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Limited edition of 1,959 pieces

Seiko PROSPEX 36mm "Alpinist" - Limited Edition

SJE085J1

3 Year Canadian Limited Warranty

Special Order Item: Please add 5 Days for Delivery

It was in 1959 that Seiko’s first Alpinist watch was introduced to meet the needs of mountain climbers and recreational field sports enthusiasts. From the start, it was well received and, over the ensuing decades, its reputation spread far beyond the Japanese market for which it was first intended. Remarkably, it was the first Seiko watch ever produced with sports in mind and it blazed a trail that led to the development of many landmark timepieces and timing devices for sports, from stopwatches to diver’s watches, in the decades that followed. While its core character has remained unchanged, its design has evolved over time. Today, the first Alpinist watch from 1959 is re-born in a re-creation that has the high functionality that characterizes the Prospex collection, whose very existence owes so much to the first 1959 Alpinist.

ORIGINAL MODEL

Born in 1959 as the Seiko Laurel Alpinist, this watch was a new departure for Seiko and marked its entry into the sports watch arena. It had a screw-back case to prevent dust or sand particles from entering the case. It had a sturdy leather cuff band to protect the watch from perspiration. The indexes and the hour and minute hands all had luminous inserts ensuring high legibility in the dark and the name Alpinist was evoked in the mountain-shaped markers at the three, six, nine, and twelve o’clock positions. These four clearly differentiated markers represented the four main points on a compass and, with the specially designed marker at twelve o’clock, allowed the time to be read safely and correctly at any angle. This was a feature that became central to the design of many subsequent Seiko sports watches and remains so still today.

Photo of Seiko Laurel Alpinist Original Model

 

DESIGN

Photo of SJE085J1 SEIKO PROSPEX The 1959 Alpinist Re-creation

The re-creation brings the 1959 Alpinist back to life in every detail. The generously sized markers are, as before, set against a black gloss dial. White minute markers form an inner ring on the dial base, just as on the original. Of course, the indexes and the hour and minute hands are coated with Lumibrite for legibility in the dark.

While the re-creation is faithful to the original design, it has been brought right up to date in technology and has the high specifications and functionality for which Prospex is renowned. It now incorporates a date window between four and five o’clock and is water resistant to 10 bar. The box-shaped sapphire crystal is treated with an anti-reflective coating on the inner surface, delivering high legibility.

The watch is powered by the slimline Caliber 6L35 which has a power reserve of 45 hours. Despite the addition of a date and the enhanced performance, the case is just 1.0mm thicker.

Specifications

      What is an Automatic Watch?

      An automatic watch harnesses the wearer’s arm’s movement to power its mechanism. As the arm swings, a rotor inside the watch rotates, winding the mainspring. This stored energy is then released, driving the gears that keep the watch’s hands moving and ensure accurate timekeeping.

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