For as long as I?ve been into watches, the Seiko Alpinist has been a forum favorite, but a bit under the radar. Often recommended and traded in forum classified ads, it was always something of an insider?s watch, being made primarily for the Japanese domestic market, though widely available through various third party channels here in the US. It was a never a watch Seiko themselves seemed to put much energy behind – we had (most recently) a green dialed version that photographed incredibly well for Instagram, and represented an alternative Seiko if you wanted a sports watch that was a bit more refined, and not a diver. 

Well, the expansion of the Prospex has presented Seiko with an opportunity to revisit and revamp the Alpinist, and the watch is now getting renewed attention from a broader audience and, importantly, much better distribution. A new Alpinist debuted earlier this year in an array of colors. In addition to the well loved green, Seiko brought us black and gray variants as well. Unfortunately for some purists, the new models left a little to be desired, with upsized cases measuring 39.5mm, the addition of a cyclops magnifier atop the date window, and some prominent Prospex branding. If you?re among the chorus of Seiko fans who thought the new Alpinist was a bit maximalist, these new releases may be of interest. 
The Alpinist, now in two sizes

First and foremost, the size is in line with the previous generation Alpinist. These watches mea...