Let’s talk about Marilyn Monroe’s mole shall we. Some see it as a cherry on top of the cake while a fraction see it as a pesky smudge on a phone screen. Beauty, my friends, truly is in the eye of the beholder.
Personally, I’m team mole. Why you ask? Where to begin? It’s exciting! It adds intrigue like a mysterious engraving on buried treasure. See, I have a theory. I don’t think we actually want perfection. We want the illusion of perfection. Sure, in the abstract, perfection sounds great. But, when it comes to everyday life, we want something that’s almost perfect. Key word, ‘almost.’ When you think of it, it’s the kinks that make perfection. And, magically, the sum of every little flaw and foible produces something greater than perfection itself. That’s what I appreciate the most. Uniqueness. Originality. Unapologetic imperfection.
That’s my long-winded (maybe eggheaded?) way of explaining why Seiko never interested me. It didn’t have a mole. Seiko was too planned, too engineered, too consistent. In a word — boring (no angry tweets please). That’s not to say I was snobbish about Japanese watches. They simply were not my cup of tea. In my mind, Seikos were Macy’s watches that any Joe Six-Pack can scoop on the way from work. For the money, I’d rather get a Swatch, or a Mondaine. Not because they’re Swiss, but because they had a unique aesthetic. Swatch, for example, always offered a vast amount of variety in their collection (from the fun Snoopy editions, to their more classic Irony line). Seiko, on the other hand, was stamping out watches with the same look and feel year after yer. They had a formula, and they were sticking to it!
This completely flipped the second I laid eyes on the Seiko Alpinist (aka ‘the Japanese Explorer’). Especially the one with the cream dial, and silver indices!
Allow me to give you the rundown. The dial is a warm white, kind of like the color of milk after Honey Nut Cheerios. Hugging the dial is the characteristic inner rotating compass bezel, which is a crisper snow white — a delicate subtlety that reveals itself in the right light. The applied Arabic numerals and arrow markers offer just enough visual contrast to ensure legibility. Don’t even get me started on the beautiful vintage-inspired Cathedral hands. By far, the cream Alpinist is one of Seiko’s most handsome watch. I’ll go as far as to say it’s one of the most handsome field watch at any price.
For added versatility, throw this puppy on an aftermarket jubilee bracelet and voila! On metal, this watch completely transforms. It suddenly feels at home everywhere. In a boardroom, in your living room, in a basecamp tent, somehow this Japanese marvel always manages to elevate your style.
Listen, it’s not perfect. I get that. The inner rotating bezel has a lot of play, the cyclops date window is mehh, and the factory leather strap is average at best. Still, at under $1K US, the Alpinist gives you a lot to think about. With 200 meters of water resistance, 70 hours power reserve, and a 39.5mm case size, it gives you the performance of a capable field watch with the wearability of an everyday watch. Let me tell you this, it’s definitely not just another Macy’s watch.
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Specs: Seiko Alpinist Prospex (SPB119J1). Movement. Caliber: 6R35 Automatic. Power reserve (hours): 70. Functions: Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Date, Inner compass bezel. Case. Size/Thickness: 39.5/13.2mm. Lug width: 20mm. Water resistance: 200m. Bezel: Inner rotating compass. Crown: Screw-down - Steel. Case back: Exhibition back. Band. Material: Cow leather. Buckle: Pin buckle
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