The New Alpina Alpiner Extreme Chronograph

The Alpiner Extreme collection is Alpina’s take on the hyper-popular category of sports watches with integrated bracelets. Relaunched in 2022 with a robust cushion-shaped case and a textured dial, the first model took many by surprise with its regulator dial, a throwback to a popular and massive 48mm Alpina model known as the Avalanche Regulator of 2005. Following hard on the heels of the Regulator, Alpina introduced a more straightforward automatic with time and date. Today, the Alpiner Extreme collection welcomes a third and appropriately sporty model with the launch of a chronograph.

Renowned for its rugged all-terrain watches for outdoor adventures, Alpina’s founder, Gottlieb Hauser, laid down the four fundamental pillars of a sports watch in 1938. Known as the “Alpina 4” concept, a sports watch should be anti-magnetic, shockproof, waterproof, and stainless steel. With three main collections designed to tackle different environments – Alpiner x Land, Seastrong x Sea and Startimer x Air – the strategy of the sister brand of Frederique Constant, now owned by Citizen, is to offer robust but accessibly priced sports watches.

Designed to endure knocks, blows and bad weather, the muscular 41mm stainless steel case has a protective bumper on the left side, visually balancing the chronograph pushers on the right. Noticeably thicker than the Automatic and Regulator editions on account of the chronograph movement, the case height is 14.3mm. The screw-down crown, ensuring the 100m water-resistance rating, is flanked by the chronograph pushers. The cushion-shaped case and round fixed bezel secured by six screws with triangular heads (Alpina logo) are brushed for a sporty look with polished bevels to highlight the dynamic architecture. Underscoring the rugged sports watch vibe, the Alpiner Extreme Chronograph comes with the recently introduced integrated steel bracelet with a folding buckle.

Available with a navy blue or silver dial, both feature an embossed anti-glare triangular Alpina pattern and contrasting counters. The silver version is a classic panda-style dial with black counters, while the blue dial could be categorised as a reverse panda with white counters. A traditional tri-compax display, the small seconds are at 9 o’clock, the 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock and the 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock. All the counters are snailed with contrasting white or black markings, and the hands feature a strip of luminescent material. The applied hour indices and the hour and minute hands are treated with Super-LumiNova, and the central chronograph seconds hand is white with an openworked red triangular counterweight. Lodged between the markers at 4 and 5 o’clock is a silver-framed date window.

The Alpiner Extreme Chronograph is powered by the AL-730 automatic calibre (Sellita SW510). This cam-actuated chronograph mechanism also features an Incabloc shock absorber, a Glucydur balance wheel, a frequency of 28,800vph and an extended 62h power reserve. Viewed from the caseback, you can see the black asymmetric rotor and other details of the movement.

The new Alpina Alpiner Extreme Chronograph Automatic joins the regular collection. Both models retail for CHF 2,995. For more information, please consult alpinawatches.com.