Seiko Prospex Land Automatic Men's Watch SPB505J1

The Seiko Prospex Alpinist SPB505J1 is the latest iteration of an iconic line that has been part of Seiko's line up for over 60 years. So what does the SPB505J1 come down to? To start, an elegantly shaped 39.5mm case with a modest 46.4mm lug to lug distance, meaning it will fit most wrists perfectly. Of course the basics are also there, such as 200m water resistance, a sapphire crystal with an AR coating, a high level of finishing and just overall solid materials. Under the hood is the in-house Seiko Cal. 6R55 movement. This sturdy workhorse features an impressive 72 hour power reserve. Another change is that the date indicator now has a dark background, to blend in with the dial more. If we just look at those specifications it could have been any other watch, but where the Alpinist really shines is in the quintessential design queues, such as the internal compass bezel, that can be operated with the crown at 4 o'clock, the date loupe over the window at 3 o'clock, the cathedral hands, polished index markers and the display caseback. All those elements have been on other watches, but rarely in a mix like with this amazing piece.