The Seiko Alpinist SARB017 is a bit of an odd duck in the context of modern watches. It's too small to be fashionable at 39mm. It's too dressy to be a "tool watch" and too rugged and chunky to be a dress watch. It's "retro" but not "cool". The compass bezel is gimmicky. There's a lot of printing on the face (Diashock, Seiko? Really? ALL your watches have that!) . It just shouldn't work.

But it does. The Alpinist has the most important thing a watch can have, which is CHARACTER. In a sea of 44mm desk divers and Submariner knockoffs the Alpinist stands on its own. The face is one of a kind among modern watches. The green brushed dial varies from almost black to a color somewhere between emerald and olive depending on the light. It's mesmerizing. The gold numerals and indicators catch the light beautifully and always stand out against the dial. The cathedral hands are unlike anything else on a modern watch... they even serve a purpose at night, because there's no mistaking the hour and minute hands when reading them under low light with Seiko's excellent lume.

The quality of this watch stands out in every way. Going back to the "tool watch" aspect, it is built tough. The sapphire crystal is practically impossible to scratch or damage. The 200m water resistance is a welcome touch. The case finish, which is all-polished except for the brushed tops of the lugs, is impeccable. The screw-down crown is signed with the Seiko "S". The detailing on the dial is precisely and perfectly applied. Everything about this watch  (well, almost everything, but more on that later) punches well above its weight. It's not exactly cheap, but it feels so much more expensive than it is.

The same applies to the movement. Hand-winding the Alpinist is a joy. The action is silky-smooth and the hacking ability is a nice bonus. I've been averaging -3 seconds per day, which is excellent for an out-of-the-box automatic movement. Rotor noise is present, but it's not clunky or harsh... it's kind of reassuring to know your watch is keeping itself wound. I haven't tested the 50 hour power reserve yet, but it's nice to know it's there! The movement is hidden away behind a back cover engraved with the Alpinist logo... no presentation caseback here.

The closest thing this watch has to a downfall is the factory strap. I'm sure it would wear like iron... it looks to be well-made and durable. It's padded leather embossed with a fairly nasty-looking fake croc pattern that isn't fooling anybody. The color is odd too. It's sort of a taupey grey-brown that somehow manages to be exactly the wrong color to compliment the stunning dial. I immediately swapped it out for a brown "Worn Leather" band from Clockwork Synergy's "Dapper Collection". It's a great full-grain leather strap that kicks the Alpinist's vintage vibe up a couple of notches. On this strap, the Alpinist looks... dare I say... cool?

If i'm picking nits, I wish the crystal were domed to compliment the rest of the Alpinist's elegant curves. AR coating on the crystal would be nice too. I'd kind of like a presentation caseback while I'm at it, but it's not like Seiko movements are known for their breathtaking beauty.

In summary, the Alpinist, rather than being the odd duck of the watch world, is actually kind of the opposite. Tough enough for whatever you throw at it but dressy enough for a night out. Small enough to fit on any wrist but with presence enough to be noticed. Built with loving care and finished like a fine watch but priced reasonably enough that it won't break the bank. It's almost like having a whole collection of watches all rolled into one. The only issue is that if you DO have a collection, they won't be getting nearly as much wrist time!

One final note: The excellent JDM-only SARB line of watches,with the 6r movement, has been mostly discontinued and replaced by the internationally-available Presage series with a slightly-inferior 4r movement. I believe the Alpinist is the last SARB being produced, but for how long? And will there even be a Presage Alpinist? If so, will it be as distinctive as the SARB? Rumors of the Alpinist's demise have been floating around for a while, but I would pull the trigger on one now if I were on the fence. You won't regret it!