Alpina has been a longtime favorite around here, so any update to the Startimer Pilot tends to get our attention. The brand just announced a refreshed version of the watch that originally launched in 2011, and the changes go deeper than a typical mid-life refresh. Sizing has been reduced, the dial has been reworked, and the case profile has been cleaned up in ways that should make the watch easier to live with day to day. At first glance, this looks like one of those updates the line was probably overdue for.
The Startimer has always been Alpina’s pared-back take on the pilot’s watch, leaning on oversized Arabic numerals and a 6 o’clock date for legibility. That formula traces back to the brand’s early 20th-century military pieces, and Alpina (founded in 1863) has been pretty consistent about referencing that history without overplaying it. The 2011 original sat in a 41mm case with 21mm lugs, which always felt like a slightly awkward set of numbers for a watch in this category. The new version corrects both of those quirks.
The case is now 40mm in diameter and 10.14mm thick, shaving off more than a full millimeter compared to the previous generation. Lug width drops to a more useful 20mm, which opens things up considerably for strap swapping. Beveled edges and gently curved lugs give the case a softer presence, and the bezel is smooth rather than knurled. That detail is a small change that does a lot for the overall feel, at least based on the press photos.
The dial is where the redesign earns most of its visual weight. Alpina has gone with a grained surface and tall, applied Arabic numerals filled with lume, giving the dial a more three-dimensional layout than before. The Alpina logo sits at 12 o’clock with the date aperture at 6, and the model name is picked out in red against the white “Automatic” text below. It’s a busier dial than some pilots, but the proportions look balanced rather than cluttered.
Four variations are launching: a steel case with a green dial, a steel case with a blue dial, a steel case with a black dial, and a black PVD-coated version with a black dial. The first three pair beige numerals with green-glowing lume, while the standard black dial uses white numerals that glow blue-green. Straps vary by model, including brown leather, a brown leather NATO with matching PVD hardware, and a Cordura textile strap with red stitching that pulls from the dial. The blue dial is the one I keep coming back to in the press shots. The tone looks restrained rather than loud, which is usually what makes or breaks a colored pilot dial.
Inside is the Alpina AL 525, an automatic based on the La Joux-Perret SW-200 with roughly 68 hours of power reserve and a 4 Hz beat rate. La Joux-Perret, like Alpina, is part of Citizen’s Swiss portfolio, which is worth noting for anyone tracking movement sourcing. Water resistance lands at 100 meters, and the closed caseback carries an engraved aviator motif. Pricing is set at $1,795 for the steel models and $1,895 for the PVD version.
Whether the new dial geometry actually reads as cleanly in person as it does in the press images is the open question. If it does, this could end up being the version of the Startimer the line has been waiting for.
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Michael Peñate is an American writer, photographer, and podcaster based in Seattle, Washington. His work typically focuses on the passage of time and the tools we use to connect with that very journey. From aviation to music and travel, his interests span a multitude of disciplines that often intersect with the world of watches – and the obsessive culture behind collecting them.