11:16.

  3. #53
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    Quote Originally Posted by seabiscuit View Post
    I’ve fancied a SARB017 for at least a couple of years now without actually parting with the cash for one. Dithered too many times when decent ones have appeared on SC. Spotted one on the Chronomaster website earlier this week. But £465 for one from 2015 was too rich for my liking.
    Didn’t expect to see what looked to be a good one when I was browsing on the Austin Kaye website this afternoon. Thought about it for a couple of minutes before deciding to buy. I paid £395 for a 2017 model. No charge for postage and a two year Austin Kaye guarantee.
    Excellent choice. I bought one of the ones from SC but the crystal had been swopped for a Yobokies Double Dome Blue AR which was bloody aweful. From every angle all you got was a Blue glare, hated it. Also there was a big scratch on the bezel which annoyed me, so I sold the watch on e-bay for what I paid for it. I ordered a brand new watch from a Japanese dealer, paying slightly more than you, but it is a December 2018 and mint, so very happy with it.

    I have a Strapcode 3D Oyster bracelet for it, but have always liked the original look of the Brown strap that comes with the Watch, although the quality is beyond a joke. However, you can buy an identical Hirsch Leather Duke strap for £30, so I have ordered one of those and the crappy plastic Seiko straps can stay in the box unused.

  4. #54
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    Hi Ken. I should have addd that your fascination with the Alpinist range had also piqued my interest in the model. I’m pleased to finally have one to look forward to. I’ll probably wear it on a Nato strap.

  5. #55
    Master Ruggertech's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wallasey Runner View Post
    However, you can buy an identical Hirsch Leather Duke strap for £30, so I have ordered one of those and the crappy plastic Seiko straps can stay in the box unused.
    Yes to this. The original strap is pretty awful to say the least. I have read before that apparently it softens up with wear but why bother when as you say a good Hirsch is available. I do find the Seiko buckles, both tang and deployant to be very good at the price, and especially so compared to the straps themselves.

  6. #56
    I sourced one of the originals from a forum member (Menno) on behalf of a friend and tbh I hadn't been interested in owning one of them - until I saw it in the flesh, they really are a beautifully proportioned watch.

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  7. #57
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    I love my SARB017,of my mechanical watches it’s the one I wear the most,followed by the SPB089 Blue Alpinist.Both watches punch well above their weight and the SARB017 in particular is a bargain.I agree about the supplied strap though-it’s rubbish.Ive replaced mine with Barton Silicone Strap.




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    Last edited by marselluswallace; 9th November 2019 at 21:57.

  8. #58
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    Not a big fan of the new ones. The cream dial is the best of the three. But could really do without the cyclops and the prospex logo.

  9. #59
    Grand Master Wallasey Runner's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pagan View Post
    Not a big fan of the new ones. The cream dial is the best of the three. But could really do without the cyclops and the prospex logo.
    Just like the SARB013 or Unicorn as it's known for very good reason.


  10. #60
    Craftsman dschaen81's Avatar
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    It could have been so easy: Make the dial like the 4S15 versions with the lovely red Alpinist font, lose the cyclops - done.
    That would've been an absolute corker and a classy look.

  11. #61
    Sorry to hear:-)

  12. #62
    Grand Master Wallasey Runner's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RAJEN View Post
    Sorry to hear:-)
    Unlike you to troll a thread.

  13. #63
    Quote Originally Posted by Wallasey Runner View Post
    Unlike you to troll a thread.
    lol, just kidding. I actually like the black one on bracelet. Never cared much for the green one though.

  14. #64
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    Quote Originally Posted by RAJEN View Post
    lol, just kidding. I actually like the black one on bracelet. Never cared much for the green one though.
    The 'Red' Green Alpinist is the nicer out of the two.



    The new Black looks the best of the three, but again, not as nice as the earlier Red version.


  15. #65
    Grand Master Wallasey Runner's Avatar
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    This picture appeared on FB and caused a bit of a storm with the usual suspects crying fake etc without any evidence to support their claim. Apologies for the poor quality of the image, but I'm inclined to think it is a genuine watch rather than a photoshop of SARB017 with the new details on it. On the plus side, if it is a photoshop including the new text, cyclops, White backed date wheel etc it gives us a fairly good idea of what it looks like on the wrist.



    I posted a pic of the previous two generations in the previous post so not sure where this new one fits in. From the collecting perspective a single line of Red text always gets collectors excited 😂

  16. #66
    Grand Master Wallasey Runner's Avatar
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    Turning into a one man thread, but just in case anyone else is interested, shopping in Japan are now taking pre-orders for the new 41mm (that's big!!!) Alpinist. Released in 4 colours, 2 whites, 1 with Gold furniture, 1 with silver or chrome etc.









    And some tech spec for those who like the detail:




  17. #67
    Master Toshk's Avatar
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    Thanks for info. 14mm thick, I knew it :(

  18. #68
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    Glad that I got myself a SARB017 last month. The new ones are too large for my liking. Don’t need the cyclops and the new logo on the dial.

  19. #69
    That’s massive, what the heck is in there!?!?


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  20. #70
    Grand Master Der Amf's Avatar
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    Wonder if that 41mm includes the crown guard?

  21. #71
    Is the current SARB017 41mm with crown?

    If they have made this new version 41mm without the crown then it will be a disappointed no from me.

  22. #72
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    Just took this, comes out roughly at 38.5mm inc the crown guards, which I think is about right. Therefore I'm guessing that 41mm on the new model includes the crown guards.


  23. #73

  24. #74
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    Quote Originally Posted by crazyp View Post
    Much better pics courtesy of Hodinkee
    Interesting article, thanks for posting and yes, the images are much clearer. Seems odd that they suggest only three watches when shopping in Japan are taking orders for four. Price is in the mid $700s so slightly less than £600 here and with the usual discounts for signing up for e-mails etc probably around the £550 mark is a useful working figure.

    Also interesting that they referred to it as an Alpinist inspired Prospex rather than an out and out Alpinist, but I suppose Seiko have to slot it in somewhere amongst their different model ranges.

    I don't think this range will inspire panick buying, so hopefully over time some shops may even offer a sale price or we may even see a few being flipped on SC. I'm certainly interested, but have other fish to fry first.

  25. #75
    Quote Originally Posted by Wallasey Runner View Post
    Interesting article, thanks for posting and yes, the images are much clearer. Seems odd that they suggest only three watches when shopping in Japan are taking orders for four. Price is in the mid $700s so slightly less than £600 here and with the usual discounts for signing up for e-mails etc probably around the £550 mark is a useful working figure.

    Also interesting that they referred to it as an Alpinist inspired Prospex rather than an out and out Alpinist, but I suppose Seiko have to slot it in somewhere amongst their different model ranges.

    I don't think this range will inspire panick buying, so hopefully over time some shops may even offer a sale price or we may even see a few being flipped on SC. I'm certainly interested, but have other fish to fry first.
    I think your assessment is spot on - especially with the whole Prospex malarky. The better pics certainly paint the watch in a much, much better light. I really like the white dial one and strangely enough the cyclops does work.

  26. #76
    Diameter: 39.5mm

  27. #77
    Grand Master Wallasey Runner's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rodia77 View Post
    Saw that, we are only talking 1.5mm either way depending on who has written the article. I think we probably need to wait until it appears on the official Seiko website rather than dealers using promotional material.

  28. #78
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wallasey Runner View Post
    I'm certainly interested, but have other fish to fry first.
    Spot on, as are the rest of your comments.

    I’m really keen on the white with silver but it doesn’t make me desperate to order one.

    I actually dug my SARB017 out a couple of days ago, after a long break. Wore it for the day and swore that it will see the light of day more often. I desperately wanted one when I first got into this collecting lark and am delighted I have it. There’s no desperation for the new one.


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  29. #79
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    Official dimensions:
    39.45mm x 13.2mm x 46.4mm

  30. #80
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    It seems Seiko gave this model an AR-coating, that's at least a little bit of improvement over the 6R15 Alpinists. The glare from the crystal was what kept me from getting one.

    Quote Originally Posted by Wallasey Runner View Post
    Also interesting that they referred to it as an Alpinist inspired Prospex rather than an out and out Alpinist, but I suppose Seiko have to slot it in somewhere amongst their different model ranges.
    That is an interesting approach, but would it not make more sense to release these watches as a proper Alpinists instead of diluting the Alpinist brand?

  31. #81
    Quote Originally Posted by dschaen81 View Post
    It seems Seiko gave this model an AR-coating, that's at least a little bit of improvement over the 6R15 Alpinists. The glare from the crystal was what kept me from getting one.



    That is an interesting approach, but would it not make more sense to release these watches as a proper Alpinists instead of diluting the Alpinist brand?
    For good or for worse, Prospex is here to stay and supersedes everything else. All hail Prospex!

  32. #82
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    Quote Originally Posted by dschaen81 View Post
    It seems Seiko gave this model an AR-coating, that's at least a little bit of improvement over the 6R15 Alpinists. The glare from the crystal was what kept me from getting one.
    That is an interesting approach, but would it not make more sense to release these watches as a proper Alpinists instead of diluting the Alpinist brand?
    Personally I am happy with the current crystal. I did buy a SARB017 that had been modified with a Double Dome Blue coated AR and it was dreadful. From all angles all you got was a Blue haze. I sold the Watch and bought a brand new one with the original crystal - much better in my opinion.

    As stated, Seiko do seem to have specific ranges of watches and as the Alpinist Quartz models of 15 years ago were sold as Prospex models this seems a sensible place to Group the new releases.

    Also, we still haven't had anything official from Seiko, just Hodinkee and shopping in Japan, so perhaps wait until we see how Seiko themselves market these before we put the boot in.

  33. #83
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    Mine is fitted with a double dome but no issues with a blue hue. Different source perhaps. The original crystal really reflects so much it has a white hue that hinders the beautiful green dial being admired. If you google Sarb017 most images will show the issue that the dial hardly ever looks green.


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  34. #84
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    Having some decent photos, I'll be in for the black or white & silver version. I like my -017, but the green is tough to match with my wardrobe, so it gets limited wear.

    I am not a fan of the Prospex "X" logo on the dial, the Alpinist is somewhat more refined and dressy than a diver; I wish they'd just put it on the crown. But this is Seiko; they took off "Marinemaster" and replaced it with the "X" on the SBDX Marinemasters so it's no surprise it reared its head on the Alpinist dials after that act of sacrilege. At least it isn't so large that it's intolerable. But it does clash with the overall aesthetic of the watch, IMHO. But I'm somewhat logo-phobic to begin with.

    The AR coating and the 6R35 are improvements. The cyclops is neutral. Either that, or you have a date too small to read. Not so sure about the display back. A negative, if it adds to the watch's height.

  35. #85
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    There's seems to be suggestions that the white dial with the gold furniture will be a Seiko on-line only watch. Not really sure what means, it doesn't sound like a limited edition, but it may well be that most outlets won't have it in stock and you probably have to order from Seiko direct on that one.

    I will wait until Seiko themselves make some official announcement on the range and see what's going on with that watch in particular. It seems a little odd to sell it this way unless it is going to be a restricted or limited edition. I did see that you can pre-order it from Japan, so maybe this is a load of old tosh...

    https://wornandwound.com/the-seiko-a...ck-in-january/
    Last edited by Wallasey Runner; 16th December 2019 at 22:18.

  36. #86
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    Quote Originally Posted by Toshk View Post
    Official dimensions:
    39.45mm x 13.2mm x 46.4mm
    13.2 mm is fairly chunky, especially for a 40 mm case. Hopefully the rounded edges will help it slide under a shirt cuff.

  37. #87
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    Quote Originally Posted by JimSclavunos View Post
    13.2 mm is fairly chunky, especially for a 40 mm case. Hopefully the rounded edges will help it slide under a shirt cuff.
    A whole millimetre thicker than the 017.

  38. #88
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    Quote Originally Posted by Toshk View Post
    A whole millimetre thicker than the 017.
    I've never owned a 017, and was more thinking towards it being less than 1 mm lower than the very chunky SRP777 diver. Impossible to say for sure until we've felt it "in the flesh", of course.

  39. #89
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    I don’t understand why the measurements are different from the SARB017. Why not just reuse the 017 case rather than remanufacturing one that’s 1mm larger and thicker? Wouldn’t Seiko generate further costs by modifying the case dimensions?

  40. #90
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    Quote Originally Posted by Redcoat View Post
    I don’t understand why the measurements are different from the SARB017. Why not just reuse the 017 case rather than remanufacturing one that’s 1mm larger and thicker? Wouldn’t Seiko generate further costs by modifying the case dimensions?
    It may be something to do with the introduction of the clear/viewing case back

  41. #91
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    I guess one advantage of it being Prospex is it will be easy enough to acquire, rather than having to import from Japan like the old 017 which was a JDM. Presume UK retailers such as Jura will carry them as they do other models in the Prospex line up.

  42. #92
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    Quote Originally Posted by davidj54 View Post
    I guess one advantage of it being Prospex is it will be easy enough to acquire, rather than having to import from Japan like the old 017 which was a JDM. Presume UK retailers such as Jura will carry them as they do other models in the Prospex line up.
    I hope you are right, but there seems to be a suggestion that the white with gold furniture dial (or champagne as they call it) will be a Seiko e-commerce model only - whatever that means. I'm hoping it's just a case of having to order from Seiko direct rather than them appearing in shops.

  43. #93
    Slightly off-topic but I thought best here to post, I stumbled upon this interview comparing the '95 Alpinist with the '06 update. I enjoyed the read! https://www.seiko-design.com/en/alpinist/index.html

  44. #94
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    Quote Originally Posted by crazyp View Post
    Slightly off-topic but I thought best here to post, I stumbled upon this interview comparing the '95 Alpinist with the '06 update. I enjoyed the read!
    I've seen that before and yes it is a really interesting read. Gives me an opportunity to post a few gratuitous photo of the mid 90s Red Alpinist line up and the set that followed some 10 years or more later.





    It's interesting that some people have been critical of the 2020 Black dial watch because it lacks the numbers. You can see from above that it never has had numbers.

  45. #95
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    Some actual pics of the new releases:







    I'm still not sure, the dials do look a little dull, especially the Black version. Maybe it's best to wait until they appear in the shops and you can see them in the flesh.

    Also still waiting to hear what "Seiko e-commerce model" means for the Champagne/Cream watch with the gold fittings. I'm still assuming it's order direct from Seiko, but I would like to know if its a limited production as I cannot see the point of selling this way otherwise.

  46. #96
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    A few pics starting to emerge as shops in Japan and Singapore seem to be getting stock. First is the case back which is completely new for any Alpinist and secondly a comparison shot with the SARB017. Size wise the guy who took the shots couldn't tell the difference.




  47. #97
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    Those pics did not make that black dialed version look very appealing, and that was the one I thought I'd like best, on the basis of the previous images I'd seen. The proportions of hands & hour markers just seems "off," and as noted above, the dial seems dull. I have a -17, so the only of these holding any interest for me now is the white/silver version.

    Oddly, I am not finding the Prospex "X" as offensive as I thought I would. Though i still wish it were absent from the dial.

  48. #98
    Quote Originally Posted by BigBluefish View Post
    Those pics did not make that black dialed version look very appealing, and that was the one I thought I'd like best, on the basis of the previous images I'd seen. The proportions of hands & hour markers just seems "off," and as noted above, the dial seems dull. I have a -17, so the only of these holding any interest for me now is the white/silver version.

    Oddly, I am not finding the Prospex "X" as offensive as I thought I would. Though i still wish it were absent from the dial.
    I'm with you on the "X".
    I can't decide if the white date disc enhanced by the cyclops breaks the style or adds character, I'm leaning towards the former.

  49. #99
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    Quote Originally Posted by rodia77 View Post
    I'm with you on the "X".
    I can't decide if the white date disc enhanced by the cyclops breaks the style or adds character, I'm leaning towards the former.
    As far as I can make out the square cut out for the date doesn't seem to have a painted frame like the SARB017. The White date wheel is certainly more obvious than before.

    The White dial with silver furniture does seem appealing as that combination hasn't been done before. The Red Alpinist and the SARB013 both had Cream dials with Gold Furniture.

    I'm still waiting for the details on the new e-commerce Cream and Gold to see if it is a limited edition or just a reduced production model. Does seem all very odd, hopefully we will find out from Seiko in the next week or two why this one is being treated differently. If it is, it might be the one to buy...

  50. #100
    Did we see this? https://gearpatrol.com/2019/12/21/se...lpinist-watch/
    I might consider the (off?)white plus silver but I'd first have to see if it's acceptably legible and not too bright for my tastes.

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