The horological migratory season has begun!
The Alpiner Extreme Automatic outdoor watch, inspired by the Alps, has temporarily departed its native Switzerland for a winter getaway, boasting a California dial for the very first time in its history. Trademarked in 1941, this unique dial design seamlessly blends Arabic and Roman numerals, dashes, and triangles, ensuring time can be read accurately from any angle. Alpina has further enhanced readability by incorporating vintage luminous beige hands and hour markers against a black dial, all housed within the collection’s imposing and iconic steel cushion case. The 41×42.5mm Alpiner Extreme Automatic California Dial is elegantly paired with a rubber strap and powered by the reliable AL-525 calibre.
The history of watchmaking is rich with ingenious innovations, and Alpina has made significant contributions, notably by establishing the fundamental principles of sports watches nearly a century ago. These principles included creating timepieces that were non-magnetic, waterproof, rustproof, and impact-resistant, which continue to define most of their models today, including the Alpiner Extreme. Additionally, a stylistic development from the inter-war years has also sparked enthusiasm among collectors: the California dial.
A Fascinating Chapter in Watchmaking History:
As wristwatches gained popularity and started serving more functional purposes, especially for pilots and divers, there arose a need for a dial that would eliminate errors when interpreting its indications. This necessity was magnified by the fact that dials of that era featured both Arabic and Roman numerals, with no standardized way of writing Roman numerals. For instance, the number 4 could be represented as IIII or IV; the number 8 as VIII or IIX, and sometimes the number 12 was entirely omitted, often replaced by a brand logo. Moreover, the number 6 could be misinterpreted as 9 when read upside down, a potentially life-threatening error for aviators and divers.
The California dial was ingeniously conceived to address this issue. From the 1940s to the 1980s, it primarily appeared on tool watches before evolving into a style trend in its own right. Its name, “California dial,” emerged in the 1980s when collectors showed great interest in these models, many of which were found in the U.S. state of California.
Today, Alpina’s Alpiner Extreme stays true to the original essence of the California dial, born in the rugged terrain of the Alps, designed by mountaineers, and now embraced by outdoor enthusiasts worldwide.
Flawless Readability:
The watch’s new dial is virtually foolproof to misread. Arabic numerals are employed for 8 and 4, while a dash accurately represents the number 6, eliminating any chance of it being mistaken for a 9. The 3 and 9 hour markers are also dashes, strategically placed between two complete figures, one Arabic and one Roman, ensuring they are read accurately.
Discerning enthusiasts will notice a delightful coincidence as well: the 12 on California dials is depicted by a triangle, coincidentally echoing Alpina’s logo, a red triangle symbolizing the Alpine summits. In fact, one such triangle serves as the counterweight on the seconds hand, as is customary, and another is positioned just above the brand name. To enhance readability further, Alpina has combined vintage luminous beige hands and hour markers against a black dial, with a date window completing the look at 3 o’clock.
For more information, please visit AlpinaWatches.com.
