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Seiko Prospex 145th Anniverary Alpinist Automatic Limited Edition 39.5mm Mens Watch Edo Purple
Ref. HBC006J1
Sits in Seiko’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Seiko watches we list, which start at £110.
Price range £110 to £3,550 across 203 Seiko watches in stock.The Alpinist traces its roots to 1959, when Seiko built a watch specifically for Japanese mountain climbers — robust, legible, and equipped with a compass bezel for navigation in terrain where conditions could turn quickly. This limited run of 7,000 pieces marks Seiko's 145th anniversary by connecting that original brief to a dial colour called Edo-Murasaki, a deep purple associated with the Edo period in Tokyo and carrying connotations of optimism rather than ornament. The result is a field watch carrying a city's heritage on its wrist. At 39.5mm with a 46.4mm lug-to-lug span and 12.7mm of thickness, the case sits close and balanced — compact enough to slide under a cuff, proportioned in a way that suits a wide range of wrist sizes without feeling undersized. The sunray-brushed purple dial shifts as the light moves, and the gold seconds hand and logo add warmth without tipping the whole thing toward dress territory. Cathedral hands and wedge indices carry LumiBrite, and at depth or in darkness the read is immediate. The 6R55 movement represents the upper tier of Seiko's in-house production, and the three-day power reserve means a weekend away without a watch winder is not a problem. The crocodile-pattern calfskin strap has purple contrast stitching that picks up the dial quietly, and the exhibition caseback carries the Mountain Device engraving that appeared on the original 1950s Laurel Alpinist — a detail most owners will encounter by accident, which is the best way to find it.
- Reference
- HBC006J1
- Brand
- Seiko
- Collection
- Prospex
- Case size
- 39.5mm
- Case thickness
- 12.7mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Purple
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- 6R55
- Functions
- Date, Compass
- Water resistance
- 200m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- LumiBrite
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 46.4mm
- Power reserve
- 72 hours
Learn more about Seiko
Kintaro Hattori opened a watch and clock shop in Tokyo in 1881, aged twenty-one, and began manufacturing under the name Seikosha — roughly, house of exquisite workmanship — in 1892. The Seiko name appeared on watches from 1924.
The company's significance is that it broke the Swiss monopoly twice. First on precision: Seiko was appointed official timekeeper of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and built the quartz chronometers and printing timers to do it, and in the 1960s its movements placed highly at the Neuchâtel and Geneva observatory trials against the best Swiss houses.
Then on technology. On Christmas Day 1969 Seiko released the Astron, the world's first quartz wristwatch, accurate to five seconds a month where mechanical watches managed that per day. The consequences for Switzerland were catastrophic — employment in the Swiss industry fell by roughly two-thirds over the following decade. Seiko deliberately did not enforce its quartz patents, allowing the technology to spread.
The same year it produced the 6139, among the first automatic chronographs, and it has since introduced Kinetic, Spring Drive — a hybrid regulating a mechanical mainspring electronically, giving a perfectly gliding seconds hand — and its own dive and field lines.
Seiko remains fully vertically integrated, making its own hairsprings, quartz crystals, and even the Zaratsu-polished cases, at price points from under a hundred pounds upward.
- 1881
- Kintaro Hattori opens his Tokyo shop.
- 1924
- The first watches carry the Seiko name.
- 1964
- Official timekeeper of the Tokyo Olympics.
- 1969
- The Astron becomes the first quartz wristwatch.
- 1999
- Spring Drive enters production.
Also in 7 collections
This watch appears in the Seiko Prospex range (32), Back in Stock (5,420), Stainless Steel Watches (3,525), Automatic Watches (1,862), Leather Strap Watches (1,166), Sports Watches (847) and Dive Watches (605).
Best of 2 retailers
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch built to be worn hard and got wet.
Strengths
- 200m water resistance, rated for actual diving
- 39.5mm suits most wrists
- 46.4mm lug-to-lug keeps the 39.5mm case wearable
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- 72-hour reserve survives a weekend off the wrist
Worth knowing
- Leather does not suit regular contact with water
Price history
This watch is currently at its highest recorded price. It was £820 on 27 August. Prices are checked every day, and we record any changes.
Seiko Prospex 145th Anniverary Alpinist alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | HBC006J1 | C0324301109100 | 32068A01 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £850 | £725 | £985 |
| Case size | 39.5mm | 41mm | 38mm |
| Water resistance | 200m | 200m | 200m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Rubber strap |
| Power reserve | 72 hours | 80 hours | 38 hours |
| This watch |
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Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 200m it is rated for swimming, snorkelling and recreational diving.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 72 hours fully wound — enough to sit off the wrist over a weekend and still be running.
What size strap does it take?
20mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 46.4mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16cm (6¼ inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
How to size a watch to your wristIs it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's, though at 39.5mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths list it at £850, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
Has the price changed recently?
It's currently at its highest recorded price. It's ranged between £820 and £850, today it's £850.
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