Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Alpina Alpiner Extreme Automatic 39mm California Dial
Field-like colours and a cool retro California dial for the 39mm Alpiner Extreme.
Alpina gained a head start in the sports watch market in 1938 with its Alpina 4, a robust model featuring shock and water-resistant properties, anti-magnetic capabilities, and a sturdy steel case. The heavy-duty Alpiner Extreme, revamped in 2022, is the rightful heir of the Alpina 4. Designed for outdoor adventures, the Alpiner Extreme is also an attractive everyday beater. Available in 41 and 39mm case sizes, the more compact Alpiner Extreme kicks off the autumn with two retro-inspired California dials in green and brown.
The new Alpiner Extreme Automatic California references have a diameter of 39mm, a length of 40.5mm and a height of 11.5mm. The bold, 200m water-resistant stainless steel case has a cushion-shaped base with rounded edges and is topped by a fixed round bezel with six exposed Alpina screws. The dynamic finishes accentuate the architecture with a pronounced vertical brush on the bezel and lugs, a circular brush on the case and polished bevels, screws and lateral bumpers. The large screw-down crown features a black rubber cladding to enhance grip with a raised chequered pattern that matches the rubber strap.
First seen on the 41mm Alpiner Extreme, the duet sport California dial features a signature mix of Roman and Arabic numerals, along with an inverted triangle at noon. First incorporated on military tool watches to improve legibility and orientation, California dials with their luminous mixed-numeral dials were adopted by Panerai and Rolex in the late 1930s and early 1940s to aid pilots and combat frogmen navigate in adverse conditions.
Sticking to the conventional formula, the Alpiner features Roman numerals (X, XII, I and II) in the top part of the dial and Arabic numerals (4 through 8) in the bottom, with horizontal dashes for 3, 6 and 9, and an inverted triangle at noon. The large, impossible-to-mistake numerals and indices have a vintage beige luminescent finish and are applied to the sandblasted dial. Available in autumnal green or brown, the dials also display an attractive gradient effect as the colour intensifies on the periphery. The hour and minute hands are also filled with beige lume, and the central seconds hand has a red Alpina triangle counterweight matching the one applied to the dial. The date window, with a white background, is located at 3 o’clock.
The new models are powered by the AL-525 automatic (based on the Sellita SW200, a clone of the ETA 2824), which operates at 28,800 vibrations/hour, has a customised black rotor and offers a 38-hour power reserve.
The Alpiner Extreme Automatic 39mm California, available with a brown or green dial, retails for EUR 1,695. More information at alpinawatches.com.
2 responses
Cool watch. Love the design except for the white date window. Does the cushion style case typically wear larger or smaller than their dimensions?
Alpina? Nice!
Beefy Alpiner case? Also nice!
Granular gradient dial? Way too much late-stage-trend, overdone. Makes it look like a cheap Spinnaker watch.
A general problem when some minuscule style expression gets popular – all small cheap brands storm that look, and bigger slower movers come out a year later with watches that look dated at release.