As the first air show appearance for the brand, Alpina looked to highlight champion aviator Michael Goulian through a series of activations and events including an intimate evening cocktail to celebrate the new partnership, that was previously announced in March.
The brand’s participation at the Sun ’n Fun Fly-In and Expo was the first activation with him as the main attraction during the show with multiple appearances and aerial performances.
Ice Legacy – Believe – Preserve – Transmit.” Behold, a worthy contender for the Most Random Selection Of Words On A Watch Dial 2016 Award, as featured on the Alpina Alpiner 4 GMT Business Timer. Past the at first baffling dial text, there actually is an intriguing and competitive, though not completely new offering released now by Alpina, so let us have a nearer look.Alpina, in case you did not understand, is Frédérique Constant’s sister brand, purchased and revived under FC in an effort to offer the parent brand’s strong points — aggressive pricing, design, and quality — in a sportier package since the more tasteful styling of Frédérique Continuous wouldn’t have taken well to a sporty new direction. The “4” from the Alpiner 4 set name refers to a 1938 collection from Alpina (that the brand says was the first “contemporary Korean sports watch”), with the number 4 phoning to: Stainless Steel, Water Resistant, Anti-Magnetic, and Anti-Shock. Last, as for anti-shock properties, the watches are certified into the ISO1413 standard.
In a fully modern 44mm wide by 13mm thick, the Alpina Seastrong Diver 300 Automatic is by no way a small watch, however the lug-to-lug span is a merciful 49mm, meaning the watch remains proportionate, and sits flush on even my apartment 6.75″ wrist. The faces of the case and bezel display some nice satin and high-polished finishes that provide a sharp contrast to this vibrant anodized bezel add — in this case, red. Alpina was wise to keep matters classic with an aluminum insert rather than following the ceramic trend — which could have felt considerably out of location here.The bezel itself has a crisp, pleasing rotating activity with zero drama. Its borders are not super grippy, but with a pair of serrations each ten minutes, there is more than sufficient to catch, even with moist palms. There are 12 increased, glowing hour markers applied on the bezel insert, together with the initial 20 minutes also being glowing — an unexpected touch. But it might have been a nicer surprise when the lume on the dial and hands were as good as the lume on the bezel, but that’s a small nitpick — this ain’t a Panerai, after all.
Where the Alpina Extreme Diver felt like it had been designed by a committee intent on rehashing as many popular elements as possible at the same time, the new Alpina Seastrong Diver 300 seems to have had a good editor, since it finally feels less “wordy,” so to speak. Its new streamlined, minimized aesthetic complements the old case with a more natural sense and general ease, although the watch is finally comfortable in its own steely skin. Gone is that the derived mashup of tool and dress diver elements located on the outgoing Alpina Extreme Diver (reviewed here) version, in favor of a fresh, classic, and confident decorative that gently brings priority to form over function — but hardly at the expense of the latter, since the Alpina Seastrong Diver 300 Automatic is still a 300-meter dive watch, after all.In fact, I’d also argue that the most striking design element is actually the lack thereof. Take, for example, the way the Alpina Extreme Diver’s sword hands have been replaced by a skeletonized handset, whose reduced surface area leads to a cleaner, more unobtrusive view of the dial. Yes, these hands tear a comparatively familiar page from this Panerai Luminor Submersible publication, but the touch is not exclusive to Panerai, and it works well in complementing the minimalist aesthetic.
The sides of this case and bezel display some wonderful satin and high-polished finishes that provide a sharp contrast to this colorful anodized bezel insert — in this case, red. Alpina was wise to keep matters classic with an aluminum insert rather than after the ceramic trend — which could have felt considerably from place here.The bezel itself has a crisp, pleasing rotating activity with zero drama. Its borders are not super grippy, but with a pair of serrations every ten minutes, there is more than enough to catch, even with wet fingers. There are 12 increased, glowing hour markers applied on the bezel insert, with the first 20 minutes also being luminous — an unexpected touch. However, it would have been a nicer surprise if the lume on the dial and hands were as fantastic as the lume on the bezel, but that’s a minor nitpick — this ain’t a Panerai, after all.
Additionally, the Alpina Watch Gmt Replica Startimer Automatic’s width of 44mm in a comparatively thin 10.7mm might be a challenge for those with smaller or rounder wrists though I understand why the opinion is a little big as size is another important aspect of a pilot’s eye. Think about the favorite IWC Big Pilot at a whopping 46.2mm or a true vintage military pilot’s watch like the Laco B-Uhr at a now unwearable 55mm (supposed to be worn over a flight-suit) and the Alpina begins to look like a more reasonably sized option with only enough heft to allow you to know it was designed with aviation heritage in mind.When you are discussing a completely featured Swiss made watch in a price point like that of this Startimer Automatic, you expect to wind up with a somewhat less striking movement to supply some savings but in this case, the Alpina AL-525 caliber gets the job done. Although it’s essentially a base grade ETA 2824-2 with an Alpina rotor, the 38-hour power book AL-525 is precisely the right kind of motion for the spirit of this watch and enables the exceptionally approachable price of entrance. When you return to it, a pilot’s view requires little more than an accurate and powerful movement along with also the ETA 2824-2 has had that exact reputation for decades. Servicing is also easy with such a ubiquitous caliber and any capable watchmaker ought to have the ability to keep it in form. One thing I would like to mention that I really like is the large crown, which will be a nice tapered design.
Michael wore his Alpina Startimer Pilot watch throughout his three aerial performances. “Sun ’n Fun Fly-In and Expo is an excellent showcase of aerobatic ability,” said Oliver Van Lanschot Hubrecht, Alpina Brand Manager. “We were excited to see Mike proudly wearing his Alpina watch while providing great entertainment for the thousands of spectators in attendance.”
“The debut of our relationship with Alpina Watches Houston Replica at Sun n’ Fun was a proud moment in my career,” said Mike Goulian. “I’m honored and humbled that Alpina has chosen me to represent this iconic brand”, he added. Alpina recently expanded its Startimer Pilot Collection with four new timepieces at Baselworld 2017.
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