Alpina Startimer Pilot Heritage Automatic

Alpina Startimer Pilot Heritage Automatic

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Alpina has been dedicated to pilots for over 50 years. As an official supplier to various air forces, it has specialised in meeting the requirements of pilots at work by delivering steadfast resistance, unfailing precision and perfect readability. For fans of air travel comes the new limited edition Startimer Pilot Heritage Automatic with a new design and a new case, in addition to its famous hunter case-back. A rare piece for collectors of great pilot watches.

Alpina Startimer Pilot Heritage Automatic

Flashback

The Startimer Pilot Heritage is well-known among collectors. In 2015, Alpina paid glorious tribute to the heroes of aviation with its cult manual winding 50 mm Startimer Pilot Heritage watch, limited to 1,883 pieces. It came complete with a “hallmark case back”, an historic hinged case back that opened with a click to reveal the Swiss Made mechanics of the calibre inside.

Alpina Startimer Pilot Heritage Automatic

A tribute to the 21st century

Building on this wonderful momentum, Alpina can now unveil the Startimer Pilot Heritage Automatic in an ultra-resistant 44 mm steel case. Thanks to this new limited edition of 1,883 pieces, Alpina is returning to the origins of large diameter pilot watches. Presented against matte black, the hours and minutes stretch out in luminescent beige, carefully chosen to replicate the shade that was used on vintage dials. Large hand-polished steel hands in the same luminescent shade hover over a 24-hour counter designed with long-haul flight in mind.

Alpina Startimer Pilot Heritage Automatic

The devil is in the detail

Collectors are bound to appreciate the vintage touches that reveal just how much care Alpina took in drawing on vintage watches. Firstly, the “Alpina” logo features in the original font used by the Geneva-based brand founded in 1883. Then, there is the legendary Alpina triangle, symbolic of the Swiss peaks. Located at 12 o’clock, it helps differentiate between “II” and “I”, 11 o’clock and 1 o’clock respectively, during flights. The watch is also distinguished by the red counterbalance on the large seconds hand, hovering over the date display at 3 o’clock.Alpina Startimer Pilot Heritage Automatic

As for the case, the “hallmark case back” makes its big return. Decorated with a delicate perlage pattern, it reveals the sapphire crystal through which the Swiss Made AL-525 movement can be seen, a high frequency calibre oscillating at 28,800 beats per hour.

Alpina Startimer Pilot Heritage Automatic

The brand has also revived the grooved design for the crown at 3 o’clock, making it easier to grip, even when wearing gloves. Finally, the brown calfskin strap is embellished with topstitching in the same vintage beige as the hands. As the watch develops a patina over the years, each piece takes on a life unique to its owner.

Alpina Startimer Pilot Heritage Automatic

Alpina Startimer Pilot Heritage Automatic Technical Specifications and Price

Reference AL-525BBG4SH6

Functions

  • Hours, minutes, seconds,
  • Date

Movement

  • Calibre AL-525
  • Automatic
  • 26 jewels,
  • 38-hour power reserve,
  • 28’800 alt/h

Case

  • Polished stainless steel 3-parts case
  • Diameter of 44 mm,
  • Thickness of 11.55 mm
  • Convex sapphire crystal
  • Water-resistant up to 3 ATM/30m/100ft
  • Jointed case-back

Dial

  • Mat black dial,
  • Applied silver indexes with beige luminous treatment
  • Date window at 3 o’clock
  • Hand-polished silver hands with beige luminous treatment and silver seconds hand with red triangle

Strap

  • Dark brown calf leather strap with off-white stitching

Price

  • €1,195.00

Limited edition Limited to 1883 pieces

 

1 Comment

  1. I realize this is considered a Pilot watch, but why only 3ATM water resistance? I simply couldn’t spend the money for this knowing that it’s safe to wear only just beyond some splashing and occasional rain. Five ATM is my minimum for a watch I don’t consider disposable.

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