2021 Seiko Alpinist 'Ginza' 140th Anniversary 38mm SPB259J1

When it comes to modern Seikos and references, few come close to the Alpinist in terms of fame. Seiko introduced the Alpinist in 1961 under its Laurel sub-brand, which is Seiko's oldest sub-brand, first introduced in 1913. It was inspired by the Japanese term Yama-Otoko, meaning "Mountain Man". These men needed robust, accurate equipment as they led many expeditions. Seiko reintroduced the Alpinist in 1995, 30 years later. The SPB259J1 is based on a contemporary 1959 Alpinist Modern reinterpretation, beautifully shedding the traditional compass bezel of later generations for a cleaner, dressier aesthetic, while celebrating Seiko’s historic home. Here we have a 2021 Seiko Alpinist 'Ginza' 140th Anniversary 38mm SPB259J1. With a satin-brushed 38mm stainless steel case, polished flanks, and elegantly rounded, tapering lugs, its classic lines deliver a compact 46mm lug-to-lug and a 12.5mm thickness for a comfortable, tailored fit on your wrist. On the right side, a substantial screw-down crown delivers a robust 200m of water resistance without crown guards, preserving its vintage profile. A fixed, high-polished stainless steel bezel holds a curved box sapphire crystal with an AR coating on the inside. Beneath the glass sits the mesmerising, limited-edition Ginza cobblestone sunburst dial. The striking blue-grey grid pattern captures the paved streets of Ginza, Seiko's birthplace, while a brilliant Komparu-coloured seconds hand, a traditional Japanese blue-green hue popularised in the Meiji era, sweeps gracefully across, offering a vibrant pop of cultural colour. An outer minute track frames a highly legible layout with hand-applied faceted markers. Paying homage to the 1959 original, the dial features prominent, luminous mountain-shaped triangular indices at 12, 6, and 9 o'clock, interspersed with sharp baton indices. At 3 o’clock, a framed date window sits seamlessly within the design. Elegant faceted dauphine-style hands are filled with LumiBrite for exceptional low-light visibility. On the reverse, a screw-down exhibition case back gives you a clear view of the mechanical heart beating inside. The in-house automatic Seiko Calibre 6R35 powers the timepiece, with 24 jewels, 21,600 vibrations per hour, and an impressive 70-hour power reserve. It offers dependable hacking seconds and manual winding. This highly collectable timepiece comes paired with its original Seiko 19mm solid three-link stainless steel Oyster-style bracelet, secured by a signed three-fold deployant clasp with a push-button release. It comes with the original Seiko presentation box, swing tags, and papers.

This watch is sold with its original Seiko box, swing tags and paperwork. It comes with the original 19mm Seiko solid three-link stainless steel Oyster-style bracelet, secured by a signed clasp with a push-button release. The watch is from December 2021 and is sold in worn, but very fair condition, as you can see. It comes with our 12-Months Warranty.

I've been lucky enough to sell quite a few of these Ginza Alpinists over the years, and they've always been incredibly popular, and rightfully so. I genuinely think this is one of the best-looking modern Alpinists Seiko has produced. The dial is the star of the show here. It has this wonderful almost mosaic-like quality to it, with the intricate pattern catching the light in so many different ways. It's one of those dials that photographs well, but really needs to be appreciated in person to understand just how good it is. I also love the subtle pop of colour from the seconds hand, and the 38mm case proportions are pretty much spot on. A fantastic watch with a lovely story behind the design, and one that I never get tired of having in stock. Add it to your collection today!

Reference : SPB259J1
Movement : Automatic Seiko Cal. 6R35
Age : December 2021
Year : 2021
Case Size : 38mm
Case Thickness : 12.5mm
Lug to Lug : 46mm
Lugs : 19mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box and Papers : Box & Papers
Case Material : Stainless Steel
Warranty : 12-Months Warranty
The wrist model's wrist size is 7inch

Seiko’s history began in 1881 when Kintaro Hattori established the K. Hattori retail and repair store. In 1892, Seikosha was established to make wall clocks. 1895 saw the production of their first pocket watch. 1913 saw the launch of their first wristwatch, the Laurel. In 1924, the first Seiko was manufactured. Daini Seikosha (now Seiko Instruments Inc.) was established in 1937. Seiko was listed on the Tokyo stock exchange in 1949. The Suwa factory became independent and formed Suwa Seikosha Co., Ltd. (now Seiko Epson Corporation in 1959). In 1956, Seiko launched Marvel as their first true in-house-made watch; they continued to make this watch until 1959. The Seiko Lord Marvel, introduced in 1958, was Seiko's first luxury watch, predating the well-known Grand Seiko. It was designed to rival Swiss brands with a refined design and higher specifications. In 1967, Seiko launched the calibre 5740C watch movement, a significant upgrade over the earlier calibre 5740A, which beat at 18,000, and the 5740B, which beat at 19800. This movement was special because it allowed the watch to run at a high speed of 36,000 beats per hour, making it Japan's first high-frequency watch. In fact, it was only the second watch movement of its kind in the world, following one released by a Swiss brand just a few months earlier. Japan’s first chronograph watch was introduced for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics; it was called the Seiko Crown Chronograph monopusher. Not stopping there, Seiko launched Japan's first true divers' watch, the Seiko Diver’s 150M, fitted with the automatic Calibre 6217, which was later given the nickname “62MAS” by collectors. King Seiko and Grand Seiko emerged as prominent lines within the Seiko brand, with King Seiko making its debut in 1961 as a distinguished luxury watch collection. Grand Seiko, on the other hand, has consistently set the standard for exceptional craftsmanship and precision engineering. In 1965, Seiko introduced a groundbreaking manual-wind movement featuring 25 jewels and hacking seconds, coinciding with the launch of the second-generation KSK series, which boasted sharp, angular cases and robust, flat-ended lugs. The King Seiko KCM was introduced in 1969, featuring a chronometer-certified movement that operates at an impressive 36,000 beats per hour, along with a sleek C-shaped stainless steel case. In 1975, the King and Grand Quartz brands were introduced, built at the Suwa Seikosha and Daini Seikosha factories. In 1977, a high-end Twin Quartz Cal.92 was produced until 1979, when the 97KQ and 99KQ were introduced. The final 1981 King Quartz Cal. 94KQ movement remained in production until Seiko ended the King Seiko line in 1985. Despite the challenges during the Quartz crisis of the 1970s that led to the gradual shutdown of King Seiko production, Seiko made a comeback in 2022 by reintroducing the classic King Seiko collection. The company name was changed to the Seiko Corporation in 1990. Innovation at Seiko continues today with GPS Solar watches.