Freeride World Tour
Durante sus 132 años de historia, Alpina siempre ha sido una manufactura de calibres y complicaciones. Entre sus calibres más notables del siglo XX, se pueden encontrar referencias de la industria como el Cal. 877, el “motor” del “Alpina Techno”, el Cal. 592 de cuerda manual, uno de los movimientos de reloj más resistentes de su generación, y el famoso calibre 584 de cuerda automática de 17 rubíes, también llamado ‘Hammerautomatik’.
Since our comeback in 2002, we have launched five new in-house developed, produced and assembled calibers.With the introduction of the Tourbillon, the Regulator, the World Timer, the Small Date Automatic and the Flyback Chronograph Manufacture Calibers, Alpina has once again taken its rightful place among the small and select group of independent Swiss watch manufacturers that completely develop and produce their own calibers in-house.
After 132 years of history, we present our first fully in-house developed and produced chronograph caliber. Over four years went by between the initial concept and readiness for production. For good reasons our Master Watchmaker and engineers decided to adopt a modular construction for the new AL-760 caliber. This step permitted the use of the reliable and robust, tried and tested Alpina AL-710 automatic base caliber with a balance frequency of 4 Hertz, centre seconds and a date hand at 6 o’clock. This powerful movement, comprising 233 components (of which only 96 components for the flyback module) with a 38-hour power reserve, is particularly suitable for a drive mounted at the front, immediately under the dial. The ingenious and patented “direct flyback” construction of the chronograph mechanism is apparent not least from the fact that we were able to create it from only 96 parts, thus making it extremely robust and ideal for sports applications.
The ultimate achievement in the art of watch making is the production of a Tourbillon calibre. Our AL-980 Tourbillon, developed in-house and produced uniquely at our workshop in Geneva, incorporates two major new technologies. A silicium escapement wheel and anchor give the calibre faultless accuracy, even under extreme conditions. Because of the light weight and exceptionally smooth surface of silicium, no oil is needed to lubricate the escapement mechanism. In addition, Alpina’s patented S.M.A.R.T. Weight Balancing System provides even further improvement to the movement’s already remarkable precision.
Professional pilots and frequent travellers frequently face the same problem. They need to know what time it is when they cross time zones. Our engineers developed the AL-718 World Timer complication, at the heart of which is our AL-710 Manufacture calibre. The watch dial displays the time in 24 major world cities, as well as a night/day indication and a small date at the 6 o’clock position. The watch functions are extremely easy to operate, all through the timepiece’s single crown. The movement is finely decorated with fish scale bridges, and a “Côtes de Genève” design on the automatic device.
The AL-950 Automatic Regulator was the first Alpina Manufacture calibre produced following our comeback. The calibre was developed entirely in-house by our own engineers; the parts were machined on our CNC devices and each watch was individually assembled by our team of skilled and dedicated horological artisans.
An evolution of the AL-950, the AL-710 added a central second hand to this automatic movement. Assembled entirely in our workshops in Geneva, the AL-710 is and extremely reliable and precise calibre.
The most important thing at the start of any regatta is crossing the start line right after the countdown. Based on the SW500 chronograph, Alpina developed an in-house mechanical module, specifically designed to time the five and 10-minute countdown to the start of a regatta. The countdown information is displayed in a highly visible manner. The dial of the watch has five eyes, the colours of which change from black to orange. In the event of any interruption to the regatta’s starting time, the AL-880 movement has a feature allowing the countdown to be held and then re-started when appropriate.
Based on the Sellita SW500 chronograph movement, the AL-860 chronograph calibre has been modified by Alpina to feature a “Bi-Compax” counter configuration for maximum readability, suitable for professional aviation requirements. Thoughtfully designed by our engineers and machined in Geneva on our CNC machines, this modification is then carefully assembled in our Plan-les-Ouates workshops by our team of skilled watch makers.
The AL-725 is a variation on the well-known Valjoux 7750 chronograph movement, in which the small second hand has been removed to create a vertical and easy-to-read automatic chronograph. A beautiful decoration completes this movement.
Finely decorated with “Côtes de Genève” and the distinctive «Alpina» engraving on its bridges, this in-house execution of the famous Unitas movement displays hours and minutes, as well as the seconds at the 6 o’clock position. The hand-wound AL-435 movement creates a special relationship between you and your watch, namely the pleasure of “bringing to life” a mechanical watch, simply by winding it.
Extremely reliable, the AL-525 is the automatic “engine” for those Alpina watches that have been designed for heavy duty under trying conditions, such as the Extreme Diver, Extreme 40 and the 12 Hours of Sebring Series. The movement is finely decorated and sports a specially conceived rotor. * The watches may be fitted with undecorated movements.
Using the AL-525 as its basis, the AL-535 movement adds a small second hand at the 6 o’clock position as a complication. The bridges are finely decorated, and the specially conceived Alpina rotor ensures the mechanical winding.
Based on the famous Unitas ebauche, the AL-650 was originally a calibre for pocket watches. We modified the ebauche on our CNC machine, and the AL-650 is now a calibre for the Regulator Series. The calibre is assembled entirely in-house, in our Plan-les-Ouates workshops.