Alpina Seastrong Diver Gyre Automatic Watch Review
The Alpina Seastrong Diver Gyre Automatic exhibits a caring, more sustainable approach to making luxury goods. The Swiss watch brand has collaborated with a Dutch start-up, Gyre Watch, making timepieces housed in composite cases formed of 70% plastic waste and 30% fibreglass, with the latter material adding strength to the case’s structure.
Image: ©Eric Rossier
Luxury is the preserve of the fortunate few
Luxury is the preserve of the fortunate few. When purchasing a luxury product we demonstrate that we can already afford life’s essentials such as safe housing, food and essential clothing. In terms of luxury, nobody needs to drive a performance car, purchase a designer handbag, quaff vintage Champagne, eat caviar or wear a high-end watch with a six-figure price tag. These latter indulgences are limited to those people blessed with choices.
While luxury often represents excellence, fine materials and craftsmanship, it remains an esoteric pleasure, available to just a small percentage of the world’s population. And yet, as an industry, it consumes a disproportionate volume of natural resources.
The allure of luxury goods and services
Despite its obvious flaws, I cannot pretend that I do not love luxury goods and services. Indeed, I spend my life writing about luxury. In particular, I adore the craftsmanship and traditions associated with luxury.
Thankfully, some luxury firms are using ethically sourced gold, shunning reptile-skin watch straps and thinking of the implications of their actions on the environment. Many firms are making improvements in this regard, demonstrating there can be a kinder, more compassionate approach to commerce.
Alpina Seastrong Diver Gyre Automatic – ethical luxury
Alpina, the Swiss watch brand founded in 1833, has recently unveiled a new line of watches, the Alpina Seastrong Diver Gyre Automatic. Created in partnership with a new start-up, Gyre Watch, this model demonstrates another new ethical approach to making luxury products.
Image: ©Eric Rossier
Gyre Watch founded in 2017
Gyre Watch, founded in 2017 in the Netherlands, uses recycled ocean plastic, in the form of discarded fishing nets, to make composite watch cases. Five ocean-themed colours are available, with each version exhibiting a distinctive mien that proves very agreeable to the eye. All models also encompass Alpina’s watchmaking know-how, including the firm’s AL-525 automatic movement. The dials indicate the hours, minutes, central sweep seconds and date.
Alpina Seastrong Diver Gyre Automatic – a sustainable approach
Personally, I would be sad to see the world of luxury disappear, however, if more firms adopted Alpina’s approach, perhaps the industry could be more sustainable.
Alpina Seastrong Diver Gyre Automatic – the brand’s press release
A composite case made from fishing nets
If humanity is caught in a climatic whirlwind that is difficult to slow down, the same is true of the ocean, where between 8 and 10 million of tones of plastic waste are dumped every year. Where does it go? Mainly into ocean gyres; vast vortices formed by different sea currents and distributed across the globe. They toss our plastic waste, propelling it over huge areas and into the abyss.
Now, Alpina is harnessing the power of these gyres in a new and actively engaged range within the Seastrong collection. Its name? Seastrong Diver Gyre Automatic. For the first time in the history of the Maison, the Seastrong Diver Gyre Automatic range features a case comprised of 70% plastic debris derived from fishing nets collected in the Indian Ocean. To ensure its durability, it has been strengthened with 30% fibreglass.
This line as well as its name draw their inspiration from the encounter between Alpina and the watch journalist Bernard Werk, in the Netherlands, three years ago. Personally involved in the preservation of the oceans, he created the concept as well as the name “GYRE”, in reference to these giant circular ocean currents – and consisting in reusing the ghost fishing nets from the Indian Ocean. In order to protect an environment dear to Alpina as well as to GYRE-founders Bernard Werk and Jorrit Niels – and leave a sustainable footprint – the Seastrong Diver Gyre Automatic line is the beginning of a long- term collaboration between Gyre Watch and the Maison.
Image: ©Eric Rossier
It is also the first time that this eco-responsible blend has complied with EU REACH legislation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals). Its aim is to control the use of chemical substances in order to improve the protection of human health and the environment, while promoting a high level of innovation – objectives perfectly expressed by the new Seastrong Diver Gyre Automatic range.
A creation in ocean-inspired colours
The Seastrong Diver Gyre Automatic range now comprises five variations, including: three men’s models (44 mm) and two ladies’ models (36 mm). They share three dial finishes evoking the reflections of the sea, in blue shades, turquoise and dyed mother-of-pearl, complete with luminescent hands. The seconds hand is finished with the famous triangle from the Alpina logo, which also features as an index hour marker at 12 o’clock.
Completing the look are three two-tone NATO style straps made from recycled plastic bottles. In addition, Alpina is offering a black vegetable leather strap comprised of recycled apple waste with every men’s model.
Each model is powered by the AL-525 automatic movement featuring three hands and the date, housed in a black composite case (70% PA6, 30% fibreglass) and presenting a unidirectional bezel that recalls the nautical pedigree of the Seastrong collection. Each piece is certified water-resistant to 300 m.
A limited and committed edition
These timepieces will be made in strictly limited series of 1,883 pieces each, in reference to the year that Alpina was created. They will be presented in an exclusive and eco-friendly gift set comprising an inner box of FSC Mix paper housing a case made entirely from recycled plastic (ABS) with lining made from recycled plastic bottles (rPET). Completing this gift set will be a single leaflet (guarantee and certificate of authenticity) printed on FSC Recycled paper.
To reduce its ecological footprint further still, Alpina has also opted for a paperless user manual, accessible via a QR code. The latter will direct buyers to a dedicated site presenting the concept behind their watch and its materials, as well as the instruction and maintenance manual.
Supporting a global cause
Lastly, the Seastrong Diver Gyre Automatic range embraces an ecological manifesto: Alpina has decided to launch these five new models to support World Oceans Day (designated by the UN, on June 8th, 2020). The aim is to draw the attention of the international community to this event, which brings together all the initiatives aimed at cleaning up and protecting our oceans in a lasting way.
Founded in 1883 by a collective of leading Swiss independent watchmakers known as the ‘Alpinists’, Alpina has been intimately linked to nature, the great outdoors and responsible exploration for nearly 140 years. The Seastrong Diver Gyre Automatic range is the worthy heir to this commitment.
Supporting Surfrider Foundation Europe
For the launch of these new products, Alpina has chosen to support Surfrider Foundation Europe. Created in 1990, in France (Biarritz), by a group of surfers wishing to defend their playground, the Foundation bears the citizen mobilization for the protection of the ocean and the coast in its DNA. In total adequacy with these values of sharing and respect between humans and nature, Alpina became a partner of this international non-governmental and environmental non-profit organization, recognized for its fight led daily by nearly 2000 volunteers across 12 European countries.
Gyre Watch
Gyre Watch was founded in The Netherlands in 2017 with the aim to produce a watch made out of recycled ocean plastic. After 2,5 years they found the solution by using recycling ghost fishing nets, saved from the Indian Ocean. Local fishermen collect the fishing nets from the sea and deliver them to the recycler. For this they receive a fee, which means Gyre also contributes to the local economy. The nets are then cleaned and made into pellets for the watch case.