Alpina Startimer Pilot Watches

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed)
Feb 23rd 2011 at 12:01PM

The retro looking Startimer Pilot collection from Alpina will have three pieces including the pictured chronograph, a three-hand automatic, and a time with subsidiary date dial model. A little warning right off the bat, the pictured model with that style dial is really nice, but there is another model that seems to be floating around with hour and minute hands so stubby it seems to be a joke. Do yourself and the world a favor - friends don't let friend by watches with too-small hands.

At 44mm wide, the Startimer Pilots come in steel cases that are 100 meters water resistant and have sapphire crystals. I like the thin bezel that maximizes dial space. The little touch of red on the counterweight of the chronograph seconds hand is welcome. Using a bi-compax layout, the dials are classic looking but functional - while the chronograph doesn't significantly obscure reading of the dial. The sizable Arabic hour numerals feels functional and sound. Inside the watch are Swiss automatic movements, while the version with just the time and date has an in-house made Alpina/Frederique Constant movement. According to Alpina these Startimer Pilot watches are being made in partnership with plane makers Cessna and PrivatAir. Look for them at reasonable prices sometime this year. Each is said to be limited to 8,888 pieces.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: Alpina, Chronograph, Pilot, Startimer, Watch