Alpina Alpiner 4 Automatic: A watch great at being OK.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ส.ค. 2024
- Im generally not a fan of the idea of a versatile watch - generally versatility is code for mediocre at a lot of things. But I guess there is a spot in the collection for something to fill the all-rounder slot and this watch, the Alpina Alpiner 4 Automatic nails the brief.
For your awareness some things about me and the channel.
I'm an engineer who's into human behavior, loves the ideas behind art and sees watches as a mix of science, craft, art, business, history, technology, philosophy, and psychology. As a result, my videos cover all that ground. (Oh, and I overthink everything).
In my opinion, a $15 Casio or a $50 G-Shock are probably the only real tool watches and pretty much everything else is jewelry. So as we are talking about jewelry I think style is substance and I tend to believe history, brand, style, design, execution, and aesthetics are more important than specs. A dull design with a good movement is a dull watch, and an exciting design with an average movement is an exciting watch.
To be clear, I hate the expression "it's just a watch". If you got this far, watches matter to you and represent a bridge between us - dismissing them as unimportant seems wrong and disrespectful. That doesn't mean we can't and don't have fun, it just means we should not be totally mindless of others.
I'm a watch collector and curator - I like my collections to have a theme. My collection has several themes:
1. Vintage Alpina watches
2. Travel watches (GMT. UTC, world timers, home times, dual times)
3. Seiko Prospex dive watches
4. Breitling chronographs
5. Stuff I just really like.
I don't do wrist checks so if you want to see what I'm wearing, my collection, and other random bits of my life check out my Instagram:
@not.so.obvious.watches / not.so.obvious.watches
You can email me at not.so.obvious.watches@gmail.com
virtually all the music you'll hear on my channel I get from BenSound - www.bensound.com/
also, my stock images and videos tend to come from either snappa (snappa.com/app) or pexels (www.pexels.com/)
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The Alpina is a real gem
It really is.
Still listening. :-) Always admired Alpina’s modern take on old fashioned regulators.
Thanks for listening - those regulators are interesting. not really my thing but I do appreciate them existing and they are the sort of thing that makes the brand worth keeping an eye on.
Excellent review, hit all the right points about the watch.
I like it’s size, have had this big blue gem for several years. To be able to obtain such a gorgeous Swiss highbeat piece at an affordable price is wonderful.
The design is pure genius by Alpina. I never fall for marketing tricks that this and this watch is made for diving, exploring or dressing up, so it's not their marketing that gives me the wintersports-vibe, but i think it's the pointy hour markers, blue sunburst dial and steel bezel that does it. It all just gives me an icy cold feeling.
The size is also a positive for me. If you think downhill skiing you think oversized jackets, helmets and equipment in general so this just fits in all areas related to that.
Btw there's already a 40 mm version of this. Regarding your point, indeed it's hard to imagine anyone actually diving with anything other than a modern dive computer. Same case with outdoorsy activities where a GPS watch of the Suunto / Garmin type is more useful. A Swiss watch is an accessory and I just want it to tick and look good. I differentiate between dressy and casual watches but that's it. No need to pretend that I need a mechanical Swiss watch to cross Antarctica. That's just marketing fluff.
Amazing review, best one on this watch so far! Thanks!
I have a small wrist, 16.5 CMS, though I love this watch and it’s 45 mm size, I think it is a very well designed watch and I’m loving Alpina and it’s body language so far, thinking on getting the aloína startimer next!
I've had my Alipna A 4 for 3 yrs now.
It's tough as nails.
Goes with any clothing choice.
Keeps excellent time, probably a sec or two fast over a day or two.
Very satisfied with this watch
Great watch. I’ve considered the Alpiner 4 chronograph off and on (in this same unique color way).
For me the elephant room is not the size. Although this is at my max - I stick to 40-44 mm.
However, the date at 3 is not for me. I don’t hate it, like say the cyclops or certain old-fashioned hour hands, but it’s an annoyance I avoid.
Otherwise, it’s brilliant.
The dial is a spectacular shade of blue and the steel bezel compliments it perfectly.
The hand set is sharp, attractive. Even the second hand is well done. That pop of red elevates it.
I appreciate the proportions, the cases of Alpinas.
Agree with your larger point. This is a white collar do-everything-watch. For some watch guys and gals that’s all we need.
I don’t do parkour or mountain bike in the rain for “fun” so I have no need for a G-shock. Besides, I have a beater for those rare occasions I truly need one.
This watch would look sharp on the weekend and fantastic at work. That fits my life when I’m not wearing one of my more unique watches.
I have the green dial version with the bracelet on my 7.5 inch wrist. Yes, loving it!!!
I have the 44 mm version, the perfect marriage is this on a shark mesh bracelet.
I have seen this watch and the brand is readily available in Canada. Good quality. 44 is big. 22mm band is wide as well.
Starlight
Nice review...definitely a watch I'll look at closer. I typically have a watch for every situation, but I'd say this compares to my Halios Seaforth as an easy to wear, comfortable, tough GADA-style watch. It's a little larger but certainly should fit fine on my 7" wrist. Thanks for the review.
You're 100% right, the Halios is a really similar idea and a great comparision.
Nice find, another contender to the One Watch Collection challenge for big guys. The winning point for me is the bidirectional bezel.
I am not and will never be a diver, a unidirectional one is more a nuisance than an asset in day to day conditions.
Well said! I enjoy the cosplay of the diver but day to day I totally agree, a bedirectional bezel is actually far more useful
44 is my lucky number.
Good looking watch. 44mm works for me. The GMT version is also worth a look.
A terrific information rich review. I’ve been a fan of Alpina for quite some time, but I’ve never owned one yet. The L2L and diameter are just too much for me. I have a couple that are this size that I’m now looking to sell because they just don’t sit well on my sub 7” wrist.
Excellent okay review. 👍
Thanks! 👍
Thanks Pete
Never looked at Alpina I'll look a little deeper
I think they are the brand really worth a look. That said, I think recently they've been suffering a bit of an identity crisis, maybe covid, maybe new management, maybe they just wanted to trying something new? Still there is some great stuff there.
Great watch for the money-unfortunately I don’t know of any AD in my neck of the woods. I have a 7 1/2 inch wrist so the size would be fine. My gada watch is an Eterna Royal Kontiki gmt. Best regards
40 mm version of this watch has been released recently. Until this release I thought that Alpina hates money :)
I have an 8.25" wrist. Tired of watches that are too small and come with bands that can't even get around my wrist!
not a watch I'd buy but a super review. also not keen on the smaller watch fad if that's actually the case so the dimensions are for me a + not a -
👍
Hey Richard - I agree, I think the minus is not also offering a smaller size. Like you I love bigger watches and (for modern watches - vintage is different) really 40mm is my 'floor'. So if I were running Alpina I'd be looking at perhaps a 38 to pair this with.
I can end this fast just by saying it won't fit me. I respect Alpina, their design language is always fresh, in my eyes at least, plus reminds me of Alpine (got to be Renault in the end), same fresh and elegant design elements there too. But to call this GADA sounds like a stretch, i wouldn't go that far. Good, yes, GADA is solar (quartz...) in my book. (as you said right!)
Thanks Peter, enjoy this mate, it's really nice, just won't fit me (did i end my circle here? 😉).
I totally agree - its "watch geek" GADA not "true" GADA. As for the sizing - yeah, I cant sugar coat it, its a biggun and if it doesnt fit there's not a lot you can do about it.
The lug-to-lug is just too much. Shame.
Yeah - there's no real getting away from that.