Seiko's Alpinist line is steeped in tradition. Originally developed for mountain climbers in 1959, this robust watch has become a favorite among Seiko fans. It's known for its distinctive design and inner compass bezel.

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Developed for Mountaineers, Popular with Fans

The roots of the Seiko Alpinist go back to 1959, when the traditional Japanese manufacturer introduced the Laurel Alpinist – a wristwatch that was specially tailored to the needs of mountaineers. It had easily legible luminous hands, a case protected from water and dust, and a strap with a cuff.

Seiko produced the first Alpinist in various versions until about 1965. Then, 30 years went by before the SCVF model known as the “Red Alpinist” appeared on the market. This watch boasted a completely new design, which most Seiko fans now associate with the Alpinist, including an internal bezel and an additional crown. However, Seiko stopped production of the “Red Alpinist” after just two years, which makes it particularly interesting for collectors.

In 2006, Seiko relaunched the Alpinist as part of the Prospex collection’s SARB line. The design corresponds to that of the “Red Alpinist.” Seiko produced the watch in a number of different versions, though many appeared exclusively on the Asian market.

In 2020, Seiko came out with a reworked version of the Alpinist. In the same year, Seiko launched the “Baby Alpinist.” The dial design and hands of this watch match those of the standard Alpinist, but it doesn't have an internal bezel or a second crown.

To mark the company's 140th anniversary in 2021, Seiko introduced a modernized re-issue of the 1959 Alpinist, limited to 1,959 pieces. They also released a series of reinterpretations of the watch, with designs based on the original model.

Reasons to Buy a Seiko Alpinist

A unique design
Robust in-house movement
Wide range of versions
Numerous rare collector's pieces

Prices at a Glance: Seiko Alpinist

Model, reference number	Price (approx.)	Size, caliber, dial
Prospex 1959 Alpinist Re-Creation, SJE085J1	2,500 USD	36.6 mm, 6L35, black
Seiko Laurel Alpinist, 14041	1,900 USD	35 mm, Seikosha 17J, silver-white
Prospex Alpinist Blue, SPB199J1	1,300 USD	39.5 mm, 6R35, glacier blue
Red Alpinist, SCVF007	1,100 USD	38 mm, 4S15, silver-white
Alpinist, SARB017	1,200 USD	38 mm, 6R35, green
Baby Alpinist, SPB157J1	615 USD	38 mm, 6R35, dark blue

How much does a Seiko Alpinist cost?

Prices for a Seiko Alpinist range from around 615 USD to 2,800 USD. You'll find the Baby Alpinist models at the lower end of this price range. In the price range between 670 USD and 900 USD, you'll find current Prospex models like the SPB121J1 and reinterpretations like the SPB243J1. With a bit of luck, you might also come across vintage watches from the late 1960s or an Alpinist Champion 850 in this price range.

If you want to call a Red Alpinist from the 1990s your own, you should expect to pay around 1,100 USD. Rare special editions like the SPB089 with a glacier-blue dial go for as high as 1,700 USD. If you have your eye on one of the first Alpinist models with the reference number 14041, plan to spend between 1,700 USD and 2,200 USD, depending on the condition of the watch.

The most expensive Alpinist is the 1959 Alpinist Re-Creation SJE085J1, introduced in 2021. The watch was limited to just 1,959 pieces and sells for 2,500 USD.

Vintage Alpinist Models

The first generation of the Seiko Alpinist came to the market in 1959 and has the reference number 14041. The diameter of its stainless steel case is 35 mm, which might seem small by today's standards, but was typical for the time. It's powered by a Seikosha manual movement with Diashock shock protection and 17 jewels.

Since the watch was developed with mountain climbing and the outdoors in mind, its construction is very robust. It has a screw-down case back, and a domed acrylic glass protects the display. The dial comes in black or silver. The indices and hands are luminous, meaning they're easy to read in low light conditions. Triangles mark 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock. Add in the dauphine hands and the other bar indices, and the watch takes on a subtle Art Deco aesthetic.

Alpinist Champion

In 1963, Seiko gave the Alpinist a redesign and made it a part of the Champion collection. The watch's diameter remained 35 mm. The Alpinist Champion 850 is powered by the caliber 850, as reflected in its name.

The dial design also got a makeover. On watches in the J130xx series, a dark ring with applied bar markers now surrounds the bright center, and fine lines divide the dial into sectors in 5-minute increments. In contrast, watches with the reference number 85899 sport a classic, understated dial design with applied bar indices. You can buy the watch in black or white and choose from a chrome or gold-plated stainless steel case.

Red Alpinist – A Classic

In 1995, Seiko introduced a completely redesigned version of the Alpinist intended for the Japanese and Southeast Asian markets. Since “Alpinist” is written in red above 6 o'clock, Seiko fans call the watch the “Red Alpinist.” Shigeo Sakai was responsible for the design. He added luminescent cathedral hands, a new dial design, and an internal rotating bezel operated by an additional crown at 4 o'clock. The bezel has compass markings and is meant to help with orientation in open terrain. The date display, located under a magnifying lens at 3 o’clock, is also new.

The stainless steel case measures 38 mm in diameter and is water-resistant up to 200 m (20 bar, 656 ft). The display is protected by a Sapphlex crystal, a mineral glass with a layer of sapphire. At the heart of the watch is the caliber 4S15, which ticks at 28,800 vibrations per hour (A/h), features a stop-seconds mechanism, and can be wound by hand if necessary.

The Red Alpinist comes with either a black, white, or green dial. The green version with the reference number SCVF009 is especially sought after by fans and collectors. In this version and the white version (SCVF007), the hour markers alternate between Arabic numerals and pointed indices. In the black variant (SCVF005), small triangles serve as indices.

The Alpinist in the SARB Series

The SARB Alpinist debuted in 2006. It closely resembles the Red Alpinist, but the red lettering has been replaced with the white inscription “Automatic,” and the date display is no longer magnified. In addition, the crystal is now made of sapphire and the movement has been replaced by the caliber 6R15 with a 50-hour power reserve.

The selection of dial colors is the same as those for the Red Alpinist: green (ref. SARB017), white (ref. SARB013), and black (ref. SARB015). The design of the black SARB Alpinist departs slightly from its SARB counterparts. It has narrow dauphine hands and tapered indices. The date display is also now located at 4 o'clock.

The Current Prospex Alpinist

Since the introduction of the Red Alpinist, the Alpinist has been part of Seiko’s Prospex collection. This is even more evident on the 2020 SPB watches, which feature the Prospex logo on their dials. The design of these watches remains largely the same as previous models. What's new is the 39.5-mm diameter and the caliber 6R35 inside, which has a power reserve of 70 hours. The cyclops lens has also made a comeback.

In addition to the colors available in previous generations, the 2020 SPB Alpinist is also available with a brown sunburst dial (SPB209J1). There's also the limited edition Alpinist Blue SPB199J1 with a glacier-blue dial.

The collection also includes a GMT version. The 24-hour scale on the bezel makes this model easily recognizable. The date has also moved to 4:30.

Baby Alpinist

2020 also marked the debut of the “Baby Alpinist,” another SPB model. Unlike other Alpinist models, this watch does not have an internal bezel, which means it does not have an additional crown at 4 o'clock. Coming in at 38 mm in diamter, the Baby Alpinist is also a bit smaller than its counterparts. The dial design is very similar to the larger Alpinist models. Available in blue, green, black, and brown, the dials feature a delicate pattern and elegant gradient.

Remakes & Reinterpretations

Seiko celebrated its 140th anniversary in 2021, and marked the occasion with a number of special editions. One of these anniversary editions is the 1959 Alpinist Re-Creation SJE085J1. This is a modernized re-edition of the original Alpinist from 1959. The design is almost identical to that of the Seiko Laurel Alpinist. However, the newer model has a slightly larger diameter of 36.6 mm, a date display at 4 o'clock, and boasts a domed sapphire crystal. The ultramodern automatic caliber 6L35 ensures the highest precision. The watch is held securely on the wrist by a brown leather strap with an additional cuff.

Seiko only produced 1,959 examples of the 1959 Alpinist Re-Creation, making it a sought-after collector's item.

The Re-Interpretation

Simultaneous with the release of the Re-Creation, Seiko also introduced a series of modern reinterpretations under the name 1959 Alpinist Re-Interpretation. These watches have a diameter of 38 mm, a flat sapphire crystal, and are powered by the caliber 6R35.

The dial borrows heavily from the Re-Creation. However, on the Re-Interpretation, the minute ring has a subtle sunburst that sets it apart from the rest of the dial. The date display is located at 3 o'clock.

The 1959 Alpinist Re-Interpretation is available with a cream (SPB241J1), green (SPB245J1), or anthracite (SPB243J1) dial.

Alpinist GMT & SKX

There are also a number of lesser-known models in the Alpinist line. The Alpinist GMT, for example, was released in 2003 and is also known as the Alpinist 8F56, in reference to its quartz movement. This 38-mm titanium watch boasts a GMT function, a perpetual calendar, and distinctive Alpinist compass bezel. The two crowns are located at 2 and 4 o'clock. Sword hands, often found on pilot's watches, indicate the time.

Alpinist in SKX Style

In 2009, Seiko launched an Alpinist variation for the Japanese market that differs significantly from other Alpinist watches. It uses the 42-mm case from the SKX diving watches, meaning that it has a crown complete with crown guard at 4 o'clock and a rotating bezel. The bezel has a 60-minute scale as well as compass markings. The hands on this watch are also sword hands.

The watch is available with a green dial and stainless steel bezel under the reference number SARB059 and with a black dial and bezel under SARB061.

FAQs

Is the Alpinist water-resistant?

Current Seiko Alpinist models are generally water-resistant to 200 m (20 bar, 656 ft). One exception is the 1959 Alpinist Re-Creation, which is water-resistant to only 100 m (10 bar, 328 ft). Vintage Alpinist models, on the other hand, are only protected against the occasional splash. It’s better to avoid contact with water when wearing one of these watches.

How big is the Alpinist?

Depending on the year and model, you can find the Seiko Alpinist with diameters ranging from 35 to 42 mm. Watches in the current collection measure 38 and 39.5 mm in diameter.

What’s the Seiko Alpinist made of?

Seiko uses only stainless steel for the case of the Alpinist. The Japanese watch giant also offers some models with a gold DLC coating.