Seiko Prospex Alpinist SBDC089 Review & Complete Guide
The Seiko Alpinist is one of the most popular and iconic models from Seiko. And for good reasons of course. Not only is this a high-quality timepiece with a stylish design, but it is also a watch with a watch with a long and interesting history which contributes to its appeal.
The first Seiko Alpinist was presented in 1961 and was made as a durable, robust, and reliable timepiece specifically meant for Japanese mountain climbers and other demanding activities. It was originally inspired for so-called ”mountain men”, or in Japanese, Yama-Otoko. Naturally, these individuals needed a trusted timekeeping companion, which was also able to handle harsh conditions and rugged terrain, and so the Alpinist was Seiko’s answer to this.
This is important for a number of reasons, maybe most importantly because it is Seiko’s first sports watch.
When Seiko finally released reiterations inspired by the first Alpinist in 2006, they instantly became wildly successful. These timepieces were versatile and stylish yet extremely rugged and durable.
Fast forward even further, and Seiko has presented a new and even better iteration of the iconic Alpinist. This time, it goes by the name Prospex Alpinist SBDC089. This is a stylish timepiece that stays true to the classic Alpinist design language, but with a fresh and modern upgrade both in terms of dial color, but also in terms of performance and quality.
With this said, if you are looking for an iconic, historical, timepiece with a stylish and versatile design, a durable and reliable automatic movement, and great build quality, the Seiko Prospex Alpinist SBDC089 may just be the watch for you.
Without further ado, let’s dig in and look closer at what this watch has to offer.
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Case
The Seiko Prospex Alpinist SBDC089 is presented with a classic yet stylish stainless steel case with a diameter of 39.5mm excluding the crown, a lug-to-lug of 48mm, and a diameter of 41mm including the crown. The thickness is 13mm.
The case size is much-appreciated on the market since it is not huge, nor it is too small for most wrists. This also helps make it more versatile and suitable for both formal and casual occasions. Partly thanks to its moderate case size, it will work just as great with a suit as it will when you are up in the mountains.
Seiko has paid great attention to the finishing of the case by using a polished, fixed stainless steel bezel which is contrasted by brushed lugs on the top and polished sides. To further enhance its appearance and impression of quality. The lugs have discreet, polished beveled edges on both the inside and outside.
Positioned at 3 o’clock, it has a screw-down crown that sits protected between crown guards which extend from the case. On top, it uses an anti-reflective sapphire crystal, which is a nice touch since many Seiko watches use Hardlex crystals. The crystal also has a cyclops right above the date window which helps improve the legibility of the date by making magnified.
The water resistance of the SBDC089 is 200m/660 feet which is actually quite good considering that this is not a dive watch. This means you can go swimming and diving with it without having to worry about it leaking.
The watch is presented on a classic black leather strap with cream-colored stitching to match the dial. Some people have complained about it not having a stainless steel bracelet, and this would have been nice to give it more of a sportier appeal. The good news is that there are replacement bracelets that you can find for this model online.
Dial
The cream-color dial is certainly the highlight of this watch and the part that makes it stand out from all previous Seiko Alpinist watches. The cream dial, however, maintains its discreet appearance and also gives it a slightly vintage-inspired appearance.
As mentioned, the watch is equipped with a date function at 3 o’clock for which the legibility is great thanks to the cyclops on top. The dial has metal hour markers with arrows for every other hour marker and Arabic numerals for the rest. The 12, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 o’clock markers are Arabic.
The watch features the signature hands of the Seiko Alpinist which means that they have pointy tips and both hands have Lumibrite applied to them for improved legibility in low-lit conditions. The hour hand is shorter and has a poire squélette, or cathedral hand design.
As you can see on the dial above the 6 o’clock marker, it has a Prospex logo, which means this is built according to Seiko’s Prospex specifications. Prospex stands for ”Professional specifications” and essentially means that it is built according to the needs and wants of professionals. After all, this watch is originally built for mountain men.
The signature feature of the Seiko Alpinist is its internal rotating bezel which works as a compass. This compass is operated via the crown at 4 o’clock.
Movement
Powering the SBDC089 is the in-house Automatic Seiko caliber 6R35. This is a solid and robust workhorse movement that incorporates both hacking and manual winding functions. The movement operates at a frequency of 21600 BPH (3 Hertz) and has 24 jewels. The power reserve is 70 hours.
Another nice detail about this watch is that Seiko has equipped it with a see-through case back which allows you to see the movement beating inside. This will be particularly appreciated by watch enthusiasts who love the inner workings of mechanical movements.
Specifications
- Movement: Seiko Automatic Caliber 6R35
- Accuracy: +25/-15 sec per day
- Crown: screw-down
- Lug width: 20mm
- Crystal: Anti-reflective sapphire crystal
- Water resistance: 200m/660 feet
- Diameter: 39.5mm
- Lug-to-lug: 48mm
- Thickness: 13.2mmF
- Frequency: 21600 BPH
- Power reserve: 70 hours
Conclusion
All in all, it’s safe to say that the Seiko Alpinist is a true legend. This is an iconic timepiece with a long and rich heritage which also contributes to this model’s popularity.
The Seiko Prospex Alpinist SBDC089 is a modern take on this legendary timepiece which has been improved and revenues in a number of different ways, both in terms of functions, but also in terms of designs.
This timepiece is robust, well-finished, well-built, and extremely durable according to professional specifications, meaning it likely won’t ever let you down. At the same time, it has a stylish and elegant design that makes it extremely versatile and suitable for essentially any occasion.
The bottom line is that the Seiko Prospex Alpinist SBDC089 is a watch that offers exceptional value for money in so many different aspects, and a timepiece that you will likely not be disappointed with.
The Seiko Prospex Alpinist SBDC089 is available to order on Amazon.
