Review: Seiko Prospex Alpinist – new Thong Sia Group Exclusive

The Seiko Thong Sia relationship is a solid one which has lasted several decades. And this latest Seiko Prospex Alpinist release is a testament to that. This limited edition release is exclusive to Thong Sia. We got our hands on one an early sample, and bring you this comprehensive review.

Review: Seiko Prospex Alpinist – new Thong Sia Group Exclusive

The Seiko Prospex Alpinist SPB523 Thong Sia Group Exclusive retails at SGD 1,127.10. Limited Edition of 800 pieces, available now at Seiko Boutiques and selected retail stores in Thong Sia Exclusive regions (Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia and Brunei).

The Alpinist

The Alpinist was Seiko’s answer to the needs of mountain climbers and recreational field sports enthusiasts. The model was first released way back in 1959, and have had a solid reputation which spread far beyond the Japanese market in which it was first intended. This is the first ever Seiko sports watch, and became the cornerstone for all Seiko watches for activity.

The core character remains unchanged. Durable, practical. Excellent legibility under all light conditions. And with handsome good looks that will attract even the urban warriors as much as those who wear their Alpinist under extreme conditions.

The case, dial and hands

The case is the standard Alpinist case which has evolved over the decades. We reviewed a pair of the 2018 releases, featuring blue and green dials. These were runaway successes. And today’s review novelty retains this same case design. The stainless steel case remains as robust as ever, and measures the same 39.5mm in diameter, making it an excellent size for most wrists. The water resistance rating of 200m is also the same.

As an aesthetic choice, a thin yellow (gold) ring (not immediately visible on our photographs, but shows up in real life and in the official photograph below), looking like a line across the case is placed between the polished bezel and the brushed tonneau shaped case.

The case features an additional crown at the 4 o’clock position. This crown operates the solar compass, which enables the user to precisely determine their directional bearings. The bearings can be read with the bi-directional rotating rehaut operated by the second crown.

The dial is inspired by the pristine beauty snowy mountain peaks, and is made using an exquisite white powder which looks like freshly fallen virgin snow. It is gently textured and shows off brilliantly in good lighting.

The hands for the hours, minutes and even the seconds are the same cathederal hands as in earlier models. The dial is simply laid out with the even hours marked by appliqué arabic numerals, while the odd hours are marked with a triangle arrow head. A date aperture is open to replace the 3 o’clock marker and is equipped with a cyclops style magnifying glass. This cyclops over the date is not featured in the 2018 models, but is not the first Alpinist to be equipped with one. The SPB210J1, SPB209J1 and the SPB337J1 were also equipped with one.

In the dark the dial is equipped with lume on the hands and hour indices, and allow the time to be easily read. We think the nite glow is particularly beautiful.

The movement

The movement is the Seiko Caliber 6R35, which is a powerhouse workhorse movement. The movement is not the prettiest to look at, but delivers unwavering reliability and fully capable of performing under demanding extreme expeditions as well as as in the city. The specifications show typical Japanese understated numbers, which are typically modest but usually preforms better in the field. The stated accuracy os +25s -15s a day.

Finishing is very basic, and covers the engineering needs well. And from previous experience with this caliber, it works very well, and remains reliable and rugged.

Concluding thoughts

At 39.5mm in diameter, the Prospex Alpinist wears well on the wrist. The fabric strap with its three fold clasp with push button release is comfortable and pliable.

And the stunning blue hue is a beautiful complement to the aesthetics of the watch. An aesthetic which perhaps is best described as sporty chic. The watch will wear well with urban wear, or even semi-casual office wear. And it truly shines in sporty attire, and of course when used for the design intention of scaling mountains and extremen\ expeditions.