- #SEIKO MODEL NUMBER 300 157 HOW TO#
- #SEIKO MODEL NUMBER 300 157 PLUS#
- #SEIKO MODEL NUMBER 300 157 SERIES#
The dark blue and charcoal grey versions come on vintage-perfect two-stitch leather straps, while the green comes on a solid-looking oyster style bracelet befitting its dressier dial. You can’t argue with a solid 70 hours of power reserve, low service costs, and despite the typically understated +25-25 seconds per day specs on paper, often much closer to COSC accuracy. Yes, the nouveau Alpinist is keeping the most prominent improvement made to the outgoing model, the brilliant 6R35 automatic movement found in the medium+ tier of Prospex and Presage references. This last detail for me is the pièce de résistance, together with the textured degradè dial surface. There is one small but significant change, and that is the redesigned arrow-needle seconds hand having a new shape and a bright red long tip. The hour and minute hands are steel on the blue dial SPB157J and dark grey SPB159J, while the SPB155J is bestowed with gold hands on what is the new version of the beloved green Alpinist. Yes, the cathedral hands are still here, sharpened slightly but remaining the Alpinist signature. The rich print of the redesigned railway minute track and square lumed hour markers work perfectly with the large cream Arabic numerals, the dark degradè edge increasing legibility with consummate vintage style. All three dials have a sophisticated textured granulated surface with a subtle degradè colouring darkening towards the edges of the dial.
This might have been enough, but everything under the now sapphire crystal has been distilled to a vintage matt aesthetic befitting the rich history of the Alpinist. The subtle Seiko quality touches are still there, like the small sharply polished bevels on the inside of the lugs, recognisable from the iconic SARB cases, and the polished bezel sharpening up the visage. This, for me, is the best change, as the simple utilitarian brushed case of a field watch – especially at this size - is a joy to strap on and enjoy for its clean, utilitarian lines.
#SEIKO MODEL NUMBER 300 157 HOW TO#
The case of the Alpinist has gone from 39.5mm down to the perfect sweet spot of 38mm, mainly through the loss of two main features - the swoopy crown guards and the 4 o’clock crown for the inner compass bezel that most of you, let’s face it, did not know how to use. I have the utmost respect for the history, but have always felt the Alpinist a bit too fussy of both case and dial design, though now it re-emerges as a true field watch whittled down to its essence – with added Japanese sharpness. I am firmly in the last camp, having most Seikos very close to my heart and always more than one in my collection. Hopefully it will manage the feat of keeping the #Seikobois happy while also garnering new-found support for a classic. How Seiko has managed to completely redesign the Alpinist range in a year with a plethora of new releases frankly boggles the mind, because this is no simple re-hash. I, for one, am excited by these latest models, the SPB155J, SPB157J and SPB159J. We are looking at a svelte, perfectly shaped 38mm case with the Alpinist name, yet it takes nothing away from the rich history. This time the new Seiko Alpinist SPB155J and its siblings SPB157J and SPB159J are not simply improved, but rather redesigned from the case up, with the only instantly recognisable feature being the charming Alpinist cathedral hands, ready for a new audience.
#SEIKO MODEL NUMBER 300 157 PLUS#
I observed the discussions that ensued, and was left with the positives of the excellent 6R35 movement easily tipping the scales on the plus side.
Earlier this year, changes came to the lineup, with the Alpinist logo no longer present, and the Prospex X above the historical “Automatic” vintage font logo at 6.
#SEIKO MODEL NUMBER 300 157 SERIES#
The Seiko Alpinist series is a beloved staple of enthusiasts on watch forums and Instagram, with its comfortable shape, size and particular Japanese take on a sophisticated field watch with a rich history. I/trending 21452 INTRODUCING: The brand new Seiko Alpinist SPB155J and its siblings SPB157J and SPB159J Thor Svaboe