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Introducing: Alpina Catches Rays And Light With New Startimer Pilot Solarmetre And Alpiner Extreme Solarmetre X Route Du Rhum
What We Know Alpina, the value-driven, adventure and outdoor Swiss watch brand, is chasing the sun (and artificial light) with some of its new releases. The brand is now, across more models, utilizing solar quartz movements manufactured by La Joux-Perret, the Swiss movement maker majority-owned by Japan's Citizen Group, which also controls Frederique Constant and Alpina. Solarmetre quartz movements are now available in both the updated Startimer Pilot and Alpiner Extreme models. Solar quartz is a natural fit for Alpina, bringing more reliability, accuracy, convenience, thinness, and value to its lineup. Both Solarmetre quartz models are priced at $1,495, offering an aggressively priced entry point into the brand with a movement also found in LVMH-owned watch brands, including TAG Heuer. The AL-140 caliber, solar quartz by La Joux-Perret, runs for up to 10 months in total darkness after a full charge, boosting the grab-and-go appeal. The shift to solar quartz (both model lines remain available in mechanical automatic versions as well) makes these pieces more practical while shaving millimeters from the case measurements and significant dollars from the price. Let's start with the solar Pilot Startimer. The new look for the pilot watch model was unveiled at Watches and Wonders this year, and now, amid the slew of releases for Geneva Watch Days, Alpina is giving us the Startimer Pilot Solarmetre. Available in three versions: two steel-cased models and one in sand-colo...
