They say that good things come in threes. After testing a Ball Watch among the icebergs, and taking a Zenith to Finland, we found ourselves at the 69th parallel, putting an Alpina through its paces. Destination: Lapland, in the far north of Sweden. We were on the 69th parallel north, well past the Arctic Circle (which begins at the 66th parallel). Is it that much different? Yes, absolutely. Almost 300 km further north, the sun never rises above the horizon, and temperatures remain between -15° and -30° Celsius.
To be fair, we are some way outside the comfort zone of the Alpiner which, as its name implies, is really intended for... the Alps. The risk of taking it to the frozen North is that its oils become more viscous, it loses isochronism because of thermal shock to the balance spring (50° of thermal amplitude each day, from -30° outside to +20° indoors), and that the extreme cold will make its components more brittle, leading to breakage.
Not so common knowledge
First lesson: there’s no reason why polar explorers shouldn’t wear steel bracelets, despite the received wisdom that they can freeze to the skin. They don’t, provided that your wrist remains at body temperature. In fact, once the steel has warmed up, it tends to retain heat. The Alpiner 4 with steel bracelet is thus perfectly suitable for the Far North. Alpina does not provide any option for adjusting the bracelet, and it’s not really necessary, since in polar regions the wrist doesn’t swell like it can in the tropics.
In terms of timekeeping, the results were excellent. Despite appalling treatment, including considerable jolting from sleigh rides, and brutal thermal shocks, not forgetting the airport security gates (with their X-rays, which can magnetise mechanical movements), the Alpiner 4 lost just 17 seconds in 14 days, which is 1.2 seconds per day. These results are well within the parameters for COSC certification (-4/+6 seconds per day), and this was a brand new watch that had not been adjusted at all. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this mass-produced watch is an example of perfectly regulated mechanical excellence.
Play of contrasts
In terms of design, the Alpiner 4 Chronograph is big on clarity. Readability is good. Could it be improved? Yes, if it had a more clearly contrasting dial or hands. The second model in the range (with a black dial) does provide this level of contrast. But Alpina took a different route with the model we tested, opting for a more mellow, less polarising aesthetic, with the tone-on-tone effect of polished steel against a white dial. This would be no problem at all for urban use, but in a polar environment, particularly in late December when sunlight is a distant memory, more contrast would have been welcome, as would more luminescent coating on the hands, to provide a longer period of nocturnal legibility. Nevertheless, in good light the Alpiner 4 really shines (pun intended), thanks to the faceted hands and markers, and their mirror-polished finish.
In conclusion, the watch is an excellent compromise between extreme sport and everyday use. There is nothing superfluous (no adjustable bracelet, no sapphire caseback), and the watch retains a subtle aesthetic without sacrificing virility (44 mm steel case), while the movement provides a very high level of robustness and functionality. With these qualities, Alpina is venturing well beyond its “accessible Swiss Made luxury” home turf, offering a technical piece that can hold its own alongside many far more expensive and less capable models.
