The Alpina Heritage Carrée Mechanical 140 Years is a retro throwback loaded with Art Deco charm
Fergus Nash- Alpina celebrate their 140th anniversary this year.
- The Alpina Heritage Carrée Mechanical 140 Years is powered by a Calibre 490 from 1938.
- 28 of the Calibre 490s were restored for two limited editions of 14 pieces each.
A trend that has been swirling in the background of watchmaking for a number of years is starting to creep further forward, and that’s the use of new-old-stock movements in vintage-inspired watches. Although the movements generally go through a process of restoration and servicing, this isn’t too difficult to do with a wealth of stock such as the popular Valjoux 7750 and even the Landeron 47. The Swiss brand Alpina are celebrating their 140th anniversary this year, and have unearthed 28 of their historic Calibre 490 movements from 1938. Split into two variations of 14-piece limited editions, the Alpina Heritage Carrée Mechanical 140 Years is a stunning callback to the 1930s.
Alpina don’t get mentioned very often in the shadows of other Swiss giants, however their historical catalogue is quite expansive. The Calibre 490 is a fantastic example of where watchmaking was in 1938, with few bells or whistles but a commitment to quality and performance. The rectangular shape was much more common in the 1930s thanks to the Art Deco movement’s faithfulness to rigid symmetry, and the idea of dust protection which Alpina integrated into the crown was still a revolutionary one. The 1930s witnessed a steep decline of the Swiss watchmaking economy due to an over-saturation of parts manufacturers capitalising on the boom of WWI, but Alpina’s Union Horlogère was a rare example of an entirely in-house manufacture that ensured their quality. The hand-wound Calibre 490 operates at a simple 18,000vph or 2Hz, affording it a power reserve of 42 hours despite the small package.
Housing the Calibre 490 is the Alpina Heritage Cerrée Mechanical 140 Years, where Alpina have decided to create a vintage-inspired watch rather than a strict reissue. The case design is typical of its era, with bold ridges and stepped flanges that absolutely scream Art Deco. The crown is recessed for a bit of extra protection, and the dimensions certainly evoke the smaller sizes of old without looking too petite for modern tastes. The width is 29.5mm and the length is 35.7mm, but rectangular silhouettes always look bigger than circular watches of the same measurements. The all-polished finishing really brings out the lustre of the white metal, which in this case is made of silver rather than stainless steel.
The dial of the Alpina Heritage Carrée Mechanical 140 Years is simple but classy, sectoring the minute and hour markers off at the dial borders with Arabic numerals on the inside. Leaf hands add a bit of curvaceous charm to break up the rigidity of the other elements, as does the small seconds subdial replacing the 6 o’clock numeral. The black dial version sticks to a gilt theme which always gives a sophisticated impression, and the silver dial version (not available in the US) alternates between grey and cream in rectangle sections with a matching subdial.
The Alpina Heritage Carrée Mechanical 140 Years pricing and availability:
The Alpina Heritage Carrée Mechanical 140 Years is limited to 14 pieces in each colour, with only the black version available in the United States. Price: US$5,395
| Brand | Alpina |
| Model | Heritage Carrée Mechanical 140 Years |
| Case Dimensions | 29.5mm x 35.7mm x 9.7mm |
| Case Material | Silver |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Dial | Black or silver |
| Strap | Light brown Ostrich |
| Movement | Calibre 490 from 1938 |
| Power Reserve | 42 hours |
| Availability | Limited to 14 pieces per colour |
| Price | US$5,395 |