Yesterday, at the start of Baselworld 2016, Alpina unveiled a retro diver watch called the Seastrong Diver Heritage, based on their iconic “Seastrong 10” Super Compressor Diving watch from the 1960s.

The new collection consists of two variants: one with a white and black dial (Ref. AL-525S4H6), and the other with a grey and dark blue dial (Ref. AL-525G4H6). The former has a more sporty appearance, and similar color scheme to the original, while the latter has a darker, more elegant aesthetic.

The 42 mm stainless steel supercompressor case is thin, with a box sapphire crystal and solid steel caseback, along with dual locking crowns. The crown at 2 o’clock controls the internal rotating bezel, and the crown at 4 o’clock controls the time setting, date setting, and allows for hand winding. Water-resistance is 300 meters.

A Sellita SW-200 4Hz automatic movement powers hours, minutes, seconds and date functions, with a power reserve of 38-hours.

As you can see in the comparsion next to the 40 mm diameter Oris Sixty Five Diver case, the watch, although 42 mm in diameter, appears to be not much bigger than the Oris. This is a good thing, as the Sixty Five is a similarly sized retro dive watch that has been hugely popular.

There is no doubt in my mind that this will be a big seller for Alpina as the watch has a great history, a sub $2K price, and an attractive wrist presence. Furthermore, this is quite a departure from the larger dive models within the brand and is something consumers have been asking for.

The Seastrong Diver Heritage watches are paired with black calfskin leather straps and will retail for $1695.