As of late, we have seen no shortage of recycled materials showing up in watches. A majority of those have featured recycled ocean plastic in cases and straps, and a few have snuck in with some recycled metal components. Well, Alpina is upping their commitment in that area with the Alpina Seastrong Diver 300 Automatic Calanda.
Rather than just committing to using a portion of recycled steel for the case of Alpina Seastrong Diver 300 Automatic Calanda, they have instead made it out of steel that is 100% recycled. That’s the great thing about steel is how it can repurposed like that. Fittingly for a dive watch, the metal used here comes from dismantled maritime carriers. They didn’t stop there, either. The strap on the watch is made from recycled plastic, and the packaging the watch comes in is made of recycled plastic, and there are just a few sheets of paper in there (the owners manual is online). Really working to reduce that footprint.
While the recycled steel and plastic take top billing, we need to talk about the “Calanda” in the name of the watch. This was the name of literally the very first ship registered to fly under Switzerland’s flag. While the ship itself was built in 1913, it took on Swiss registry in April 1941, with Basel marked as it’s home port. It’s a clever and subtle nod back to Alpina’s home, as well as further cementing the sea-going bona fides of the watch.
Because, yes, for all the new materials, the Alpina Seastrong Diver 300 Automatic Calanda is still very much a dive watch. The AL-525 automatic movement will stay dry to a 300m WR rating (read: safe for your swims, for sure), with a beige-on-black color palette that should have enough contrast to it to be nicely legible.
Given the unique steel here, it should be no surprise that the Alpina Seastrong Diver 300 Automatic Calanda is a limited edition of 300 pieces. When they’re avaiable in July, each of those will go for $1,895, a premium of $200 – $300, depending on which other Seastrong you’re comparing it against. You can check it out directly over at alpinawatches.com
Tech Specs from Alpina
- Reference: AL-525BBG4VR6
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
- Movement
- AL-525 caliber, automatic
- 38-hour power-reserve, 26 jewels, 28’800 alt/h
- Case
- Brushed and polished recycled stainless steel 2-part case Unidirectional 60 minutes brushed stainless steel bezel
- Diameter of 42 mm
- Height of 12,66 mm
- Scratch-resistant convex sapphire crystal
- Water-resistant up to 30ATM/300m/1000ft
- Screw-in crowns and case back
- Engraved case back
- Dial
- Mat black dial with grained finishing and white markers on outer ring Applied silver color indexes filled with old radium luminous treatment
- Silver color hour and minute hands filled with old radium luminous treatment
- White second hand with red triangle
- Strap: Black and grey Recycled PET strap
- Limited edition: Limited to 300 pieces
- MSRP: $1,895
