Introducing The Alpina Heritage Carrée Mechanical Two Limited Edition
As we have already mentioned in other articles, Alpina celebrates its 140th anniversary this year and, as is common among brands, they sometimes launch special editions that serve to mark these important historical milestones and that is exactly what Alpina has just done with its latest release, the Heritage Carrée Mechanical.
These are two exclusive editions of just 14 units each in a total of 28 pieces, whose manual Caliber 490 dates back to the distant year 1938. This means that Alpina has chosen to recover used old movements instead of including modern ones, which despite not being a current practice is not new either, as in recent times we have seen some brands opting for this procedure, we remember the example of Nivada that in December of last year did exactly the same, recovering 20 Valjoux 72 movements in a special edition.
On the outside, the new Alpina sports a rectangular stepped silver case with an Art Deco design, measuring 29.5mm by 35.7mm and 9.71mm thick, a polished finish, recessed crown, sapphire glass and an open rear case that exposes the rejuvenated Calibers.
One of the limited editions comes with a silver dial and black inscriptions, featuring a beige frame on which we can find Arabic numerals that match the rectangular small seconds positioned at 6 o’clock, and lastly two black leaf hands in the centre.
The other limited edition is exclusive to the North American market and features a monochrome black dial and gilt accents, the same Arabic numerals as the other edition and a small seconds which here appears in a circular shape.
Inside, as mentioned above, the In-house Caliber 490 with manual movement operates, reaching 28,800 Vph and offering up to 45 hours of power reserve.
Either watch is attached to a brown leather strap and can be had for €4,995.
Our Opinion
At a time when we hear about sustainability every day, these actions by brands that choose to recover old movements while saving resources are healthy and, as we have done in the past, we fully support and believe that many enthusiasts appreciate this type of initiative too.
As for the retro design of the watch, we liked it and couldn’t even say which one would be our choice if we had to opt for one, which is a good sign.
Twenty-eight seems a number too small for the market and that’s why we want to believe that in the future we can have a regular steel version that is more accessible but that will probably have to come with a new movement, what we would call “growing pains”.
Read more here.
General Specifications:
Brand: Alpina
Model: Heritage Carrée Mechanical
Reference: AL-490BA3C10 (black), AL-490SA3C10 (silver)
Dial: Black, silver
Case Material: Sterling Silver 925
Case Dimensions: 29.5 mm x 35.7 mm, 9.71 mm thickness
Crystal: Sapphire Glass
Case Back: Sapphire Glass
Water Resistance: 30 Meters
Strap: Brown leather strap
Calibre: Alpina 490
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds
Winding: Manual
Jewels: 17
Frequency: 18,000 Vph
Power Reserve: 45 Hours
Price: € 4,995
Limited Edition: Yes, 14 pieces each
