Seiko SARB complete guide

Seiko SARB is a line of watches introduced in 2006 and based on the 6R15 automatic caliber. Although it was mainly aimed at the Japanese market, the SARB line became popular in many countries around the world, especially thanks to the SARB033, SARB035, the Alpinist SARB017 and the Cocktail Time SARB065.

The origin of the SARB series

The first SARB watches appeared in the second volume of the Seiko 2006 catalog and were introduced to the market in June 2006.

The design of the SARB001, SARB003 and SARB005 appears to be heavily inspired by the King Seiko Vanacs of the 70s.

Even the following three references, introduced on the market in October 2006, are clearly inspired by the past of the Japanese brand, so much so that in the promotional material they are referred to as “Retro Modern”: a vintage design combined with improved technical features.

Seiko Alpinist

In November 2006 Seiko introduces three new SARB references, belonging to the historic Alpinist series. The first appearance in the official Seiko catalogs is found in the first volume of 2007.

Among the three references introduced, the SARB017 undoubtedly stands out, beloved by Seiko enthusiasts.

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The SARB019 is one of the rarest and least known references, of which there seems to be no trace in the official catalogs.

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The following references were launched on the Japanese market in October 2007.
The latest of the four, the SARB026, was released in a limited edition of just 250 pieces.

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The following four watches were introduced in Japan in December 2007. The elegant lines are combined with a small case, with a diameter of 36 mm and a thickness of 12.5 mm.

Classics of the SARB line

In June 2008, two classics of the SARB line were introduced, the SARB033 with black dial and the ivory SARB035, which at the time made people talk a lot for their astonishingly good quality/price ratio.

Together with these two references, much loved by enthusiasts, two other less known models were introduced, the SARB037 and the SARB038.

The SARB037 in particular, with its characteristic salmon-colored dial, has seen a remarkable growth in popularity over the years, and the few specimens that appear on the market become the object of collectors’ desire, with the consequent increase in prices, which have risen well beyond what was the original list price.

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In November 2008, the SARB039 and SARB041 were introduced, again on the Japanese market.

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Four more models follow in December 2008.

Seiko Land Monsters

In March 2009, new models were introduced presented as “adventure watches”, soon named Land Monsters, which some enthusiasts prefer to call Trek Monsters.

Only the first three references (SARB 047, 048 and 049) were mentioned in the Seiko catalogs, while of the other three, rarer to find, little information is known.

Slim case Alpinist

In July 2009, three new Alpinist models were launched, with very special characteristics.

All three sport a Slim-type case, similar to that of the SKX007 and SKX009, and the 500-piece limited edition SARB063 comes with a fully black coated steel case and bracelet.

Seiko Cocktail Time

From the collaboration of Seiko with one of the greatest bartenders and cocktail experts in the world, Ishigaki Shinobu of the Ishinohana Bar, the “Cocktail Time” watches are born.

The first three models, launched in 2010 in Japan, are part of the SARB line. Among these the SARB065 stands out, nicknamed Cocktail Time Cool, one of the most popular references.

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The following four models are similar to the classic SARB033 and SARB035.

Thai Limited Land Monsters

The latest watches in the SARB series were three Land Monster limited editions, introduced in 2011 in Thailand: SARB075 (750 pieces), SARB077 (750 pieces) and SARB078 (900 pieces).

Each of these models is presented in a special box, marked “Land Monster”, and equipped with a silicone strap in addition to the steel bracelet.

The 6R15 automatic movement

All watches in the SARB series are based on the Seiko 6R15 caliber, an automatic in-house movement that is reliable and very robust, even if it is of the entry-level range.

The 6R15 is equipped with hacking function and manual winding, it has 50 hours of autonomy and runs at 21,600 bph.

Technical Sheet

Type	Automatic
Power reserve	50 hours
Bph	21,600
Jewels	23
Lift Angle	53°
Manual winding	Si
Hacking	Si