Are you serious?

 

There's at least six variants of the Prospex '59 Alpinist, plus the SJE085 LE. There's also a pile of Alpinists with and without the compass bezel. Have you actually checked to see what's available before complaining?

 

Damn. I’ve got the new green one. But the new shark tooth gets my attention too.

 

As to why Seiko does not produce more Alpinist, the optimum production level probably plays a role in the number of units (Alpinist) to produce. Below is a link discussing the optimum production level and the economic measures used to determine the amount of output and the price per unit of a product that will maximize profits.

Marginal Revenue and Marginal Cost of Production

Learn about the marginal cost of production and marginal revenue and how the two measures are used together to determine the profit maximization point.

www.investopedia.com

 

This perplexes me. The Alpinist seems to be very well liked. They released the limited edition blue one a couple years ago and they disappeared fast, as did the green one. Seiko makes sooo many dive watches, so why so stingy with the Alpinist? I don't get it.

As someone who actually lives in the mountains, this watch has special appeal. Not that it matters. How many people are actually diving with dive watches? Well that's all, just needed to vent.

I'd love to get my hands on a blue Alpinist, but not at the prices in the used market.

Seiko doesn't actually make that many dive watches when you compare to their whole line and production. They just dump a bunch of dive watches in the west because people in the west only buy dive watches. Yet because of Japanese business logic, they still keep some models from the west despite the west being by far their biggest dive watch market.

 

I find this one of their more irritating policies. Like some Presages only available in Japan or difficult to obtain here.

 

Don't know about you guys, I am waiting for Seiko to re-issue Seiko Champion Alpinist 850 from their 60s collection.

 

Mmm...sector goodness.

 

Ironically, @Bluesrider.df, if you dive into the Japanese market, you may find what you're looking for.

 

This is something I haven't done, and I wouldn't know where to start.

 

There are several blue Alpinists. The SPB199J1 (limited EU version) and the 197J1 (unlimited EU version), with the Mountain Glacier dial are the ones you might be referring to, as you mention a limited edition and an appeal to mountaineers.

But there were also some of a more saturated blue (limited US version), and some of the SARB (baby Alpinist) without the compass bezel & cyclops also feature that blue.

As for why there are mostly unavailable, well in the case of the199 and 197J1, the first responds to limited edition mechanics to create a demand superior to the offer. And the second one, to take profit of the situation created by the first. Now this became a small scandal, as the buyers of the first versions didn't appreciate. So that's might be why Seiko doesn't replenish the stocks as much as the popularity of the unit would suggest.
Second, they're currently pushing forward their new Alpinists units (the black ones), which could suffer from the availability of such popular models.

Hence part why we end up with a shortage even on unlimited popular models.

 

To me there will only ever be one Alpinist, which is the SARB017

 

Why? The SARB017 only came on the market in 2006, 45 years after he first models were released...
Furthermore, there's nothing particularly distinctive about the SARB017 compared to the red alpinists of the 90s...

 

Lol..they have produced plenty in last couple years...and I have enjoyed owning these 2

 

This perplexes me. The Alpinist seems to be very well liked. They released the limited edition blue one a couple years ago and they disappeared fast, as did the green one. Seiko makes sooo many dive watches, so why so stingy with the Alpinist? I don't get it.

A few more turtles would be nice too!

 

I like their current line up of Alpinist models, with the exception of that ugly cyclops on some of them.......

 

Seiko makes sooo many dive watches, so why so stingy with the Alpinist? I don't get it.

Are you referring to manufacturing numbers or variety?
For the variations, made a short list from their website:

Dual Crown
SPB123 - cream dial gilt
SPB121 - green dial gilt
SPB210 - grey dial gilt gold case
SPB209 - brown dial gilt
SPB119 - cream dial
SPB117 - black matte dial

Baby Alpinist
SPB212 - green textured dial gilt gold outer bezel
SPB211 - brown textured dial gilt
SPB159 - fume textured grey dial
SPB157 - fume textured blue dial
SPB155 - fume textured green dial

Laurel Alpinist
SPB241 - cream dial
SPB243 - grey dial
SPB245 - green dial

 

Manu numbers.

Thanks for the list, nice research!

 

I've criticized Seiko many times for lazily rehashing new Alpinist references so this post made me LOL.

It's like saying there aren't enough Turtles or Cocktail Times.

 

I get that. I could have asked the question differently, but I was myopic in focusing on one particular style.

 

Gnomonwatches currently shows cream, grey, blue, and a few different green, brown, and black alpinists in stock.

 

How many different Alpinist models would you like them to make? They released over a dozen different versions of the Alpinist this year.

 

If you read my responses already posted you would know what I meant.

 

You can't find Alpinist by searching "alpinist" on the Seiko website. But this page shows eight Alpinists at the top, and three more, with internal rotating bezel, in the middle. And it looks like they're all available to buy. And there were probably a few more limited editions. I think that's plenty.

PROSPEX

Seiko Prospex remains a standard for high-intensity timekeeping excellence. From the introduction of its first diver’s watch in 1965, Seiko has been a leader in undersea precision and durability, spearheading innovations in both technology and design.

seikousa.com