The Seiko Alpinist GMT is a mountaineering watch with mass appeal. Want to join the club? Here’s all you need to know.
Professional climbers and daring explorers need certain qualities in a wristwatch. They need a rugged outdoor watch to survive unfathomable extremes and the most challenging external conditions. Temperature fluctuations, pressure, and shock impact are all eventualities. Some watch manufacturers dedicate their efforts to perfecting the ideals of an explorer watch. When I refer to a timepiece as an explorer watch, I mean a watch for boundary-pushing, record-breaking pursuits. A watch designed to help a mountaineer conquer unimaginable summits and push himself to unthinkable extremes. The Seiko Alpinist GMT is a watch with mass appeal. Even those who have never stepped foot on a mountain still want one.
Tool watches are still in production only because of the sheer grit and determination of daring mountain hikers and adventure-seekers. After all, if not for them, would we even need these instruments anyway?
When we think of adventure-ready watches, some names spring to mind. Among these is the Rolex Explorer, which assisted Sir Edmund Hillary at his summit of Mount Everest in 1953. Also, Swiss Maison Montblanc, with the help of Italian climber Reinhold Messner, created the 1858 Geosphere watch. The explorer reached the top of Mount Everest without needing supplementary oxygen in 1978. It wouldn’t be fair to talk about adventure watches without mentioning Officine Panerai, either. The manufacturer entered the realm of mountain climbing a few years ago. Here, it developed a Submariner in partnership with alpine climber Jimmy Chin.
If you don’t have the budget for a Rolex or Panerai, take a look at the Seiko Alpinist GMT. It combines many desirable features with travel-friendly features. But what of all the other variations? The collection is vast and full of options for every kind of wearer, so let’s look at some.
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The Seiko Prospex Alpinist
To begin the story of the Seiko Prospex Alpinist, we will travel back through Seiko’s history to 1959. This marked the birth year of the first Alpine watch. Seiko intended the Laurel Alpinist for Japanese mountaineers (Yama-Otoko).
It was clear from the beginning that this watch was perfect for alpine pursuits. Its legible dial, topped with domed acrylic glass, delivered crisp and precise information at a glance. Equally as nice was the case shape. Complete with a screw-down crown and case back, it helped prevent the risk of dust and debris damage.
One feature that made the Laurel Alpinist so ready for tough outdoor conditions was its Diashock technology. It protected the movement from impact. It was Seiko’s first serious attempt at a sports watch, though it didn’t necessarily scream “sports watch” at the time.
Remember that this watch arrived before the birth of legendary sports watches like the Ingenieur, Royal Oak, and Nautilus. So, you could say Seiko’s interpretation of a sports watch set the benchmark for many other icons to follow.
The next chapter in the Alpinist story was the Alpinist Champion in 1963, this time with an attractive gradient dial. Then came the Seiko Alpinist Red watch, enabling explorers to orientate themselves with its rotating compass bezel. Its name came from the red “Alpinist” lettering at 6 o’clock.
The Seiko Alpinist SARB line was similar in design to the Red iteration. These came in perpetual calendars, automatic watches, and quartz movement versions. They also came in black, green, and cream dial colors. The green iteration, in particular, had a mesmerizing display. These models took on the internal rotating bezel of the 1990s Prospex and boasted gold-plated hands.
Taking It to the Top With a Few Seiko Alpinist Models and Styles
Re-Creations of the Alpinist have always been popular. They offer things like a modern Seiko movement and protective leather bracelet to resist the effects of the cold. To commemorate 60 years of the sports line, a limited edition of 1958 pieces arrived in 2019. It afforded those who weren’t fans of the green dial a beautiful blue sunburst alternative.
Since 2020, the Seiko Alpinist has been part of the Prospex collection, displaying the name on the dial. You can identify these models by their Cyclops lens over the date window. This feature came back alongside a newer and improved automatic movement compared to the original 1958 model. Some versions of the Seiko Prospex Alpinist also come with a brown or glacier-blue dial.
If you’re unsure which one you want, here are a few Alpinists that catch our eye.
The Seiko Alpinist SARB017
As I mentioned earlier, the Seiko Alpinist SARB watches arrived in 2006. They came with the Calibre 6R15 movement, one of the brand’s most appreciated movements, which found fame in the SARB series. It’s a solid, tried-and-tested Calibre that guarantees accuracy and precision, another reason collectors love this version of the Alpinist Seiko so much.
The movement works like a Hi-Beat but saves power for longer. It’s also pretty affordable and is featured in several Seiko watches in the brand’s current catalog.
The Seiko Alpinist SARB017 is the model with the green dial from the SARB line. (The SARB013 boasts the cream dial, and the SARB015 features the classic black dial.) The watch became a cult favorite with its captivating green sunburst dial. In fact, it’s one of the most collectible Alpinist watches.
Its stainless steel case has brushed and polished features and is a perfect watch option for small wrists. Although designed as a sporty field watch, its compact size, legibility, and accuracy make it perfect as a daily beater.
The cathedral hands are one distinguishable feature of this Seiko, with the gold-plated elements elevating it to a more luxurious level. They sweep gracefully around the dial, glowing richly in the dark thanks to plenty of luminous material.
The SARB017 completes its sporty field watch look on a classic brown leather calf strap measuring 20 mm wide. This standard lug width measurement enables many strap options and configurations.
Due to the watch’s popularity, the SARB017 even outlived other models after it. We’ll get to the GMT version of the Alpinist shortly, so you’ll soon see why that model and this one are clear collectors’ favorites. They share many practical features, making them great for all weather and outdoor pursuits.
The Seiko Baby Alpinist
In 2020, Seiko released the Baby Alpinist, which shared characteristics with the Rolex Explorer. It featured a very nice compact 38mm diameter but lacked the internal compass bezel and cyclops window.
It also featured a domed sapphire crystal top instead of the flat version and a lovely textured gradient dial. This helped provide a superb contrast against the cathedral hands, Arabic numerals, and shark tooth markers.
As you can see, the Seiko Baby Alpinist’s bezel-less profile gives it a cleaner overall look. It also helps the wearer read the time in a more legible format.
Seiko specialists also remove the 4 o’clock bezel and crown guards to help reduce the size. Today, the Baby Alpinist is still a popular option for those with small wrists. According to customer feedback on forums, it fits like a dream on a 6” wrist.
With this GADA watch, you can hike, swim, socialize, and even enjoy it on a weekend break with the boys. It suits every occasion, whether on the three-link steel bracelet or leather strap option.
Seiko Alpinist Blue Watches
In addition to the green Seiko Alpinist, another model deserves just as much attention. The GMT reference SPB377J1 is a Seiko Alpinist blue watch that follows in the faithful footsteps of the original 1959 Alpinist.
The watch, with its dramatic blue dial, is a Seiko Alpinist GMT that serves an even more practical purpose. Collectors swear by this travel watch for its robustness, legibility, and affordable price. Currently part of Seiko’s catalog, it retails for just under $1300.
The watch evolves the capabilities of the Seiko Alpinist and promises durable, reliable materials alongside a functional 24-hour scale. You can easily track the red GMT hand around the deep blue dial, while the compass bezel benefits from a super-hard coating.
As far as blue dial watches go, the Seiko Alpinist Blue is an excellent addition to have in your watch collection. This is especially true if you often work outdoors, travel frequently, or spend your weekends partaking in extreme outdoor pursuits.
In addition to this model, Seiko also released one of its most expensive models in blue–the SPB089. If you have a little more money to spend on the Alpinist, check that watch out. This modern classic has a solid automatic Seiko movement, carrying many accolades from the much-loved SARB series.
The reference SPB089 is a unique US limited edition of 1959 pieces and measures 40mm in diameter! Understandably, it sold out within hours, but pre-owned models are still available on the second-hand market. If you can overlook the fact that it sells for much higher nowadays, it’s a phenomenal version to own.
The Seiko Alpinist GMT Watch
In addition to all the various designs in the Japanese watch brand’s catalog, the Seiko Alpinist GMT excels. It had to be one of the best. As mentioned earlier, Seiko’s blue dial options provide wearers with an excellent alternative to the green dial watch. Take, for example, the Seiko Alpinist GMT reference SPB377J1.
This is a traveler’s best friend, even more practical than the compass bezel models. It is the ultimate adventure watch, covering all those essential features I highlighted.
It has a tough steel case with 200-meter water resistance, anti-shock capability, and a legible dial for low-light conditions. These features combine with curved sapphire crystal glass, a three-day power reserve, and a case with a super-hard coating. It also promises anti-magnetic capabilities that withstand 4,800 A/m.
Its matching dark blue calf leather strap secures with a robust steel buckle that matches the 24-hour-engraved bezel. To orientate yourself while exploring, the internal bezel operates flawlessly thanks to the grooved, easy-to-grip 4 o’clock crown.
I should also mention that if you love the rich green dial of the SARB017, you may like to try the GMT version. The Seiko Prospex Alpinist GMT watch is not just available in the deep blue dial variant. There’s also a white dial version and (you guessed it) a green iteration.
Check out the SBEJ005 for more details! Its classy aesthetic is excellent for anyone going from a long-haul flight to a business meeting.
FAQs
Here are some FAQs about the popular adventure watch.
Is the Seiko Alpinist Rare?
The Seiko Alpinist is not rare. There are many options on the market. However, limited edition references can sell for more on the pre-owned market.
Why Is the Seiko Alpinist Popular?
The Seiko Alpinist is a popular field-come-sports watch because of its appeal to mountain climbers. It offers a robust case, legible dial, solid movement, and, in some versions, a compass bezel.
Is the Seiko Alpinist Gold?
There is a Seiko Alpinist watch with a gold PVD coating. One example is the SPB210J1, which has an alluring green dial and a gold-colored handset.
The Takeaway
Seiko has a reputation for crafting capable field watches perfect for mountain climbers. The Alpinist watch collection is ideal for outdoor pursuits, extreme sports, and daring exploration.
Although the Seiko Alpinist watch collection is vast, some models stand out. The SARB017, with its rich green dial, is the purest expression of the sports watch collection—and it’s also the most popular.
But the Seiko Alpinist GMT ticks all the boxes for an Alpinist watch with even more functionality. It allows you to track the time in a separate time zone, read current time, and carry out basic navigation. Its best features are its GMT function, water resistance, anti-magnetic technology, reliable movement, and compass bezel. What’s more, you don’t have to spend a fortune to add this watch to your collection.
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