Alpina celebrated its 140th anniversary throughout the year 2023 and particularly made an impression with the presentation of 28 watches powered by the authentic 490 calibre from 1938. Faced with the enthusiasm generated by these restored watches offered in a silver box, the Swiss brand has chosen to offer two similar versions in its current collection.
The Alpiner Heritage Carrée Automatic 140 thus celebrates the Alpina heritage of the 1930s and pays a beautiful tribute to the Art Deco aesthetic.
Back to the future for Alpina
The Alpiner Heritage Carrée Automatic 140 Years serves as a bridge between Alpina’s illustrious past and its future, brilliantly blending watchmaking tradition and technical innovation.
Directly inspired by a 1938 model, this watch stands out for its Art Deco design, with its minimalist rectangular case, its “sector dial” timer and its Arabic numbers typical of the time. The Alpiner Heritage Carrée comes in two versions, with a black dial or (and this is the one we tested) with a beige dial.
Each variant strictly respects the aesthetics of the original limited editions, while adapting to contemporary demands. Thus, the case has been slightly enlarged, offering modern dimensions while maintaining historical proportions: 32.5 x 39 mm and only 9.7 mm thick. The choice of stainless steel and anti-reflective sapphire glass demonstrates a concern for durability and practicality, without sacrificing the timeless elegance inherent to Alpina.
Among the many nods to the past, Alpina has kept the vintage logo as well as the “railroad” timer, the dauphine hands and the small second hand. The contrast of the dial (whichever version is chosen) helps to accentuate this old-fashioned elegance… even if it lacks a bit of subtlety.
Finally, while the manual winding caliber 940 certainly does not lack charm, the brand has preferred its contemporary version, the AL-530 automatic winding caliber, with its (small) power reserve of 38 hours.
The complete features of the watch
| Case | Two-piece polished stainless steel Dimensions 32.5 x 39 mm; thickness: 9.71 mm Anti-reflective domed sapphire glass Engraved and transparent screwed back Waterproof to 30 m |
|---|---|
| Dial | Matte finish beige dial Black printed Arabic numerals and black graduation Hour and minute hands in black color Small second at 6 o’clock with black hand |
| Strap | Light brown ostrich leather strap with off-white stitching Buckle clasp |
| Movement | Automatic winding mechanical movement, caliber AL-530 Power reserve: 38 hours 28’800 alt/h, 31 jewels |
| Reference | AL-530SAC3C6 |
| Suggested retail price | 1450 euros |
In summary, our opinion on this Alpina Alpiner Heritage Carrée watch
If you don’t like vintage-inspired watches, move along! Alpina revisits here one of its flagship models from the 1930s while staying very loyal to it. The Art-Deco aesthetic is therefore very marked, especially at the level of the dial, which will undoubtedly not please everyone.
But at a time when square and rectangular cases are once again enjoying a high level of favor, this Alpiner Heritage manages to seduce us with its timeless elegance. Special mention to the strap that adorns it, made of brown ostrich leather with delicate off-white topstitching.
Priced at 1450€, this watch allows you to dive back into the heritage of Alpina, a Swiss brand with a rich history that perhaps deserves more consideration than its many counterparts!
© Photos Julien Thoraval – not free of rights