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Generally following the larger Alpinist, the SPB155 and 159 carry over the theme of Arabic indices at the even-hour positions with triangular indices elsewhere, in this case printed in an off-white tone just within a railway minute track. Speaking truth to power, and setting aside the more than occasional QC hiccup, Seiko absolutely smashes the dial game on the affordable side of affairs, and this new Alpinist is no exception. For me and other card-carrying Seiko nerds, a question naturally emerged: Was this new Alpinist simply a smaller version of the classic SARB017 design or something more altogether? After spending an extended period with both the green-dialed SPB155 and charcoal-dialed SPB159, and as a previous owner of a SARB017, I find myself uniquely positioned to approach this scintillating conundrum. However, in 2020, Seiko did something unexpected in its refresh of the Alpinist family, quietly adding a new model in a more streamlined 38mm case, forgoing the cyclops and internal bezel, and complete with Seiko’s impressive 6R35 caliber boasting an extended 70-hour power reserve. And for Alpinist nerds in the modern era, the SARB017 and its heir apparent, the SPB121, stand together as the purest expression of the design formula, exemplified by a green dial, internal rotating compass bezel with its additional crown, and a polarizing cyclops magnifier over the date. But the revered Japanese brand also has a long history of producing capable field watches under the Alpinist banner dating back to 1959, indeed before Seiko had so much as dipped a fin into the proverbial and frigid dive-watch waters. For the majority of enthusiasts, Seiko will forever be associated with affordable, charmingly nicknamed dive watches, including the Turtle, Tuna, and Samurai, just to name a few.