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Two New Models Celebrating Alpina’s 1930s Legacy

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Published
09/23/2023 by

On its 140th anniversary celebrated last June, Alpina unveiled two landmark styles featuring the authentic hand-wound Calibre 490 dated from 1938, restored and presented in a silver case, each issued to 14 pieces only. To ensure continuity, Alpina decided to create two similar variations, each featuring one of its contemporary movements, the self-winding AL-530 mechanical calibre. On a black or silver dialwith small seconds, these new Alpiner Heritage Carrée Automatic 140 Years, while part of the current collection, are reminiscent of the Art Déco spirit which inspired them originally. They come in a minimalist rectangular case, featuring a sector dial that was common in the 1930s, period Arabic numerals, dauphine hands and, of course, the original Alpina logo. Two vintage and authentic creations that continue the perpetual evolution of Maison’s 140 years of history.

Finding inspiration in watchmaking history is good. But being able to draw on one's own heritage, which directly contributed to such history, is even better. This approach is what precisely led to the creation of the two Alpiner Heritage Carrée Automatic 140 Years, which now enrich the collection. They represent the natural evolution of the two very limited series of only 14 pieces that were recently issued in a silver case, with their authentic 1938 hand-wound mechanical movement, the 490 calibre.

Shared history

Their heritage is based on a 1938 reference whose movement and design were at the crossroads of two fundamental paths during the emergence of wristwatches: on the one hand, a high quality shape and level of finish that testify to the elegance of luxury pieces; on the other hand, the innovation aspect, showing Alpina's desire to project itself into the world of resistant and robust watches, in line with the Maison current designs and a refined aesthetic faithfully recreated in the new Alpiner Heritage Carrée Automatic 140 Years.

At the same crossroads as 85 years ago, today, these two timepieces are equipped with a self-winding movement that offers all the guarantees of robustness and precision of a modern watch, within a case & dial combo that expresses an equally strong statement in terms of finish and elegance. 

 

In line with the Heritage

While evoking the aesthetics of the two original limited series, both versions have been optimised to allow them to adapt to the needs of modern everyday life. Slightly enlarged, by three millimetres on average, the case remains faithful to the proportions of the time, with 32.5 x 39 mm, for only 9.71 mm in height. The shape is elegant, and ideally suitable for both men and women. For ease of use and day-to-day maintenance, these two cases are now made of stainless steel, with anti-reflective domed sapphire glass. The self-winding mechanical AL-530 calibre, designed and optimised in the 21st century and visible from the open back, guarantees 38 hours of power reserve with a frequency of 28,800 alt./h.

Mirror sisters

Each timepiece displays the hours, minutes and small seconds, period Alpina logo, railroad minute scale and is worn on an ostrich bracelet with ardillon buckle. Nonetheless, they have two identities of their own. The first version features a black dial decorated with full Arabic numerals and a small circular seconds sub-dial. The hands are beige.

On the second, the composition is reversed: the dial is silver, the hands black, the Arabic numerals hollowed out in a font which is more geometric, in line with the taste of the Roaring Twenties, while the small seconds sub-dial is square. Two astonishing mirroring designs, powerful and unique: a tribute to an elegance of the past which is today part of accepted standards thanks to the contribution of Alpina itself, the Maison created in 1883 and celebrating its 140 years.

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