Reply With QuoteThat's a nice piece - and one I've not seen before.
My friends may say sometimes i am tighter than a duck's clacker, but they just have me all wrong, i just love a bargain.
Now this little beauty falls well and truly into this category. After spotting a picture of the Alba APBT211 at MWR, off i went on the hunt. This watch is readily available in Japan, but unfortunately, i had great difficulty in finding a vendor that posts overseas. Luckily, a very helpful fellow watch fan came to the rescue (cheers once again mate). After a few pm's and a visit to paypal, the deal was done and the watch was winging its way to me (via Tokyo).
Enough waffle, let me introduce you all to my latest timepiece. A nice little field style watch from Alba, which has several immediately obvious design influences from its parent company Seiko, and some others i found to be refreshing and very interesting.
It is very similar dial wise to the Seiko SNX42* series, and looking at an old photo, seems to use the same hand set (different dimensions at the watch center end?). A nice change with the Alba, is the use of a rounder case design, as compared to the Seiko more barrel like shape. My personal preference is for the rounder shape. The case is also made, nicely, from titanium. This is my first Ti watch, and it is surprisingly light.
A huge bonus with the Alba over the Seiko is the 200m water resistance rating -that's what it says on the dial, would i trust it while diving?? The jury is still out on that at the moment. The case size was also a nice surprise, it was advertised as being 38mm, but actually comes up at 34mm from '12 to 6'. This makes it a much more traditional size for a field type watch.
SNX429 for comparison
All in all, a very nice, unusual watch, especially for the money. Talking of money, this watch is an absolute bargain if bought from Rakuten or other Japanese sites, the price there roughly works out to be about $75AUS. Bodying.com brings it up at a whopping $200+, and stating a $283 RRP!!!
Another watch, which i have owned, is the Seiko SBCA001. The SBCA is a lovely watch, but the Alba more than holds it own against it. With the Ti case, day wheel (which is in English and Kanji), and a more suitably proportioned crown than the SBCA, the Alba comes out on top.
The only thing they could of done better, for the market it is aimed at, is some form of anti-reflective coating. The crystal is Hardlex and sightly curved, which when viewed from an angle ends up majorly distorting the dial.
Overall, a very nice little watch, perfect for me at work, and i would think, quite rare outside of Japan.
That's a nice piece - and one I've not seen before.
Nice strap!!!! Like it man
Lovely watch, I'm envious.
I used to work for Alba many years ago testing music centres. I do have a very tatty old Alba 'diver' I got off ebay though.
I think all Alba does now is put it's name to stuff made for them.
Great write-up and pics. A watch unknown to me prior to your search. It looks very good on that strap. I seem to recall the second hand hits the markers too. Unbelievable value for a 200m titanium watch.
Re the questions about "Alba" - as far as I know, it's just one of Seiko's domestic watch brands, nothing to do with the esteemed manufacturer of clock radios in the UK.
Paul
Looks very toolish and fantastic value - Ti and 200m WR - very tempting...
You mentioned a couple of Japanese sites, but also that you got it via another member - do the Japanese sites not sell into Aus, or is it that they are only in Kanji?
Good review and some excellent pics, thanks for that mate.
I have a SBCA001 and love it. I take your point about the crown, but like it anyway!
Interesting that the Seiko group (Seiko/Pulsar/Alba) produces some very similar watches.
Appreciate your time doing the review.
HJ, I emailed several of the Japanese sites, and they all said that they do not post overseas. I just used google translate to convert the web page into English to find the 'contact us' button.
I'm glad you enjoyed the little write up folks. River, it was my intention to buy myself another SBCA, the only reason I didn't was I found this watch for its ridiculously cheap price. The SBCA is still a great watch.
I forgot to mention as well, it is a quartz watch, with the same movement as the SBCA except with a day wheel.
Last edited by nickyboyo; 13th August 2012 at 03:16.
Posting Permissions