I have the SPB210 and it’s absolutely stunning piece in sunburst alpine green. Great quality all around including the milled gold plated deployant clasp and calf leather strap.
I have the SARB017 and it is my favorite watch. I paid €245 for it and that's completely worth it. Knowing that I paid close to the minimum and is goes now for around €450, I don't think the €900 price is justifiable only with a new movement. Probably just because it is limited edition. Still a beautiful watch, better than the SPB089 imo.
245 is an amazing deal mate. I bought my sarb017 for 400 and no regrets. And yes, this one is expensive because it's a limited edition. Honestly, I didn't think I would keep it but once I opened the box I really loved the dial. Thanks for your comment!
I also have the sarb017 and i bought it for premium price (650usd)..... i also bought the presage ssa401j1 irish coffee for 1050usd!! Because theres only 1000 pieces... and i have the 0002/1000 no. So even if i paid crazy amount im happy. But im not so crazy with this blue alpinist, im still crazy in love with the sarb017 though.
Yeah. 900€ for an alpinist is alot. You can get the other newer alpinist models with the 6r35, for around 600€ brand new from an ad. Or second hand around 500€. You basically pay 300€ extra, only for the limited edition dial
Such a beautifully done piece by seiko, I have the non compass alpinist on the leather and I find it to be extremely comfortable. Really happy with the quality of the leather. I would have liked a signed crown maybe but it’s not something I have thought much about. I would pay the asking price if I was given the option to buy it. Haven’t seen it in person but it’s looks like an extremely well done dial. And a dial that will still look classic as it ages. Looking forward to seeing the bracelet vid
The non compass dial is really clean looking and in my opinion a very versatile piece. I'd love to feature one on the channel. Which dial color do you have?
honestly, one of the best designs i have ever seen. also 6r35 is a magnificent movement. the real class that this watch belongs to, is way beyond its price.
got mine today its absolutely stunning, I also have the green which I've owned a few years. great watches highly recommended - however with only 2020 made they are hard to get- all the best
These watches are awesome. I just wish Seiko had not upped the price on them so much. Especially since they've upped the prices everywhere. But as the misaligned bezzel on my green Seiko SafArnie can attest they didn't seem to up the QC to match these new prices.
That's why I sold mine. The only Seiko I own right now is the sarb017. I bought it for 400 eur. I'm working on the review of the Samurai Shu-Iro limited edition and it's fantastic. I'd love to own one but it retails for 795€.
I haven't seen this in the metal, but from photos and videos I think this is the best dial in the Alpinist line. I agree with you about the straps, but it will be great on a strapcode bracelet. Maybe sooner or later an Alpinist will join my collection, but I don't know yet which one. P. S. : your cat is beautiful, Ivan!
@@TheBoldHairspring I'm trying to decide which piece to get- the new King Turtle or the Alpinist. Presently wearing an orange Monster I picked up 12 years ago and have been happy with but am at the point that the cyclops would help a lot and I prefer a day/date complication but the Alpinist is very nice plus it's got the same depth rating. I'd appreciate your opinion.
@@jimf3932 personally, I'd go with the Alpinist as I simply like it more than the turtle. While I don't mind the cyclops, I'm not a big fan of the rectangular magnifying day/date window on the king turtle. (I reviewed a seiko tuna a couple of weeks ago and it had the same rectangular magnifying window which led me to selling it). So yeah, I think the Alpinist will compliment your Monster, which is a fantastic watch, very well.
I was just looking at this watch. I saw two different AD's still had +5 of these in stock. But 900€ for an alpinist..? I feel like you get a ~500€ watch here, in terms of quality. If the 900€ included a good quality bracelet, it would be worth concidering.. maybe
It's a cool watch and I like it a lot. Especially on the jubilee style strapcode bracelet I put it on. I definitely didn'g get the same sense of value as with the sarb017 but I'm happy I got it. You are right though, for 900 euro there are many options for one to consider.
@@TheBoldHairspring yeah, i think it's definitely a nice watch. And i'm sure if i'd get one, i would enjoy it. I just feel like Seiko should have done a bit more, to justify the 900€ price tag. Including a good jubilee bracelet with the watch, would have been a good start. I decided i want an alpinist, and it was between the spb123, and this spb199. Got the 123 second hand, in mint condition, and ordered a tt-jubilee from strapcode. In total that cost me 650€. If i went with the 199, and i would want a jubilee for that as well, i would be looking at a 1000€ bill.
Just received the 2020 Alpinist limited edition. And I don't know what to think about it. Of course the shape of the case is wonderful, as very often with Seiko. That one of the reason why I decide to purchase one. But let's say it, it is no longer an alpinist despite it looks very much like the one once called that way. Because nowhere does this beautiful name appear; the caseback no longer exhibits its logo, replaced by a harlex glass opening onto the optimised accurate movement of course, but without visual interest. So, what's the reason to do so ? And then that unsigned crown ! What justification can Seiko give? Same for the inexplicable price increase. Even if the limited edition can partly justify it. So why did I order it? For its glacier-colored dial, without a doubt, the only link with mountaineering ... But I think I am disappointed. I would certainly not have bought the green Sarb, I am one of those whom this color and the golden indexes repel. For 48 hours I have wondered about keeping or reselling it without even having worn it. Devoid of its symbolism and references, it loses strength; Seiko has a little meaningless one of his popular creations. I should have thought more about buying it probably. There remains a sublime case and dial where those elegant hands run. I may finally go for a clear dial prospex-alpinist... Rather than that limited edition.
Hi Damien, I agree with everything you say but in my case the dial just makes up for the rest. As I mentioned in my sarb017 video the lack of the word alpinist takes away from the identity of the watch and the exhibition caseback isn't necessary at all. My suggestion is that you wear it for a few days and see how you feel about it. If you don't end up loving it you can always sell it and get your money back. By the way, I just put mine on a strapcode angus j bracelet and now I like the watch even more (I'll post a video about it in a few days). So yeah, give it some time, experiment with some different strap options and let us know if you change your mind about it.
@@TheBoldHairspring hey, thank you for your answer. I like your review very much. Elegant and informative. I watched at you sarb017 as well. Great advices you gave me about the LE alpinist. Yes, I will mind about it further more. If you have any references to give me about straps that match with it, please do. Waiting for your review about that. Keep doing the good job. :-)
@@damselinea I'm glad you enjoy my content. Drop me an email at theboldhairspring@gmail.com with your facebook or instagram and I'll send you a picture of the bracelet I have on right now. I prefer metal bracelets over anything but for some reason I think grey leather, grey suede or even grey rubber strap/band will compliment the dial very well.
I'm a follower of your videos and your comments and honestly I find them very interesting. I'm saving money to buy my first entry-level automatic watch and I am hesitating a lot between this Seiko Alpinist model and the Hamilton Kakhi King. I want a watch for every day and I think field watches do this very well. Could you help me in the decision by giving me your opinion about it? Which of the two would you choose? Your comments would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much in advance.
Hi Pepe, I'd go for the Khaki King in this case. It's cheaper, it comes on a decent bracelet and personally I love its more military look. Then there are other small details like the seconds hand which extends all the way to the chapter ring and the sapphire crystal being domed. It's also swiss made and the powermatic 80 movement is nice to have as well. That being said the Alpinist is a fantastic daily driver too. It's one of seikos most iconic watches and the dial execution is beautiful no matter which color you go for. To be fair you can't go wrong with either one but as I said I'd go for the Hamilton. That's just my opinion of course. Btw, thank you very much for following my channel. I really appreciate it. If there's anything I can help you with just let me know 👍🏻
I used to have a hamilton jazzmaster with the daydate function. I hate having to set the day of the week all the time, when the watch rolls the end of the month... A regular date watch is good. I only have to worry that the date and time are set correctly. Adding a 3rd thing to keep track of was too much for me.
How do you feel now that Seiko came out with the same watch (same dial and everything) on a bracelet slightly cheaper price and is no longer a limited edition ? I`m really angry because of it and i promise i will never buy a Seiko ever again
Exactly the same way as you, really disappointed. In fact, I sold mine. Great watch but Seiko made me feel like a fool. I'll probably get another Seiko but I'll be very careful with their limited editions.
Not sure about Australia because it's a "Europe only" model. But relojeriaesparza.com ships worldwide. Unfortunately, you may have to pay import tax, so talk to them first.
The SNK621 has a similar colour but it’s more blue and less green the the spb199j1, doesn’t change as much as the spb199j1. But also a nice dial for sure 😄 the SLA037 also has similarities.
@@TheBoldHairspring exaclty, the sarb017 was my first "real" watch and i still love it, but in the price they are aiming for I don't know if I would buy it again
@@rfdiego777 As you said the color of this one is very nice but two months later seiko released another limited edition which was a bit too soon. And yeah these price increases and countless LEs will surely push people to look for alternatives.
As an everyday watch, which will fly under the radar, I don’t know what beats it even with the inflated prices. Date, water resistance, durable, sunburst dial. A lot to love.
This perticular version of the alpinist became my 'affordable grail watch' when I first saw it ages ago. Managed to nab one from Seikoboutique UK this week, very happy with it.
Ah! For the 2nd time, another limited edition? Another jack up value for the same thousands of thousands diff. Color wathes. Smart move SIEKO. Bad for the buyers.
And it won't be the last time 😬. I have a love-hate relationship with seiko mainly because of their countless limited ediitons of 3000+ pcs most of which are not really special. If I get one (like this alpinist) it's because for some weird reason I really like it.
Very good for the buyers. Its nice to have a watch thats a bit exclusive. Dont wanna be different, but in a world with 7 billion ppl, having 1 of a series of 2020 watches, is a fun and nice thing to have. For personal satisfaction. This today is the first time i bought a descent watch, been reading and exploring for weeks wich one to buy. And this is absolutely it for me 😉. So id like to pay something extra for something very nice i have. Been working for.
