The Seiko SARB017 Alpinist as told by Jack Ausmus.

Hello again, it's Jack @watches.md.de for Timepiece Archaeology. Today I'm here to discuss a watch that has something of a cult following and has been steadily climbing in price on the secondary market: the Seiko SARB017 Alpinist.

For those of you who do not know, the SARB017 is the green-dialed variant of Seiko's legendary Alpinist, which has been recently discontinued. The Alpinist's most modern form has also come in black and white-dialed versions (SARB015 and 013, respectively), but the 017 remained in production for several years after the 013 and 015 were discontinued and is thus the most common watch thought of when one says "Seiko Alpinist". For more information on the history of the Alpinist as a line within Seiko's product range, I would highly recommend this fairly exhaustive piece from springbar (https://thespringbar.com/blogs/guides/the-ultimate-seiko-alpinist-collectors-guide).

Those of you who know me should know that this is a piece which has my name written all over it so to speak: it is rugged and can handle my lifestyle, it is beautiful and refined, it is a Seiko, and, above all, it is green (my favorite color far and away). Therefore, it was no surprise to me or any of my watch collecting friends when I impulse bought a brand new SARB017 from Japan on eBay several months back. This was always one of the biggest issues with the SARB017: it was a JDM (Japanese Domestic Model). As such, in order to buy it from a trusted US retailer (such as Long Island Watch), you had to deal with the makeup that the added middleman had to put on the watch. As such, it has been one of the most popular JDM models for US and Europe-based consumers to order online directly from Japanese retailers. I myself had no issues with the ordering process and was actually able to score a killer deal by capitalizing on some eBay sales and the like. By my own luck (which is, admittedly NEVER this good), I happened to order exactly two weeks before Seiko announced the discontinuation of the SARB017 and prices almost doubled. Once my watch arrived (in full Seiko packaging with all tags & etc.), I was far from disappointed with what I found.

Let's get the bad stuff out of the way first. If you have heard stories about this watch, you have likely heard the horror stories relating to the stock strap: they're true. The faux-croc strap that came on my Alpinist was of similar quality to the faux-croc strap on an Invicta Chrono that I once owned (I know, I know... I'm sorry.)

Luckily, the 20mm lug width of the Alpinist is quite common and I had a leather NATO lying around that did the job just fine until a Strapcode Super Oyster bracelet I had ordered from Long Island Watch arrived. It has been my experience that the Alpinist wears well on just about any strap I've put on it: from different colored leather NATO straps to the oyster bracelet to fine Italian leather straps to solid color nylon NATOS, the Alpinist looks absolutely gorgeous on anything.

The only other issue which I have had with the Alpinist is that the sapphire crystal is not coated with any type of anti-reflective coating and as such can be difficult to read instantaneously in bright light. I frequently wear vintage watches with domed acrylic crystals that are much more difficult to read in bright light, so this did not bother me much at all. If you are used to the legibility of a watch with an AR coated crystal, however, this could come as something of an annoyance.

The 6R15 movement in the Alpinist is a beast: hacking, handwinding, and diashock combine with the usual Seiko efficiency for a killer movement with great precision out of the box which will perform under just about any conditions.

The durability of this watch is further aided by its screw-down main crown, sapphire crystal, and solid steel screw-down case back, all of which contribute to its impressive 200m water-resistance designation. I have taken this watch onto (and into) the water while sailing, and it has performed perfectly.

Now onto the most polarizing aspect of the watch: the dial. As a devotee of the color green (and green watches for that matter), the dial was actually one of the selling points of this piece for me. The brushed sunburst of the green dial certainly looks very bright and vibrant in most of the press photos you see of the Alpinist, but in day-to-day lighting conditions, the dial is much darker and often appears almost black. The gold indexes and cathedral hands are very reflective and easily seen; overall they compliment the green of the dial very well. I have seen some SARB017 owners put two-tone bracelets (especially Jubilees) on their Alpinists to stunning effect.

The case of the Alpinist is really a wonder in and of itself. The polished lines of the bezel and sides of the case reflect light in unexpected and downright beautiful ways, while the brushed lug tops keep the watch from appearing too ostentatious from the dial side. The case's 38mm size is also absolutely perfect for a range of wrist sizes.

There is one feature of the Alpinist which I am largely indifferent about- the rotating "compass" chapter ring. I do more than my fair share of outdoor adventuring, and I can honestly say I have never used this feature. If you know what time it is and can see the sun, you can estimate directions with a reasonable degree of accuracy without a compass feature on your watch. While I'm certain that some people employ it with great success, I just don't really have a need for it. There are some who detest the 4 o'clock crown which controls the internal compass ring, but I, for one, am just indifferent to it design wise.

All in all, the Alpinist is one of my favorite watches in my collection. The Alpinist is often referred to as one of the most versatile watches that one can own, and I would have to agree. It is one of very few watches that I can honestly say looks at home in a boardroom but will perform perfectly well for you when you're backpacking or mountain climbing or sailing. Since its discontinuation by Seiko, prices for both NOS pieces and used ones have skyrocketed. If you want one of these guys, I would definitely suggest you pick one up before they hit the rapidly approaching $1000 mark.

Thanks for reading, and let me know of any questions or comments you have in the comments section!