WTF Alpina? Seriously, is this a joke? Does this watch suffer from hereditary dwarfism? Can you even call a 44mm wide watch a dwarf? Oh, I am sorry, I meant “little watch.” No, the watch is the right size, but the hands, those sad pathetic looking hands, are shrunken at the least. Look at them looking all sad? Even the chronograph subdial hands feel bigger.
Ice Legacy – Believe – Preserve – Transmit.” Beyond the at first baffling dial text, there really is an intriguing and aggressive, though not entirely new offering released today by Alpina, so let us take a nearer look.Alpina, if you didn’t know, is Frédérique Constant’s sister brand, purchased and restored beneath FC in an effort to offer the parent brand’s strong points — aggressive pricing, layout, and quality — at a sportier package since the more elegant styling of Frédérique Constant wouldn’t have taken well to a sporty new direction. The “4” from the Alpiner 4 collection name refers to a 1938 set from Alpina (that the brand says was the very first “contemporary Korean sports watch”), together with the number 4 calling to: Stainless Steel, Water Resistant, Anti-Magnetic, and Anti-Shock. Last, as for anti-shock possessions, the watches are certified into the ISO1413 standard.
I have no clue what Alpina was thinking when their designer approved the hands on this Startimer Classic Automatic Chronograph watch. More like TinyTimer. This is exactly the type of crap that pisses me off. This watch makes me want to yell obscenities. Everything else about this watch is fine if you are going for that retro chronograph watch look – but those hands, what the hell is up with those stupid tiny hands? This isn’t just a mistake, this is horological abuse.
Do I need to even explain to anyone why or how the hour, minute, and chronograph seconds hands are small beyond excuse? Maybe this is a joke. Maybe Alpina is just messing with me. I can see them in Geneva giggling like 7th grade pranksters. “E-mail it to Ariel, make sure he thinks it is serious! Huh hu, he is gonna flip!” It wouldn’t be the first time…
In addition, the Alpina Electronic Watch Replica Startimer Automatic’s width of 44mm at a relatively thin 10.7mm could be a challenge for all those with smaller or rounder wrists although I understand why the opinion is a bit large as dimensions is another important facet of a pilot’s eye. Think about the popular IWC Big Pilot in a whopping 46.2mm or some true classic military pilot watch like the Laco B-Uhr at a now unwearable 55mm (designed to be worn over a flight-suit) and the Alpina begins to look like a more reasonably sized choice with just enough heft to allow you to know it was designed with aviation heritage in mind.When you are talking about a completely featured Swiss made watch at a cost point such as that of this Startimer Automatic, you hope to wind up with a somewhat less impressive movement to supply some economies but in this circumstance, the Alpina AL-525 quality gets the job done. Although it’s basically a base grade ETA 2824-2 having an Alpina rotor, the 38-hour power reserve AL-525 is precisely the right type of movement for the soul of the watch and enables the extremely approachable price of entrance. When you get right down to it, a pilot’s watch takes little more than a precise and powerful movement and also the ETA 2824-2 has had that exact standing for decades. Servicing is also easy with such a ubiquitous caliber and some other competent watchmaker should be able to keep it in form. One thing I want to mention that I really like is the large crown, which will be a wonderful tapered design.
In addition, the Alpina Watches Frederique Constant Replica Startimer Automatic’s width of 44mm in a comparatively thin 10.7mm might be challenging for those with smaller or rounder wrists although I understand why the opinion is a bit big as size is another important facet of a pilot’s eye. Consider the popular IWC Big Pilot at a whopping 46.2mm or a real classic military pilot’s watch such as the Laco B-Uhr in a now unwearable 55mm (designed to be worn over a flight-suit) and the Alpina starts to seem like a more reasonably sized choice with just enough heft to let you know it had been equipped with aviation heritage in mind.When you’re talking about a fully featured Swiss made watch at a cost point such as that of this Startimer Automatic, you hope to end up with a somewhat less striking movement to provide some savings but in this circumstance, the Alpina AL-525 caliber gets the job done. Although it’s essentially a base grade ETA 2824-2 having an Alpina rotor, the 38-hour power book AL-525 is precisely the right type of movement for the spirit of the watch and enables the extremely approachable price of entrance. When you get right down to it, a pilot’s watch takes little more than a precise and robust movement and also the ETA 2824-2 has had that precise reputation for decades. Servicing is also easy with such a ubiquitous caliber and some other competent watchmaker ought to have the ability to keep it in form. One thing I want to mention that I love is the large crown, which is a wonderful tapered design.
The watch dial even has a pulsograph for measuring pulse. Pretty worthless with those hands. The chronograph seconds hand only goes so far as the start of the hour indicators. WHY?! Screw it, I don’t even want to be nice or attempt to figure this out anymore. If you are the person who designed this dial then please never be in the same room with me. You not only embarrass an otherwise decent brand, but you display with incredible clarity just how inept you are a watch or industrial designer. Go back to making dollhouses. Repugnant. This watch gives me vertigo and makes we want to give up analog watches altogether and buy a digital Casio.
If you haven’t had enough short-handedness or simply don’t get the point of what I am saying, click over here for more.
P.S. Had I not been so overtaken with the teeny tiny hands I might have also commented that as a chronograph watch this piece appears to have no chronograph pushers as well!
UPDATE: Alpina Watches Frederique Constant Replica figured out the problem and “fixed” the Startimer Classic Chronograph. After all has been said and done here is the piece you’ll be able to buy. All cleaned up and pretty:
Maybe best known for their Seastrong diver’s collection and their Startimer pilot’s watches, Alpina have, in the last few years, branched out by producing their own manufacture calibers as well as their very first smartwatch. But, Alpina’s core power remains their ability to generate high quality casual and sports watches at far more available prices than most of their larger Swiss relatives. We have covered Alpina’s outgoing Startimer pilot watch collection before right here, and earlier this year Alpina introduced an upgraded Startimer collection, the Alpina Startimer Pilot Automatic Al-525 watch, a 44mm tool watch that we go hands-on with here.Taking even a brief glance at the Startimer Automatic, it’s clear to see that Alpina are tipping their hats into a number of the excellent military and pilot’s watches previously. On the dial, oversize applied luminous numbers for hour markers alternative with big rectangular luminous indices at twelve, three, six, and nine which all sit inside of a printed ring graduated at one-minute periods and labeled at five-minute increments. Taken together, the dial elements very intentionally provide the aviation instrument feel. The dial itself, and really the watch, are available in four different variations; black, white, white with golden accents, and a kind of dark grey. A red rectangle, a Alpina signature, sits prominently at the top marking the sixty/zero minutes position.
The glowing hands are a slim, curved sword design using a stick seconds hand which once again features the reddish Alpina Watches Youtube Replica triangle, this time as a counterweight. Dial printing of this Alpina logo and signature is big, though given the 44mm case and ample dial property, it isn’t overpowering. All in all, the dial is effective and appealing. One of the key elements of any pilot’s opinion is instant legibility and the Startimer Automatic has that in spades given its clear and clean layout. Some might take offense at the replica of Alpina’s triangle that appears no less than three times from the dial and hands but, quite frankly, that is simply how Alpina rolls and you see their logo everywhere in their own collection. The inclusion of an anti-reflective sapphire crystal ensures unfettered viewing of the dial despite variable lighting conditions.Moving into the circumstance, which can be 44mm by 10.7millimeters in dimension with a brushed finish and a very minimal utilitarian layout, we see again how Alpina are paying homage to significant pilot’s watches of times long ago. Absent are any intricacies in alternating finish or complex case shapes or bevels. The instrument watch feel is evident here and gives the watch a no-nonsense aesthetic that plays into the pilot’s view idea. A simple but neatly engraved case back increases the pragmatic idea. A minor issue for me is the use of case plating on two of those four variants of this Startimer Pilot Automatic. While I know the drive to produce a “golden” and a “titanium” variant, I believe that the notion of case plating is a bit distasteful for some who know this plating can easily wear off with use, especially on a tool watch.