Swiss watchmaker, Alpina, introduced four new timepieces within their highly affordable Startimer Automatic collection this year at Baselworld. The Startimer collection is made of basic time and date watches, chronographs, and even a manufacture worldtimer. Some of the mechanical collection are powered by in-house movements and others by Sellita movements. The timepieces we are discussing…

Introducing the Alpina Worldtimer Manufacture, presented in a 44 mm diameter brushed and polished stainless steel case, and powered by an in-house made automatic movement. The Worldtimer Manufacture features the brand’s new AL-718 caliber. It features 26 jewels, a frequency of 28,800 vph (4Hz) and a 42-hour power reserve. The dial is black and white…

At the recent 130th Anniversary Alpina celebration, we got a hands-on look at the new Alpina 130 Pilot Heritage collection. The 130 Pilot Chronograph comes in a modest 41.50 mm diameter case that is comfortable and looks great on the wrist. The case has been finished with a mixture of polished and brushed surfaces. A…

What is your background in the watch industry? I basically grew up in the watch industry. I am originally from Amsterdam and my father had his own business of designing and producing gold and diamond jewelry. In 1984, he made a move into watches, watch distribution specifically, and I was 9 at the time. I…

This year at Baseworld, Alpina launched the Startimer Pilot Blackstar Chronograph, presented in a 44 mm diameter stainless steel case treated with a stealth black PVD coating. The dial has a sunray grey finish with dual black subdials and a black outer minute ring. The leaf-shaped hour and minute hands are white with luminous material.…

After three years of development, Alpina has unveiled a new in-house chronograph movement that is based on the brand’s automatic AL-710 caliber, with the addition of a flyback chronograph module (it’s not an integrated chronograph). It operates at 4Hz, has bi-directional winding, a 38-hour power reserve and 233 components (96 for the flyback module). “An…

Alpina equips its Alpiner model with a manufacture movement. The AL-710 caliber movement is an evolution of the brand’s first in-house movement (caliber AL-950), with the notable addition of a central seconds hand. The Alpina Alpiner Manufacture AL-710 has the same 41.5 mm by 10.8 mm thick stainless steel case as the Alpiner model we…

Today, Alpina announced a new retro timepiece, similar to the throwback diver’s watch they launched this year at Baselworld, which is also based very closely on a historic model. As you can see from the image above (the vintage timepiece on the left and the new version on the right), they made a larger, modern…

A trend in recent years has been for watchmakers to produce timepieces heavily inspired by past designs from within their archives. Longines has an entire collection of modern timepieces influenced by their past models, including, most recently, the Heritage Military COSD, and the Longines Heritage Diver 1967. Oris too, has started recreating past models, starting…

Fullscreen Overview After three years of development, last year, Alpina unveiled an in-house chronograph based on their base caliber AL-710. A serious feat for any watch manufacture. Parmigiani Fleurier, for example, who has been in business for roughly two decades, just like the Frederique Constant group (which owns Alpina), introduced their first in-house chronograph this…

Alpina Extreme Diver 300 Automatic Orange Alpina brand ambassador William Baldwin accompanied the CEO of Alpina and the President of Alpina USA — along with ProfessionalWatches — and a number of other guests of the brand, to the Grand Cayman islands in October to celebrate the 130th Anniversary of Alpina. During our trip, we stayed…

Pre-Basleworld 2014 With Baselworld 2014 just around the corner, watch brands are previewing some of their new timepieces. Today, Swiss watchmaker Alpina, has released images and details on a new addition to the Alpina Startimer Pilot Automatic collection called the Sunstar which is a reference to its grey “sunray” dial finishing. The new Startimer has…