Alpina Alpiner Extreme Automatic California Dial

Alpina Alpiner Extreme Automatic California Dial Watch Review

The Alpina Alpiner Extreme Automatic California Dial is a new addition to the brand’s mountain-themed collection. Featuring a dial that combines Roman and Arabic numerals, together with a few rectangular-shaped hour markers, this latest model fuses practicality with a notable degree of style. US-based journalist, Meehna Goldsmith, no stranger to Californian delights, shares her thoughts.

Image: ©Eric Rossier

Alpina Watch Review

Tens of thousands of feet in the air, crampons grasp for purchase on the rocky face, gloves wrap around a taut fixed line, and breath comes in slow laboured puffs. The Swiss Alps are a punishing environment with temperatures ranging from −5 °C to 8 °C. In these conditions, mountain climbers need equipment that’s reliable and won’t fail, or else the results could spell disaster.

Image: ©Eric Rossier

Alpina depuis 1883

Back in 1883, Alpina was founded by a group of alpinists, who are climbers of high mountains, especially in the Alps. In fact, the brand’s red triangle logo is based on the Matterhorn mountain. Since the watches available at the time weren’t robust enough to accommodate their hobby, the group decided to build one of their own.

It was Gottlieb Hauser who took the charge. A skilled watchmaker, he founded the Swiss Watchmakers Corporation in order to purchase and develop watch components. Alpina’s first watch was in stainless steel, waterproof and engineered against shock and magnetism.

Alpina Alpiner, Startimer and Seastrong

From its founding, Alpina has remained true to its raison d’etre, making timepieces that are trusty companions for adventurers. Today, the brand divides its collection into three pillars: the Alpiner tackles the land, while the Startimer braves the skies and the Seastrong is designed for underwater exploration.

Alpina Alpiner Extreme

In 2005, Alpina expanded the Alpiner collection with the addition of the Extreme line. This was the era of big, brawny watches and the Extreme fit the bill with a prodigious 48 mm case. Hard to ignore but tough to wear if you have slim wrists. Alpina introduced the Alpiner Extreme Automatic in 2009. While the case was slimmed down to 45 mm, it was still a lot of watch. Last year, the brand redesigned the model for current tastes. The new iteration measures 41 mm by 42.5 mm, with a thickness of 11.5 mm. The new measurements still give the watch presence but with more discretion. Providing different looks, it also comes with a choice of three dial colours: black, blue and green.

Image: ©Eric Rossier

Alpina Alpiner Extreme Automatic California Dial

The Extreme gets another facelift for 2023 with the addition of a California dial, housed within its trademark cushion case and sporting the brand’s distinctive screws around the bezel. Ahhh, the California dial. Since its appearance in the 1930s, this dial design has become a perennial favourite. At the same time retro yet also timeless, the California dial layout brings together Roman and Arabic numerals: Romans are situated in the top half with Arabics below. I love the meshing of these two styles.

Other defining characteristics of the California dial include baton markings at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock to demarcate the two halves and a flipped triangle at 12 o’clock. Instead of an Arabic numeral at 6 o’clock, there’s also a baton marker to prevent any confusion of reading a 6 for a 9 or vice versa.

Not just a design choice – though it does look dashing – the California dial makes time snap into focus with little room for error. Adding to the retro look but also with a practical purpose, the Extreme Automatic California features luminous beige hands and hour markers set against the backdrop of a black, grain-textured dial. An angled chapter tracks the minutes, while the date announces itself at 3 o’clock. Alpina’s red logo acts as a counterbalance to the seconds hand.

Alpina AL-525 calibre

The Alpiner Extreme Automatic California Dial is cased in stainless steel and runs off the AL-525, a workhorse calibre with a 38-hour power reserve, which is on view through the sapphire caseback. This movement, capable of withstanding harsh conditions, is also water resistant to 200 metres. The screw-down crown located at 3 o’clock is embellished with Alpina’s logo and is enhanced with a black rubber grip for ease of manipulation. Matching the colour palette on the dial, the watch comes on a black rubber strap that suits all types of weather.

Alpina Alpiner Extreme Automatic California Dial – closing thoughts

Alpina’s new addition to the Extreme category has the bona fides for virtually any adventure you can think of, whether by air, land or sea. Even better, it looks great rocking a California dial. It’s a watch that can transition from sporty to more refined situations seamlessly.