First off I was very happy with this purchase, I purchased this watch from Amazon and it was delivered sooner than the original shipping date
Pros:
1. The fit and finish of the watch is something you would expect from a watch at many times its price, as it hangs right in there with midtier swiss watches brands. The watch is solidly built, and the combination of the brushed and high polished case is superb. The signed crown with the Seiko "S" logo is a nice touch.
2. The green sunburst dial is magnificent and when seeing at different angles really makes the green dial pop. While some people may not like the green dial I am one of those that do. It might not be a good watch for those that only have one watch in their collection who are fashion oriented and like to match their watches to the clothes they wear, for these people this would be a good second watch. The raised gold hands and markers play nicely against the green dial, it is very well done and gives this watch a combination of classic and modern watch designs.
3. I am neutral regarding the compass feature but it is a plus for those that will utilize this functionality like those that are adventurous and go mountain climbing, hiking and love the outdoors, it is also a good conversation starter. The unidirectional crown at the four o'clock that rotates the chapter ring is precise and smooth, I have read other reviews where they wanted more resistance but for me it was not a problem
4. The watch can be worn as a dress watch or field watch, the screw in crown allows this watch to be used for water activities such as swimming or snorkeling, I would not use it for scuba or compression diving.
5. It does not have a see through case back but for this type of watch, I would not expect one.
6. I like the diameter size of the watch at 38/39mm, it does wear bigger but those that like large diameter watches you will be disappointed.
Cons.
1. The watch lacks AR coating on the sapphire crystal which makes the watch reflect everything, including smudges. I always find myself having to clean the crystal. Again, at this price point I can't be that disappointed but it does separate this watch from being considered a luxury watch.
2. The leather band the watch comes with is cheap and unusable, I found the watch always shifting on my wrist regardless how tight or loose I made the band. The very first thing I did was replace the band. I went with a stainless steel bracelet that I purchased from a seller in Japan, and it absolutely makes this watch look and feels great. This watch would also look and feel great in a nice leather band. Sieko should have also signed the tang buckle with either its logo "S" or the name Seiko, for more name recognition.
In Summary.
I have been a watch enthusiast for over twenty years and have a wide variety of watches at every price point in my collection including Swiss brands like Jaeger-LeCoultre, Rolex, Omega, German brands like Sothis and Japanese watches such Orient Star and Seikos. In my opinion, the Seiko SAB017 Alpinist is worth every penny that the watch is selling for. While it is not the same quality as a Jager LeCoultre it is also many thousands less. As I stated above the fit and finish of the watch with brushed and high polished stainless steel and signed crown is what you would expect from a watch twice its price, the green dial with raised gold colored numerals, and indices really are beautifully executed and combine both classic and modern looks. The watch is versatile and can be used for outdoor activity and even swimming or snorkeling, it can also be used as a dress watch. Replace the original band and you have a great looking timepiece and worth every penny that you invested into it. I gave this watch a five rating, while it has flaws it is everything and more that you should expect from a watch at this price point.
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