It is original, but I have thought about a strap change, but I do like it as it is solid and does catch the light. Some people moan about Seiko straps but I think it is a good un. I do love my Alpinist, it is almost perfect after I got it regulated. I know it was a hype watch but I think it lives up to the hype. Your alignment with the compass better than mine, but it is not a complaint, unless I have my reading glasses on I can't tell.
I love mine. I find the compass very useful. Lately I go to the park and find true north and with my cap pulled low to act like kinda blinkers I follow it. So far I have ended up in the duck pond twice and stopped 3 rugby games on the nearby playing field. I am in training for my ascent up Snowdon or more likely my descent into a sheep dip.
I think a fair few will have $ or £ in their eyes. I must admit it is tempting, but although it's a nice enough watch, but not for me. It goes to prove that printing a premium name on anything really does increase the demand. But hey it's just a watch, good luck to them.
It looks good in the photo's, but it is refreshing to hear an honest and well thought review. For £30 I think it is OK and worth a punt. The problem I find as with a lot of watches you have to buy unseen but that is not an AliE fault, and many a mainstream watch is hard to handle in the flesh unless you want to spend your weekend driving many miles. So we have to rely on honest reviews on here. I dont trust many YouTube reviews as they often include "paid promotion"
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