Seiko dealer Seiya Japan recently announced that the fan-favorite Seiko SARB017 “Alpinist” will be discontinued after a solid 11-year run. The SARB017 was the most recent watch to wear the Alpinist name — which goes back as far as the early 1960s — and carried on the nameplate’s legacy of combining field watch functionality with dress watch looks. It handily combined an automatic movement, a stylish dark green dial (making it one of the few watches to wear the color) and gold-toned numerals but still had a 200-meter depth rating, lume and a compass bezel. Yet despite being such a multifaceted watch it could be had for under $500.
It might not be a coincidence that the watch is bowing out just a couple weeks before this year’s Baselworld, and given the cachet of the Alpinist name, it’s hard to imagine it wouldn’t be given a new iteration. Whether or not it is replaced, though, the SARB017 will be missed. Seiko apparently won’t be making any more SARB017s, but there’s still stock to be purchased, meaning if you still want one you can still get one, but you should consider acting quickly.
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