Why I Waited 3 Years To Review The Prospex Alpinist

[@J0hnny8ravo]

I’ve never heard anyone complaining that much over a strap. I mean the watch is beautiful, you could wear it completely naked and still consider yourself a well-dressed man…

[@Therealgdoesgshit]

Exactly

[@datnguyen5463]

Well said lol

[@luist.1919]

From what I remember, most of the Seiko Cocktail time watches have their straps on opposite side as well. Reason being that the “better side” of your strap is visible to the public when holding your cocktail or when doing a cheers with your drink.

[@ilikewatches]

It a good enough reason to break from the norm for me

[@SuperMariooo25]

I believe the reason Seiko gives for having the strap face the inside of the wrist is that the "best side" should be the one most visible to others. Not sure how practical it is though.

[@ilikewatches]

Breaking with years of tradition though…

[@craigsphotography46]

Yup that's the marketing blurb they say for the cocktail time having the straps the wrong way

[@tkindschi]

There's something to be said about which way is more intuitive in closing the clasp. It does seem more natural in the Seiko orientation, for whatever reason. (Not that it's all that difficult either way).

[@Dr.Gunsmith]

I own the Alpinist sunbeam forest and I love it, the dial is great and the watch is a different animal with a strapcode upgrade strap.

[@michaelcoates7475]

That is an amazing deal for the watch! Everywhere I look, it seems to be selling for over $700.

[@rhoever]

I bought my white dial, Prospex Alpinist new in January 2021 for $845 Canadian. It was the second watch in my collection and I bought it because I loved how it looked. Still do but I hardly ever wear it because of the issue with the strap. I turned the strap around as you did, but as you mention it doesn’t quite fit right that way. It’s ok, but not great. I bought a Strapcode jubilee bracelet for it, which looked pretty good but the clasp started getting very hard to close, so I removed it. It’s also the least accurate watch in my collection, loosing about 30 seconds a day. I find that unacceptable. I’ll probably see if I can get it regulated some day but since I rarely wear it, it’s not been a high priority for me. Thanks for the review. I always enjoy them.

[@nintendokings]

Seiko has fitted their higher end watches with leather straps that way round for years. Something about showing a cleaner look to others. As far as the folding claps goes: I love it, it’s one of my favourite folding clasps I’ve had. Got 2

[@eastmanistanian5971]

I've got the SPB209..i love it..absolutely gorgeous and fav of my collection above much more $$ watches. I do disagree on the strap/clasp, feels premium and special to me. I thought the backwards strap was weird at first however it gives the watch a unique style, look/feel. I got so used to it when I put another "normal" strap on it now feels backwards to me 😂

[@mr_kev]

Same here.. recently purchased my Spb121 and it just works on my wrist.. really cool it's been..

[@AlexanderB.]

Basically I do very like the Alpinist, be it the old or the new model. I don't mind the cyclops as long as it's well aligned. Couldn't agree more about the loose tail end of the strap pointing towards me an catching on all kinds of things. There are deployant buckles where the loose end sits inside the strap, those are much better. But my main bug bear with the Alpinist is the compass bezel moving too freely and thus moving by itself.

[@mojaslovenija9903]

My remark as geographer... there is no compass but only a bezel to mark the position towards the sun. The advertisment "compass" is missleading.

[@WatchMatt]

Very nice comparison, one of your best videos recently!

[@anthonystevens8683]

A great comparison Gary. I left it too long to get the old one for a good price but when I was at the AD a month or so ago I had a look at the new one and managed to get a reasonable (not close to 50% off) discount on the green dial version. Mine came on the brown padded alligator padded strap that looks similar to the old version but with the deployment clasp and it felt horrible on the wrist initially. After wearing it for a week solid (slightly tighter than usual for the band to break in) but now that I've backed it off a position it's actually very comfortable as it has formed to my wrist but I may swap it out. The green dial version that I have is similar to the old one with the Prospex logo and text in white along with the railroad minute track. The main difference between my example and the old one is the white date wheel, display case back and the cyclops. I think the cyclops works on this version is because of the white date wheel as if it was dial coloured the cyclops and not the date would grab my attention. Oh and for me at last I have a Seiko where the hands are aligned. Overall I'm pretty happy which is just as well as the old ones are too expensive. Timekeeping is pretty good as well. I only just spotted this video while looking at others, I must have missed this one as I'm already a subscriber to the channel.

[@Klingonmastr]

I bought the Seiko Prospex Alpinist SPB155 from an authorized deal because they were offering 30%. At around 500 US dollars then this watch isn't such a bad deal. You get a bracelet with a nice milled clasp that is way better than the bracelet on their cheaper automatic watches. That 6r35 movement certainly could be better. If I don't wear the watch for a day or two I'll sometimes notice the watch being 5-10 minutes slow. Do other people have that same problem with the 6r35 movement?

[@Dadication3]

Excellent review. Love my 017.

[@pkflash2004]

Good comparison video Gary. Like you I bagged an original unworn Alpinist Sarb 017 and only paid £289 a few years ago. I like everything about it except the strap. I think it is one of the worst Seiko straps along with the black shiny patent leather one on my Sky Diving Cocktail Time. The new straps are a big step up but I agree with you on the deployant clasp being the wrong way round. I always reverse mine, but unlike you, I don't find this uncomfortsble and it doesn't dig in to my wrist. The deal beaker for me regarding a new Alpinist is the cyclops. If I ws to get a newer version I would get one of the other variants with the textured dial and flat sapphire. Sadly they re no longer a bargain.

[@rohanes]

That brown dial is looks nice. As far as I know, the SARB017 and its Prospex siblings have stamped dials.

[@jonburingrud6127]

I've got the baby Alpinist SPB155J1 and I found a great Miltat bracelet for it. Looks great and wears great.

[@manuelk7521]

I have a small wrist. If the strap tip is inside, it looks better.

[@brianmsahin]

I have the older one too Gary, one of my firm favourites. I actually got mine on special offer here in Istanbul quite a few yeah ago and I paid the equivalent of just $380 for it. The owner was a quite old gentlemen who was retiring. He owned the property and had sold it to some fashion firm and needed to sell of his stock quite quickly. He was selling the watches for cash only, no credit card. My lucky day. If I'd had the cash to buy more watches I would have! Excellent comparison. Btw, I did change the strap for a nice handmade leather one.

[@ilikewatches]

Very nice!!!

[@RobinhoodarrowsRHA]

Both nice and either would make me proud to have in my collection

[@roddunne]

Think of us poor sods who got the green dial new version - old fake croc leather strap with the new-style buckle . The cyclops is a sight for sure. The saving grace is that the green dial on the earlier and later green version look the business, and the case finishing/polishing is so nice with the curvy case

[@ilikewatches]

Lol….true dat

[@redbarchetta8782]

I got the same brown dial Alpanist watch. Put it on a Strap Code Angus and it looks great. :) They have come down a bit. And my bezel aligns the same. Update: I had to send my watch into Seiko for repair as it started losing time up to two minutes a day. I paid $300 on the repairs and it works good now, but it is no longer a good buy for a Seiko. Not sure I think the 6R35 is all that good of movement.

[@socrispy7114]

I have never had a problem with the 6r35, all of them run within 2-3 seconds a day and in most cases run better than my swiss movements.

[@ilikewatches]

Me too but apparently its a common issue

[@t4404]

i've had a spb117j1 for about 6 months, and I gain ~45 seconds a day

[@andrewrothman7805]

For the strap, you can seek out an Omega-style clasp, which keeps the strap end on the inside, next to your wrist.

[@davidperkins605]

Great review Gary, i do like the new version, maybe because I can't see the old date window..!! 👍

[@philspencelayh5464]

A bit chunky for me and not a fan of the cyclops, quite like the dial/hand set. The strap for me wouldn't be a problem, all leather straps go in the bin, I'd find something else but the killer is the movement, at those prices you're into Swiss territory where you don't have to put up with +25/-15s per day.

[@bigsmooshflopdong33]

As others have said, it's pretty common in seiko watches. A lot of people say that what you are presenting to others is clean and neat looking. Although, I feel like by orienting the clasp that direction it now functions with the same folding motion as a standard clasp you'd typically find on a bracelet, just tuck in the tail as you fold it closed. For myself, this makes it feel more natural to take on and off, I've never had an issue with it getting caught up on clothing or anything either, no more than any other tail orientation.

[@BetamaxBabe]

Thank you! That white date wheel is my biggest issue with the "new" Alpinists. It's glaring against that dial.

[@markloubser2433]

I dont understand how the compass crown is pushpull and the other screw down? How does it achieve a 200m water rating?

[@kobusvanrensburg4092]

Never underestimate Seiko's ability to snatch mediocrity from the jaws of genius. Both beautiful, but that clasp/strap combo is just a wtf were they thinking moment.

[@ilikewatches]

Lol

[@devinhedge]

Brilliant comment..: and I agree. I still prefer the original.

[@elijahdelacruz3204]

That clasp/strap combo has an upside though, that being that the leather strap won’t wear down quite as quickly as a traditional leather strap that doesn’t have a deployant clasp. For us watch enthusiasts sure that may not be a problem cause we often switch out the straps on our watches, but I think most people just don’t bother to switch out the strap unless it wears down already or is uncomfortable for their particular wrist.

[@kobusvanrensburg4092]

@@AndreiGeorgescu-j9p absolutely, but why not make the strap good in the first place?

[@chriswalls6667]

Just another case of Seiko just resetting their pricing, one of the reasons I prefer micro brands. However Gary thanks for sharing with us👍

[@ilikewatches]

Always a pleasure…

[@lawrence-ec5dm]

Love the Alpanist, both old and new .

[@tonypammen6150]

I seem to have a mixture of both on my watch? Dial of the old model, apart from the prospex logo with the strap in faux crocodile with the buckle you don’t like and with the date magnifier and 6R35 movement.

[@nickjohnson217]

I love both these seiko’s and especially in that moss green dial, I’ve got my eye on the selling platforms looking for that bargain to arise and I’ll snatch one when the time comes. 👍👏🍻

[@zonofono]

This is the first time I’ve heard someone say the 6r15 might be preferred over the 6r35. The 6r15’s rep, as far as I can gauge, is not fantastic. If the 6r35 is similar to the 6r15 in accuracy I prefer the 6r35 because the added power reserve (from 50 to 70) means you can leave it for a whole day longer before winding. I’ve had two of the 15 and have two with the 35 and that extra day makes keeping them wound so much easier somehow. In my case the 15s where more inaccurate than the 35s but that is anecdotal. My $0.02.

[@greggusan]

I like the new one, but agree about the cyclops. Not a fan of them, especially when there could be a nice color-matched frame around the cutout like on the earlier model. As for the strap, is it possible to remove the deployant and put a regular pin buckle on it? Or keep the deployant and use another strap which is designed to be worn the normal way (the excess strap on the outside). I'm thinking the non-hole portion of this strap may be a bit shorter than on standard straps, since Seiko has reversed its position. Not sure if I explained that well, but when I'm sizing my bracelets, I always want the part that attaches to top of the watch (the 12 o'clock lugs) to be longer than the side that attaches to 6 o'clock lugs. Maybe it's the same with leather straps: On standard straps, the non hole portion (attached at the 12 o'clock lugs) maybe longer than the one used here by Seiko which would attach at the 6 o'clock lugs.

[@peteduran2545]

I have several Seiko watches. I don’t have any on the original strap or bracelet. Beautiful watch and great video.

[@ameralkhatib]

I've been told that Seiko as a brand (and Grand Seiko) have always maintained that the correct way to wear a strap is with the loose end facing the wearer. I've noticed it a few times at places that sell Seiko and Grand Seiko.

[@Zotrax1946]

I am sticking to my Sarb017 too..

[@jimferry4751]

The clasp will be installed upside down if it came from Seiko with a deployant. You are correct with the reason it's a cleaner look. They are made for the Japan market and the strap with deployant is opposite of how we install it.

[@Mad-Coo]

Why do you prefer the movement? What are the differences between the two?

[@vaclav_fejt]

I just got a Baby and I very much like the clasp. It feels easier and more secure to put on and take off. I don't mind it's intrinsically less secure to wear than a traditional buckle (everything is intrinsically less secure to wear than a traditional buckle). The long end would be better to go inside the loop (as it does on a type B clasp - this one is type C), but overall, the clasp being backwards doesn't inconvenience me at all. Note: It's still long sleeve weather, we'll see how about t-shirt weather - but I switch leather for rubber or fabric anyway. Just the sheer bulk of both the clasp and the watch. I've made my piece of my dream watch being a chunky piece, despite generally cherishing thin watches. There is no perfect watch and I hope I'll make many memories with it.

[@watch-box]

I wear mine on my Exciton bracelet - it looks stunning!

[@ilikewatches]

AWSOME!

[@nedflanders3769]

I like both but the I like the green color on the sarb017’s dial more

[@morgan.enfield]

I have both the SARB 017 (on a jubilee) & the SPB 197J1 european edition (emerald blue/green/grey dial, oyster bracelet) and I love both (gold indices/hands on the SARB, silver on the SPB197). The SPB is thicker because of it's useless display caseback so I bought (very hard to find) an original SARB 017 solid one and swapped the caseback. Note : the crown is signed on the SARB not on the SPB.

[@jefferyneu3915]

Nice review Gary! Seiko always put their straps on backwards. It would annoy me just as it does you! Personally, I have come to value cyclops magnifiers. As age has taken my close-up vision, I see them as a bonus.

[@superfitzy]

On the newer of the two Alpinists, is it possible to remove the folding clasp hardware and replace it with a standard buckle and tang/pin? That way, one could keep the nice strap and fix its orientation to the traditional "tail-out" position without having to wear Seiko's uncomfortable clasp (at least when it's reversed).

[@tkindschi]

I've had the SPB209, exactly like the one in the video, for over a year now. I think I paid about halfway between the RRP and what you spent....which seemed like a pretty good discount at the time. I liked the color in pictures quite a bit! But in hand, the minute track is rather hard to read...and let's face it, the compass bezel is pretty much useless to normal humans. I do appreciate the intent, though. As for the strap, I had to replace the one it came on simply because it was too short for my 7 3/4 inch wrist. I could BARELY make it fit, but it just felt slightly too tight. I put on a similar design, (smooth brown), from Hersch in a XL size. And low and behold, because of the different lengths of the strap pieces, I can actually wear it either way...."backwards" as it was sold, or reversed as seems more normal. Can't actually recall which way I settled on. I don't mind the scissor clasp as a result. It works, even if it may not be the ideal solution. My experience, anyway....

[@ramoverde4133]

Do you think it is possible to change the Cyclops to a normal Sapphire?

[@ilikewatches]

Possible but there are always risks

[@Dr.Gunsmith]

Can’t find the sunbeam forest for that price now they have shot up in price. You did great getting it at that price.

[@WatchesOnWood]

A solution to the clasp digging in after turning the strap around... You can gently bend the clasp to flatten it out so it doesnt dig into your wrist. Personally, I put mine on a brown leather nato - which somewhat negates the point of having an exhibition case back

[@brinx8634]

This type of clasp prevents the damage we've all seen that occurs from folding the strap back on itself, particularly when removing. (1) "Backwards", it is less fiddley to put on and remove the watch. It is clear to see and manipulate. (2) It's more comfortable because the metal of the clasp rests on the meaty part of your wrist, not the bony side. I have not found the strap tail to be more obtrusive......perhaps even less prone to snagging. When adjusted and worn properly, I never notice it

[@craigsphotography46]

Picked up an SPB210 last year for 540 GBP which was a great price, been yearning for a sarb017 but as you say the cheapest I could find was 900ish, I love it but hasn't scratched the itch to have the older Alpanist Agreed, strap is ugly as it is but uncomfortable the proper way, needs swapping out

[@grzegorz4739]

I like how you say "BRRRITISH POUNDS". Cheers mate!

[@waynesellers4078]

I generally prefer the spb157 baby alpinist but the spb355 does look very nice

[@TheSilverDubberII]

"I didn't!" Nearly spat my dinner out! 😁

[@wayne83t89]

I got mine for the same price as you, I put it on a strapcode jubilee bracelet and I love it I wear it a lot

[@SeikoLeaks]

Sarb017 >>> Every Prospex Alpinist

[@fuangrat1]

I bought the green/gold new alpinist and i love it. It's so stunning. The older version just looks outdated to me. Recently i bought the cream/gold and considering to buy the gold during the holiday.

[@wilkamania]

I did get the SPD121J because I got into watches when the SARB017 was waaaaay too much. I'm happy with the watch, but i hated the strap. I have mine paired with a strapcode two tone oyster bracelet and I love it. I got into watches during the pandemic (much like a lot of people) and the SPB121J with strapcode became my "grail" so to speak. It's still one of my favorite to rotate, with the others being a Tissot PRX, Hamilton Murph, and an Orient Kano Diver

[@zbyszek_pitorowski]

I’m planning on getting the SPB121J1, I think it looks stunning and I love the magnifier. Only thing that bugs me is the SEIKO on the back of the watch, at first looking at the video i thought it was a sticker you forgot to take off but no (why is it even there if it already says seiko on the lower part of the watch?). Either way fingers crossed it will survive the Margate winter sea swims!

[@kevintaylor41]

What jewellers did you buy from?

[@edwardklein5692]

Sold the sarb017, but bought a oris big pointer date, so all is good!!

[@edwardklein5692]

The older model is king!!

[@grahamliggat7193]

Gary - I think you’re bang on with your strap concerns and great to see an objective measured review of this pair. I have long admired the Alpinist - the original with no cyclops! - though perhaps not as lustily as many gushing reviews. But the pricing has just gone too crazy for me to stay interested. As others have noted at that price a lot of other watches come into consideration or even a sizeable savings contribution towards a grail. And if I was actually going on the kind of trip where a compass bezel was going to be needed I would be taking something much lighter and less pricey (step forward Citizen, Timex, Casio, etc.). So I continue to admire it while scratching my head as how it makes any sense at £££. Happy to admire from affair but v low interest in owning one.

[@ilikewatches]

Glad you enjoyed it…oddly I don’t recall anyone ever mentioning the strap issue although I must admit, not seen many reviews on it

[@JohnCannonBand]

Your new alpinist is the brown dial. They do have a green dial for that one also. I accidentally bought the brown dial and then cancel the order and then thought about it a while and I think the brown looks better now. I went with the SPB 155 baby alpinist.

[@halfhand64]

Great video, as always. I don't know that either one of them are really for me though You know you can just take the clasp off and put a traditional one on? I do it all the time.

[@shipmate3577]

now you just meed the alpinist gmt

[@yamaotokostudio4946]

Just an interesting tidbit (apologies if it’s already been mentioned), these actually have pressed indices, not applied. You couldn’t believe my surprise when I saw that, I’d been convinced for years they were applied!

[@thomasmoffatt]

I have the SPB157 "Mini-Alpinist" and love it to bits - it is the blue dial one. But I agree the strap was not good. Especially as it was not big enough for my 200mm / 8in. wrist. I traded it out for a real alligator Vietnamese strap that is superb and ultra comfortable. To me, it is a watch that would have been created at the height of the "Arts & Crafts Movement" if they had the technical sophistication for the watch at the time. Keeps excellent time - about 3 sec. fast per day..

[@bumiputera2273]

flip the buckle also with the leather?

[@stuartgriffiths4292]

Sarb017 is stunning, il look for deals like you said for the new alpinist great heads up review

[@stevensharp7]

My Alpanist was the special edition mountain glacier £800 and within three years it was losing 40 plus seconds a day, jot a great movement

[@Keeperofthekey13]

I have both the SARB 17 & the SPB 123 (cream with gold indices & olive green strap). I like both however, the thickness of the 123 is higher by a millimeter. Why have a display back when there’s none of the striping, pearling or bluing we see on other movements? Makes no sense & being hardlex, makes it a weak point of the intended use surely. I’ve also turned the strap around on the 123. I actually like its quality & comfort. I have a 7&1/4 inch wrist. Bought a Tan leather strap of similar design (top & bottom stitch) but with buckle & tang to fit the SARB. It looks fantastic. I’ve actually considered trying to buy the metal Alpinist back plate for the 123 to reduce its height. Still might via my watchmaker.

[@harry-Musk]

Did you ever consider looking at the Casio Loose Riders 1 & 2

[@tjdesignproduction2090]

Where did you buy these watches?

[@billmurphy893]

I have worn a victorinox, seiko and an Orient all with the same buckle arrangement with the tail on the inside and it has never been an issue. Does not catch on anything.

[@racamon]

Wait.. same thickness? Closed case back without the glass looks much thinner.

[@rebolorto]

Hi Gary, i have a cocktail time with the same kind of inverted strap. Understanding Japanese mind is sometimes difficult. The first think i did was to swap it for another strap

[@gerardowmby7156]

Mine is a Special Edition from Japan. It doesn't look like either of these. It has a dark green dial with gold numerals, but has a magnifier dome over the date and came with a brown leather band. It's sort of a cross between these two. I looked ten years for the perfect watch. This is it.

[@bbwt9991]

Both are nice, definitely prefer the older one!

[@michaelradtke3935]

I definitely prefer the older version too. It’s a shame the market has gone up too much though. I’ll have to keep my eye out for a good deal

[@DuckieJan]

I'd pay extra for the new one compared to the old Alpinist. When I held them side by side the small changes they did, actually made the watch more refined than its predecessor. Seiko's SPB143 is even comparable to my Pelagos. Would I buy one, sure. I mean it's only 700 bucks, the PRX even has a disposable movement at the same price (or less).

[@xPhilz0r]

The 6R35 in my alpinist runs pretty strangely. Sometimes its off by 20/30 seconds and sometimes its near enough perfect at +3 a day. I was reading the 6R35 can suffer from positional variance and in my case it certainly is. I've just forced myself to not worry about the numbers unless its noticeably off. Its a beautiful watch though and one of my favourites.

[@danielgarrad]

Love to know where your picking up an Alpinist for that price, I picked up gold one last year for £420 and thought that that was a bargain, never really seen them on sale.

[@ilikewatches]

It was goldsmiths

[@Peter-2704]

Garry, you did well picking them up for those prices. The SARB017 is one of my favourites and there are far too many things on the new one I don't like including the white date wheel and the fact they dropped the Alpinist name from the watch itself. The indices and in fact stamped into the dial from the back & not applied. I didn't believe it until I saw a photo but it's true. Good video 👍

[@MrBacchus18]

I had a Victorinox watch come with the tail of the strap set up that way, I did like you and switched it

[@davidstokes5444]

Would have been interested in a comparison on the timegrapher. I have a bracelet baby green alpinist, stunningly beautiful watch but the 6R35 drives me nuts 😬

[@murph8411]

I found my one 6r15 ran far from ideally and thought it had a poor reputation for isochronism. I have sent one 6r35 back for running outside of spec but got it back reasonably quickly from Seiko and it was well within spec since (I think. I don’t wear some watches very often). I got my alpinist for less than rrp but not as cheaply as you did iirc. I think I only saw them that cheaply very briefly around Christmas time.

[@Valvey789]

On most deployant clasps the strap part with the holes in it tucks inside the the other part of the strap when it's closed. Those are the ones I prefer.

[@blackpig52]

Put the new strap on the old watch and change the clasp for the buckle,sorted

[@fungus70]

I waited about that long too to buy this...

[@anthonydevono8833]

I’ve got the exact same strap on my seiko green quartz chronograph faux croc effect surprisingly as mine was only £125 so I assumed they put better strap on the higher end seiko! The deployment strap on the other one would have to come straight off life to short for all that faff 😁

[@rafaelalbarracin9278]

Dos hermosos relojes, felicitaciones a tí y a Seiko👍

[@darrenfry4695]

The money is insane on Seiko watches they Don't make anymore, I was looking on Amazon at new old stock SKX's and they're wanting six hundred quid for that dinosaur lol 😂 crazy money.

[@AFtheclear]

The 6r35 I feel more confident with, I like the cyclops too. I must be weird. I have a 16610 date and cyclops, handy

[@PaulBravery]

Gary, get a strapcode bracelet for it.

[@watchalot919]

I have a mountain Glacier version. It is a lovely watch, but I agree, it isn't worth the full asking price

[@whollymindless]

Green and gold is hard to beat.

[@thecoldnovrain89]

I have the green prospex. I bought it last June. It’s a killer looking watch. I put it on an uncle Seiko jubilee and it’s a poor man’s Datejust. The only thing that is annoying is how easily the mostly polished case scratches.

[@mikesheehan5946]

Adding a Cyclops always seems a big mistake to me - but I've got good eyesight. I always think it would hinder time reading in that area. And it also hinders date reading at many angles! I've never had a watch with one though... Maybe I'll appreciate them when I'm 60+

[@scotthayes2652]

Going to be controversial here, i like both. Gutted I turned down buying the SARB version a few years back, but a lesson was learned.