It was payback time, if the blue alpinist was launched last year for US, now the glacier was specifically made for Eu :) but yes, I think the LE versions should be made for the entire world
Excellent video 👏🏻 Love my 017, this is stunning. Really don't like dates on 3 handers, but the Alpinists are so close to perfection I can forgive even the cyclops. Cheers 👍🏻👍🏻
I feel the title of the video a bit misleading as I can see you really love your watch. Your videos are a piece of art! Great cinematography. Way to go, mate : ) You really deserve to have more subscribers.
Awesome, professional review. I own 4 Seiko’s. QC was SO much better in the 70’s & the 80’s. Thanks! I own the Sarb 017 version. I love it….flaws & all.
A nicely nuanced and well rounded review. I recently purchased an SPD123J1 (the cream and gilt dial variant) after having an eye on it for some time. I'm ᴠᴇʀʏ happy with it. That said, I too have a few issues. You are spot on about the hand set quality. I smiled when you compared the hands to typical Chinese..., only because I was wearing my San Martin Capt. Willard copy yesterday and the hand set on it is ғᴀʀ superior to the hand set on the Alpinist! And even though I'm impressed with the quality of the olive green leather strap on my Alpinist, I find it a little too short and the underside of my wrist is sometimes irritated by the development clasp. Not a huge deal as it's currently on a perlon (for the Australian Summer) and will mostly be on a Strapcode Jubilee come Autumn. But other owners and reviewers of the SPD123J have made similar complaints. But otherwise, I love it! The cyclops is extremely effective and perfectly aligned - and I love me a cyclops! The mov't is giving me a consistent +1-2 spd over the past month. The case design and overall level of finishing is at least as good as that of my comparable entry level Swiss pieces, better than some. And most importantly, I think the watch is utterly beautiful and I also think that it may be a future Seiko Classic. Definitely a keeper for me. Cheers. Anthony.
Fantastic in depth review. great work. Such a shame about those hands - they look like they were finished by a person with poor eyesight. The rest is truly beautiful
This is such a great review. Defo got a new sub from me. Only thing I would say now owning this watch is I feel the contrast you have put on makes the watch appear darker than IRL. It's hard though as your visuals are stunning.
Really nicely made review! Very well written copy and INCREDIBLE shots! You excel at describing the watch from the perspective of a wearer; not just telling what we can ALL see, but transcribing what you can only notice in person.
Beautiful dial! Was interested in this model and found your review. After some more research I fell in love with the baby Alpinist, SPB157, dar ai făcut un super review și mă bucur să găsesc un colecționar român 🤘🏻😁. Subbed!
Thanks Matt! Yes i guess i depends from one person to another how we perceive the quality. But u'm pretty sure, if you will wear it, you will start to like it more and more. :) this is how I've ended up being in love with certina.
I would say most of the Prospex line is "premium" - certainly all of the models with the 6R35 movement (which this does have) and a milled clasp. I always find that the cases of my seikos (again, especially the Prospex line) have a weight and feel of a premium product to them. By the looks of these shots, the finishing is quite good for the price point and for the level of detail, too. Love Seiko. This one is at the top of my list.
Greetings ! After seeing this wonderful review, I wanted to ask you if it's really worth buying. Because recently they offered me a second wrist one, practically like new at 600 euros. It's about the Limited edition 2021. I'll be honest, seen up close it's gorgeous, but I would have preferred without the lens, and with the caseback closed. And with the screw down crown also for the inner bezel. Because it makes little sense to put together a screw-down crown, which guarantees water resistance up to 200 MT, and a second pressure crown... which cancels this advantage. For the rest, in the price range in which it is located, I would say that we are in line with the quality offered. Even if there are negative points. So, I'm looking for more opinions to clear my head...
Awesome video footage and overall an excellent review! Mulţumesc (assuming that you’re Romanian, hope that’s right)! Keep up the good work👍🏻 BTW: got mine today and really love this watch
How do you feel now that Seiko have issued the SPB197J1, which is an identical watch but with a bracelet instead of the two straps and in the UK is £110 cheaper? I for one am very annoyed about it, I'll never buy another Seiko.
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 SPB197j1 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? (I have in mind the the Tissot Gentleman powermatic 80 silicium, I know maybe more dressy) Your comments would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much in advance.
Hi, Pepe, thanks to be close to the Channel :) They are both amazing pieces! The Gentleman model is vrey good as well. I would suggest to try all of them, but in time and see what fits for you, be a watch explorer not a collector :)
@@ghassan054 www.klockonline.com and www.klockmagasinet.com. But im not sure if they ship internationally. You can always ask them. I got mine from klockonline though.
I just got the sarb017 and someone offered me this blue one for sale, when i was comparing it side by side on my hand i have to say the green original sarb017 is better. Maybe just for me. (My sarb017 has a after market leather strap not the original one)
@@BraveBeaters Yess, its way better than the newer ones. Even mine has some defects not perfect but the green dial plays light so perfectly, combined with an aftermarket leather strap its just an amazing piece. I've had alot of people asking me what watch it is plenty of times.
Nice video, one thing I’d like to make a correction to. The seiko Laurel alpinist was in fact first introduced in 1959. This has been confirmed by the seiko museum and was the reason for their 60 year anniversary limited edition that was released last year, at first through hodinkee. The watch looks lovely and I imo it is very much a tool watch. Too heavy to be a dress watch.
Brave Beaters it does indeed. I feel seiko did a lovely job on this one. I’ve seen a photo on Instagram where someone removed the cyclops. Let’s say it looks interesting 🧐
Agreed. Too many complications of a strictly 'toolish' nature to be a dress watch, even if it was a little less stout. Obviously many 'true' dress watches feature annual / perpetual calendars, moon-phases etc., but I'm very much a purist. The closest thing to a complication a dress watch should have is a small seconds register IMO. 🤷♂️
Hi, so I've received it on Thursday I think, It was already set but one hour before ( at gmt +1), since Thursday I set it to my timezone and since then it's on point. I am not chasing perfect accuracy but until now it seem to be accurate.
Great video but I wonder why you used Chinese-ish music as the bgm for a Japanese model. I know it's irrelevant but since the rest of the video is so well made it's kinda jarring.
I retuned mine immediately after receiving it,and seeing how small it is-forget about using that compass bezel,you can't even see the main markers with the naked eye,and the watch itself is so small it looks like a womans watch.Too bad,it's a very goodlooking peice
Hi Thomas, I've never seen an older one but I kinda agree with you, I have a sarb035 and a Seiko marine master from 2015 and yes, the quality is different.
I think this is the best looking version. Unless you buy this version, I think you are better off getting a Red Alpinist from the '90s instead of the new generations, as the 4S movement in the Red Alpinists is much higher-end than either the 6R15 or the 6R35
hi Andrei. i do think the white one, the version, looks awesome as well. The red ones are kinda hard to find for good prices. and i agree, i think the older models are way better made than the current ones.
@@BraveBeaters If you scour Yahoo Japan, and have the patience to import them, you can score quite sweet deals on the red ones, I have seen them sold for about 600$...for us in Europe you'll have to pay some VAT and import taxes of course, and they are worn unlike the new editions....but I think those 4S movements are totally worth it. They are in essence King Seiko movements....while 6R series are in essence upgraded Seiko 5 movements. Still, I might just buy this EU limited edition from some scalper :)) unfortunately I wasn't fast enough to buy it from an AD :(
@@BraveBeaters ...and, again, a limited edition to set the price beyond their regular model...to get people used to the new price ahahaha... They did so with the blue dial Alpinist in the previous model, and they are doing the same with this limited edition. This is how Seiko has started a pathetic race to increase prices basing on pure speculation... They should have offered the previous model with blue model as a regular model for the same price, which is the normal and more logical evolution...but...nope...
Maybe not the regular productions will not increase that much at first ; but the beautiful limited edition like this alpinist ; it will go up really quick.This alpinist has doubled in price already. Even the regular productions will go up if it has a really beautiful colour appreciated by collectors.
@@Ge0rGi. Only a handful of people are willing to pay twice the price. Increase is only temporary. It can't hold the price for long because there aren't enough buyers.
@@yeth3569 nope. The same thing happened to the American limited edition, never went down in price, they disappeared. The alpinist line is one of the most popular from Seiko,the limited ones are not going down in price.
Great review. I was so disappointed that they didn’t offer this color way in the US. I think it’s by far the most stunning version
It was payback time, if the blue alpinist was launched last year for US, now the glacier was specifically made for Eu :) but yes, I think the LE versions should be made for the entire world
This is by far the nicest dial out of all the alpinists.
Hi, agree with you :)
The first limited blue one is even better.
@@Bob.martens To each his own..
I’d say this is a hard second or third to the ginza or mystic forest
Your cinematography is absolutely phenomenal, great work on this video!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Ryan :)
Brilliant production, great music, and very informative.
You’ve got a new subscriber.
Thank you twice, Matt :)
Excellent video 👏🏻
Love my 017, this is stunning. Really don't like dates on 3 handers, but the Alpinists are so close to perfection I can forgive even the cyclops.
Cheers 👍🏻👍🏻
017 is already a classic :) I do like it. Enjoy it Steve.
I feel the title of the video a bit misleading as I can see you really love your watch. Your videos are a piece of art! Great cinematography. Way to go, mate : ) You really deserve to have more subscribers.
Thank you Mandar :)
Awesome, professional review. I own 4 Seiko’s. QC was SO much better in the 70’s & the 80’s. Thanks! I own the Sarb 017 version. I love it….flaws & all.
that is a fact, defo until 2015 they had higher standards in finishing the watches.
This makes me love my SARB017 more.
A nicely nuanced and well rounded review.
I recently purchased an SPD123J1 (the cream and gilt dial variant) after having an eye on it for some time.
I'm ᴠᴇʀʏ happy with it.
That said, I too have a few issues.
You are spot on about the hand set quality. I smiled when you compared the hands to typical Chinese..., only because I was wearing my San Martin Capt. Willard copy yesterday and the hand set on it is ғᴀʀ superior to the hand set on the Alpinist! And even though I'm impressed with the quality of the olive green leather strap on my Alpinist, I find it a little too short and the underside of my wrist is sometimes irritated by the development clasp. Not a huge deal as it's currently on a perlon (for the Australian Summer) and will mostly be on a Strapcode Jubilee come Autumn. But other owners and reviewers of the SPD123J have made similar complaints.
But otherwise, I love it!
The cyclops is extremely effective and perfectly aligned - and I love me a cyclops! The mov't is giving me a consistent +1-2 spd over the past month. The case design and overall level of finishing is at least as good as that of my comparable entry level Swiss pieces, better than some.
And most importantly, I think the watch is utterly beautiful and I also think that it may be a future Seiko Classic.
Definitely a keeper for me.
Cheers.
Anthony.
Thank one is my radar as well
:D
Thanks. .going back through your releases. I enjoyed this one.
Fantastic in depth review. great work. Such a shame about those hands - they look like they were finished by a person with poor eyesight. The rest is truly beautiful
Fully agree. I;'m not evan sure if the hands have ever seen human hands. I think they are printed...
@@BraveBeaters very sad to see in a watch this price. It isn't that much more expensive to provide a well made handset
They could do with having lume all the way to the bottom as well, I think they look odd as they are.
This is such a great review. Defo got a new sub from me. Only thing I would say now owning this watch is I feel the contrast you have put on makes the watch appear darker than IRL. It's hard though as your visuals are stunning.
GREAT REVIEW, I TOO THINK THIS IS AN ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL WATCH. DEFINITELY, ONE TO HOLD ON TO !!!
Thanks Richard! Yup, a keeper in my collection :)
That, and the green one, isone of the pretiest watches I've ever seen.
Agree with you!
I love my spb199, the finishing is actually slightly better than my sarb17, the strap(s) and packaging are miles ahead
Im considering purchasing one, do you find the thickness to be noticeably over done? Thanks.
@@zacharythompson9839 not a thick watch anyways :)
Really nicely made review! Very well written copy and INCREDIBLE shots! You excel at describing the watch from the perspective of a wearer; not just telling what we can ALL see, but transcribing what you can only notice in person.
Hi, Evan! Thanks for your kind words :)
Used to have the sarb017 and regret selling it. Luckily I just picked up the "tiger-eye" alpinist in black friday for £300!! Absolute steal!
Great price! also yes, the 917 would had been cool to remain in the collection :)
Great video mate. Hope you continue to produce more videos as you are one of my favourites to go to
Thank you Sir! :) Happy New Year!
The Seiko Prospex Alpinist Sunbeam Forest Green Gold-Tone SPB210J1 is the stunner for me!
Brilliant review, I can really see this channel growing much larger :)
Thanks Harry :)
GOOD REVIEW... Some reviwers act like sellers when they get some followers, not to disappoint or make people get angry, trying to please everybody.
not an easy job I'd say :D
@@BraveBeaters Well, honesty has always a price..., it's sad but it's the truth.
Good balanced review. The dial is excellent. Good move from Seiko at a price - I mean for the customer. They try to go up market obviously.
Thank you Thomas! It is a bit pricey for an alpinist, the quality is good overall.
Just subscribed enjoy your delivery and great camera work keep the videos coming
Thank you Peter! Welcome aboard! :)
Great review. High quality video production . Multumim!
Thank you :)
Beautiful dial! Was interested in this model and found your review. After some more research I fell in love with the baby Alpinist, SPB157, dar ai făcut un super review și mă bucur să găsesc un colecționar român 🤘🏻😁. Subbed!
Beautiful watch, thanks 😊♥️⌚🐿
How accuracy if this watch in your experience ? How much second are you gaining or lossing ?
HI! wanted to let you know that It has already 3 weeks since it's running (I am always winding it) and it's very accurate.
Great videography and observations regarding finish. I received mine yesterday and so far I’d give it a D in terms of quality. But I’m not selling 😜
Thanks Matt!
Yes i guess i depends from one person to another how we perceive the quality. But u'm pretty sure, if you will wear it, you will start to like it more and more. :)
this is how I've ended up being in love with certina.
Nice review and beautifully shot. Thank you.
Your welcome :)
I would say most of the Prospex line is "premium" - certainly all of the models with the 6R35 movement (which this does have) and a milled clasp. I always find that the cases of my seikos (again, especially the Prospex line) have a weight and feel of a premium product to them. By the looks of these shots, the finishing is quite good for the price point and for the level of detail, too. Love Seiko. This one is at the top of my list.
I want to follow up to agree with you that the level of finish on the hands is disappointing. Unexpected for a limited edition at the price point.
Great review. Impartial to say the least.
Greetings ! After seeing this wonderful review, I wanted to ask you if it's really worth buying. Because recently they offered me a second wrist one, practically like new at 600 euros. It's about the Limited edition 2021. I'll be honest, seen up close it's gorgeous, but I would have preferred without the lens, and with the caseback closed. And with the screw down crown also for the inner bezel. Because it makes little sense to put together a screw-down crown, which guarantees water resistance up to 200 MT, and a second pressure crown... which cancels this advantage. For the rest, in the price range in which it is located, I would say that we are in line with the quality offered. Even if there are negative points. So, I'm looking for more opinions to clear my head...
Hello! Honestly for the retail price, no. For a 30% discount. Can be :)
@@BraveBeaters Ok Thank you very much for your immediate reply 👍👍👍 because I also believe that only after a big discount can you find the right price.
Whats the background music? great video :)
Great video! Love the camera work. I like your accent; where are you from?
Thanks! Easter Europe, Ro :)
Awesome video footage and overall an excellent review! Mulţumesc (assuming that you’re Romanian, hope that’s right)! Keep up the good work👍🏻 BTW: got mine today and really love this watch
Thanks :) yes, you are right.
How do you feel now that Seiko have issued the SPB197J1, which is an identical watch but with a bracelet instead of the two straps and in the UK is £110 cheaper? I for one am very annoyed about it, I'll never buy another Seiko.
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 SPB197j1 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? (I have in mind the the Tissot Gentleman powermatic 80 silicium, I know maybe more dressy) Your comments would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much in advance.
Hi, Pepe, thanks to be close to the Channel :) They are both amazing pieces! The Gentleman model is vrey good as well. I would suggest to try all of them, but in time and see what fits for you, be a watch explorer not a collector :)
Very Nice review. Just ordered mine also.
Hi John, hope you enjoy it. it's an amazing watch. (except for the macro finishes) :D
Do you ofteb service your mechanical watches? This is my first watch actually. Ive heard its not worth to service seiko watches.
Can i ask where did u find it available??
@@ghassan054 www.klockonline.com and www.klockmagasinet.com. But im not sure if they ship internationally. You can always ask them. I got mine from klockonline though.
Very cool!! Great video!!
Thanks Peter :)
Great vlog great watch I hope to take a green dial soon. Enjoy
What's with the alpinist and only making blue dials limited editions? They hurt me by doing that 😥.
Seiko is doing seiko stuff. nodody can predict what they're doing :D
I just got the sarb017 and someone offered me this blue one for sale, when i was comparing it side by side on my hand i have to say the green original sarb017 is better. Maybe just for me. (My sarb017 has a after market leather strap not the original one)
Hi, never seen the sarb in flesh. but i assume that yes, it is better built than the newer ones :)
@@BraveBeaters Yess, its way better than the newer ones. Even mine has some defects not perfect but the green dial plays light so perfectly, combined with an aftermarket leather strap its just an amazing piece. I've had alot of people asking me what watch it is plenty of times.
Nice video, one thing I’d like to make a correction to. The seiko Laurel alpinist was in fact first introduced in 1959. This has been confirmed by the seiko museum and was the reason for their 60 year anniversary limited edition that was released last year, at first through hodinkee. The watch looks lovely and I imo it is very much a tool watch. Too heavy to be a dress watch.
Thanks for the updates! appreciate it. I like the Laurel version, it looks japanese let's say :)
Brave Beaters it does indeed. I feel seiko did a lovely job on this one. I’ve seen a photo on Instagram where someone removed the cyclops. Let’s say it looks interesting 🧐
Agreed. Too many complications of a strictly 'toolish' nature to be a dress watch, even if it was a little less stout.
Obviously many 'true' dress watches feature annual / perpetual calendars, moon-phases etc., but I'm very much a purist.
The closest thing to a complication a dress watch should have is a small seconds register IMO. 🤷♂️
@@wristwatchtalk I do like the cyclops, I consider that it adds ''preciousness'' let say to the overall look.
@@anthonysmith2982 If I'll have to wear a dress watch, I would choose one, extremely simple with the hour and the minutes hand. that's it :)
What about this vs say a SRPD31? This seems to have replaced the old SaRB Alpanist in its old price range.
Interesting review, how is the accuracy ? I know the 6R series can be a hit or miss in that regard.
Hi, so I've received it on Thursday I think, It was already set but one hour before ( at gmt +1), since Thursday I set it to my timezone and since then it's on point. I am not chasing perfect accuracy but until now it seem to be accurate.
It's amazingly accurate on my watch.
Hi , my experience was +25 seconds a day. That is the maximum that Seiko claim it should gain...
Since then I have regulated within +/- 5s per day..
Whats the nato strap at 10:10?/
Hi, you won't believe it, that is a CWC strap from my sis g10. :)
Great video but I wonder why you used Chinese-ish music as the bgm for a Japanese model. I know it's irrelevant but since the rest of the video is so well made it's kinda jarring.
How’s the watch serving you these days?
What is your camera in the background? Says Sea Gull and China Shanghai on there too!
Hi, that's an old camera that i have since i know myself. It' s a good prop for watch videos and photos :)
I retuned mine immediately after receiving it,and seeing how small it is-forget about using that compass bezel,you can't even see the main markers with the naked eye,and the watch itself is so small it looks like a womans watch.Too bad,it's a very goodlooking peice
Hands made in China I bet, otherwise a beauty, respects from South Africa
Thanks Auttie for your thoughts. yes, it's a shame of what Seiko chooses to do with 900 euros timepieces. How's the weather in South Africa? :)
I like the Brave Beater concept and you probably, but this watch is nothing special IMO.
Hi, Boogur. It's not bad, I mean I was impressed by the overall quality.
I personally hate the look of the new alpinists... the dialnumbering looks cheap and sunburst dials are the same as the SNXS series...
Hi Thomas, I've never seen an older one but I kinda agree with you, I have a sarb035 and a Seiko marine master from 2015 and yes, the quality is different.
Good review, but pure clickbait as well 🤪🤪🤪 WHERE is the big mistake? 😂😂😂
HAha, it is not a clickbait. ''a big mistake'' refers to the new line of seikos, pricey with defects.
I like to be threatened by you with new episodes. Greatings from Switzerland
Thanks Max! can't wait for the winter vacation. :D
I think this is the best looking version. Unless you buy this version, I think you are better off getting a Red Alpinist from the '90s instead of the new generations, as the 4S movement in the Red Alpinists is much higher-end than either the 6R15 or the 6R35
hi Andrei. i do think the white one, the version, looks awesome as well.
The red ones are kinda hard to find for good prices. and i agree, i think the older models are way better made than the current ones.
@@BraveBeaters If you scour Yahoo Japan, and have the patience to import them, you can score quite sweet deals on the red ones, I have seen them sold for about 600$...for us in Europe you'll have to pay some VAT and import taxes of course, and they are worn unlike the new editions....but I think those 4S movements are totally worth it. They are in essence King Seiko movements....while 6R series are in essence upgraded Seiko 5 movements. Still, I might just buy this EU limited edition from some scalper :)) unfortunately I wasn't fast enough to buy it from an AD :(
Pawned this watch after 2 weeks. The poor qc is extremely diassapointing.
Seiko watches are getting cheaper and cheaper, but not in price
An extrapriced version of an overpriced model.... Seiko's greed knows no limit... Again, they raise prices, not the quality...
Agree Antonio, they started to look at their income first.
@@BraveBeaters ...and, again, a limited edition to set the price beyond their regular model...to get people used to the new price ahahaha... They did so with the blue dial Alpinist in the previous model, and they are doing the same with this limited edition. This is how Seiko has started a pathetic race to increase prices basing on pure speculation... They should have offered the previous model with blue model as a regular model for the same price, which is the normal and more logical evolution...but...nope...
None of today's Seiko models will increase in value. They have released too many color variants of each model.
Maybe not the regular productions will not increase that much at first ; but the beautiful limited edition like this alpinist ; it will go up really quick.This alpinist has doubled in price already. Even the regular productions will go up if it has a really beautiful colour appreciated by collectors.
@@Ge0rGi. Only a handful of people are willing to pay twice the price. Increase is only temporary. It can't hold the price for long because there aren't enough buyers.
@@yeth3569 nope. The same thing happened to the American limited edition, never went down in price, they disappeared. The alpinist line is one of the most popular from Seiko,the limited ones are not going down in price.