Of all the many things that 2020 has had contained within it, one thing I absolutely was not expecting to see was a surge in products being made from plastics being salvaged from the ocean. One of the latest happens to be the Alpina Seastong Gyre.
While the Alpina Seastrong collection has a few variations within it, they do look mostly the similar. While some feature quartz movements (such as the one we reviewed here), the Alpina Seastong Gyre has an automatic (the AL-525 to be precise). That fact is interesting, of course, but the real star fo the show here is the material used for the case.
As mentioned at the outset, the Alpina Seastong Gyre relies on plastic caught in the gyres in the ocean. Rather than being a pure plastic case, it’s 70% plastic, with the other 30% being made up of glass fibers, which bring necessary strength to the material. I think this should make for an interesting feel on the wrist, as well as providing a lighter weight on the wrist. And, of course, helping pull garbage out of the ocean.
Interestingly, while Alpina launched the Alpina Seastong Gyre on World Ocean Day (June 8) and have partnered up with the Gyre Foundation, there is no mention if any part of the proceeds from these watches is actually going to ocean conservation efforts (such as with this watch), which is an startling miss.
Charity efforts aside, Alpina has put together a very interesting color palette for these watches. There are a total of five versions (3 in the 44mm case, 2 in 36mm), mostly differentiated between the different straps in the mix (also made of plastic) and either a grey or a blue dial. With the 5 versions, 1883 pieces will be made (the year Alpina started up), and they all run for $1,395. alpinawatches.com
Tech Specs from Alpina
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
- Movement:
- AL-525 caliber, automatic
- 26 jewels, 38-hour power reserve, 28,800 alt/h
- Case?????????????????????????????????????
- 2-parts case made with recycled PA 6 (70%) and glass fibre (30%)
- 60 min unidirectional stainless steel with black PVD bezel and black color luminous markers
- Mens: Diameter of 44 mm, thickness of 12,15 mm
- LadieS: Diameter of 36mm, thickness of 11.75mm
- Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal
- Water-resistant up to 30 ATM/300m/1000ft
- Engraved case-back
- Screw-in crown
- Dial
- Smoked blue dial, applied silver indexes with white luminous treatment
- Date window at 3 o?clock
- Silver color hours and minutes hands with white luminous treatment, white color seconds hand with light blue triangle at the base
- Strap
- Two-tone blue NATO strap made from rPET (recycled plastic bottles)
- One extra strap made of apple leather is coming with the watch and is protected by a pouch made from rPET.
- Limited Edition: 1883 pieces (of each variant)
- Giftbox?: Made from recycled plastic, FSC certified paper and rPET fabric
- Price: 1395? / $1395
