The Vintage Seiko Laurel Alpinist Debuted 1959 to Serve the Japanese Mountain Men (Yama-Otoko)

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35mm case/41mm L2L/11mm height/18mm lugs


A Closer Look at the First of the Alpinist Series

BY MICHAEL STOCKTON
MARCH 19, 2020
3 MIN READ
https://www.fratellowatches.com/tbt-...urel-alpinist/

We take a look at the Seiko Laurel Alpinist — the first watch made for the mountain men of Japan.

When we think of classic mountaineering watches, the Rolex Explorer climbs to the top of the list when someone yells, “survey says!” After all, the “Explorer” — or, at least, it’s immediate forerunner — made it to the top of Everest. But in 1959, the Seiko Laurel Alpinist debuted in order to serve the Japanese mountain men also known as yama-otoko. I’m no scaler of the alps, but I am pleased to bring you one of these early pieces today.

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Evening Snow at Kanbara, from the series "Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō"

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https://wornandwound.com/affordable-...pion-alpinist/

The Alpinist is the third oldest Seiko sub brand.

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SERIES INTRODUCTION: LAUREL ALPINIST

The watch that started it all is known as the “Laurel Alpinist,” which operated on a 17 jewel hand-wound movement and came in two colours, black and cream. The Laurel also came with a sturdy leather Bund strap, these straps are hard to come by because of the wear and tear that owners put them through. Other than the two dial colours, there is no difference between the two. Introduced in 1961 the Alpinist Laurel is the very first Seiko to bear the name Alpinist, and the distinctive type face has been used on all Seiko Alpinist models. The Laurel Alpinist has a sturdy stainless steel case topped with an acrylic crystal. The Laurel Alpinist comes in a guise of a rather non-sporty watch, and anyone familiar with the Laurel watches will immediately see the strong resemblance to the Laurel brand, yet there is something quite distinctive about this Alpinist. The circular 3-piece case has a waterproof screw-back with plain engravings. The case has a decent size of 35 mm, most of which is taken by the dial as the bezel around it is narrow. The dial comes in two 2 different colour schemes, black and cream, complemented by the minute markers in an unusual alternating pattern that forms an inner ring on the dial. The index markers at 3,6,9 and 12 are detailed triangular markers and were perhaps intended to reflect mountains. The dial is marked Diashock 17j. The movement is marked Seikosha 17 Jewels and beats at a relaxed 18,000 bph, and is shock protected and complemented with the normal loud Seiko rattle as the wheels wind. The Dauphine style hands and index markers are inserted with lume. The legibility of this watch is excellent, thanks to the luminous large hour indexes that appear to be embossed rather than applied, but due to the passage of time, its efficacy has diminished more than somewhat. The case back is engraved SEIKO LAUREL ALPINIST 14041 STAINLESS STEEL.

The Seiko Marvel (introduced as a sub-brand in 1956, the first Seiko watch whose Diashock movement was designed “fully in-house from scratch”) had an almost identical movement, similar indices, and 14041 case, engraved Water Protected, and a Seiko Champion, 14041 case, engraved Shock Proof Dust and Water Protected.

There was also a Seiko Laurel J13029 with virtually identical movement, labelled as a Rainproof case.

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https://thespringbar.com/blogs/guide...lectors-guide/

Seiko Laurel J13029 and 14041

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Laurel Alpinist , 14041 with one piece case back.

SEIKO ALPINIST CHAMPION

The second Seiko Alpinist model after the Laurel Alpinist was created under the Champion Series two years later, in 1963. This move is presumed, by collectors, to have been made in order to make the Champion model more competitive. There is a simple “Alpinist” engraving on the back of the case accompanied by “RAINPROOF” which made it appropriate for any mountain climber. The first Champion version sported a stainless steel case, and had a very unique face; the dial had a spun of silver-satin finish, with the hour markers embedded on a thick black radial ring around the minute chapter while the minute markers were pushed to the outer periphery of the dial. The 12 o’clock marker was the numeral 4 in style. Despite its fancy looking dial, this watch came with a plain case back stamped print as “RAIN PROOF”, and model number J13033. The movement was the 17J Seikosha movement used in the original Laurel Alpinist, and the dial is still marked Diashock 17j beneath the word Alpinist. The second hand has a D shaped lollipop tip.

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Champion Alpinist , J13033

A rare “RAIN PROOF” Champion Alpinist with trapezoidal lumed indexes was also produced at this time.

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Rare Champion Alpinists , J13033

The next Alpinist also came under the Champion series. In quick succession there were three Stainless Steel model types, the J13043, the J13049 and the J13079, all marked WATERPROOF on the dial, and case back. The case back has the now-iconic mountain symbol with Alpinist engraved beneath for the J13043 and J13049 models and Alpinist 850 engraved beneath for the J13049 model. The 17J Seikosha movement continued in the J13043 and J13049 models, but an automatic caliber 850 and later 851 rated at 18,000bph with Diashock protection was used in the J13079 model. Commonly all 3 models are called Champion 850 Alpinists.

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Champion Alpinist, J13043

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Seiko Champion Alpinist, J13049

One key feature was the continued use of the iconic dauphine hands which were used in all watches in the Champion series. Not only did the Champion series provide watch wearers and collectors a number of variations but the iconic mountain symbol on the back of the case originated here. From this point on, the vast majority of Alpinist watches have the mountain logo on the case ensuring authenticity.

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From page 54 of “Museum of Japanese made watches” shows an Alpinist Champion 850 with caliber 850/851

The J13079 Champion 850 Alpinist had 14,16,18,20 and 22-hour markers on the inside of the chapter ring, and 850 beneath Seiko Champion on the dial. The case back is engraved Alpinist 850, and the inside of the case back is stamped CH85. The chronology of release of the variants is a blur so it assumed that the latest version is the one that is almost identical to the first version, only with these 24 hr markings inside of the minute chapter.

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Champion 850 Alpinist, J13079

WATCH SPECIFICATIONS


Brand
Seiko
Model
Laurel Alpinist
Reference
14041
Dial
Glossy Black with Applied and Lume-Filled Indexes
Case Material
Stainless Steel
Case Dimensions
35mm Diameter, 41mm Lug to Lug, 11mm Height, 18mm Lug Width
Crystal
Domed Acrylic
Case Back
Screw-in Stainless Steel
Movement
Seiko Seikosha 17 jewel manual winding, 18,000vph
Functions
Time (HH:MM:SS)
Special Note(s)
First Made in 1959
 
Clean, smooth, and Unisex in size.:dance2:Thanks for posting this up, Mike.:hat:
 
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