NSOW 4-19: ALPINA STARTIMER PILOT AUTO REVIEW

Note: this is barely a blog post. Actually these are my notes for a youtube video I've done reviewing this watch. See it at here.

ALPINA STARTIMER PILOT AUTO.  REF AL-525G4TS6

PILOT WATCH AND DAILY WEAR/ONE WATCH
ENTRY LEVEL SWISS

Roles
PILOT:

• SUPREME LEGIBILITY - ACCURATE AT A GLANCE

EVERDAY:

• WEARABILITY/A LITTLE CLASS/A LITTLE FLARE/A LITTLE TOUGH

Design
PILOT.  NAILS IT.

• BIG FLAT DIAL AND CRYSTAL,
• HUGE HIGH CONTRAST MARKERS, CLEAR MINUTE TRACK
• FURTHER EMPHASISED WITH POLISHED BOUNDARIES AND 3D EFFECT OF APPLIED MARKERS.
• LONG, HIGHLY VISIBLE BUT ALSO THIN HANDS.
• HUGE, EASY TO USE CROWN

EVERDAY: ALMOST PERFECT - TOO BIG?

• WEARABILITY: 44MM/52MM/10MM. IMPOSING LOOK - BUT (LIKE MANY ALPINAS) SURPRISINGLY WEARABLE. THIN.
• LOW SET AND AGGRESSIVE CURVED LUGS HELP BUT IN THE END ITS BIG AND MIGHT NOT FIT.

• A LITTLE CLASS. DEEP BLUE/GREY DIAL - SIMPLE FONTS - EXCELLENT DATE INTEGRATION - COHERENT AND PROPORTIONATE CASE - SUBTLE CASE SHAPING AND FINISHING CLEARLY ELEVATE FROM THE COCKPIT.
• LESS PRINT ON DIAL WOULD BE GOOD THOUGH.
• NICE CASEBACK BUT DISPLAY MIGHT HAVE WORKED BETTER.
• 21MM LUG SPACING NOT IDEAL.
• A LITTLE FLARE. ALL GOOD. SILVERING OF NUMERALS AND INDICES - HINTS OF COLOUR IN ALPINA INSIGNIA - TOUCHES OF POLISH AND SLIGHT BEVELLING.
• A LITTLE TOUGH. BANG ON. 316L STEEL CONSTRUCTION, SAPPHIRE CRYSTAL, SCREW DOWN CASE BACK AND CROWN GIVING 100M WATER RESISTANCE. NOT TOO SOFT - NOT TOO HARD - JUST RIGHT.

EXECUTION
MOVEMENT: AL525/SW 200 PERFECT CHOICE.
BAND: SIMPLE BLACK SUEDE BAND WHITE STITCHING.

• NICE - I PREFER NATOS. 

BUILD: CANT FAULT IT.

• EVERYTHING CLEAN/NEAT/ALIGNED.
• CROWN SCREW FEELS A LITTLE ROUGH
• WOULD HAVE LOVED DRILLED LUGS

MARKETPLACE
PRICE:

• MSRP:   1050USD
• LIKELY:  650USD (LOW AS 500)

ALTERNATIVES:

• OBVIOUS: ORIS BIG CROWN PRO PILOT (1700/1200): BETTER NAME, SIMPLER, MORE TOOLY, SMALLER at 41MM, TWICE THE PRICE
• NOT SO OBVIOUS: 
• FORTIS. SPACEMATIC/COCKPIT/FLIEGER - Lots of options, best alternatives.
• LACO/STOWA - More flieger, less versatile, more expensive
• HAMILTON KHAKI PILOT - More flieger, less versatile, less dressy
• SINN 556 - 1100USD - More tooly less piloty, far more expensive

TAKE AWAY

ROLE SATISFACTION:

• FOR ME - BIG GUY WITH 19CM WRIST - THE ALPINA IS A BRILLIANT BLEND OF ITS TWO ROLES.  CLEARLY A PILOT WATCH BUT WITH LOTS OF LITTLE TWEEKS TO LIFT IT OUT OF THE FLIEGER CROWD AND GIVE IT REAL EVERYDAY ONE WATCH VERSATILITY.
• WELL EXECUTED AND LIKELY TO LAST A LIFETIME AND BE EASY TO SERVICE OVER THE JOURNEY.
• ONLY REAL CONCERN IS SIZE.

COMPETITORS:

• STACKS UP REALLY WELL - COMPETITIVE ON DESIGN/EXECUTION/PRICE/ WITH EVERYTHING ELSE IN THIS SEGMENT. SERIOUS VALUE PROPOSITION