ALPINA Seastrong Diver GYRE Automatic Collection

The Alpine diver’s watch that was once adrift in the Indian Ocean! 

Here’s yet another Swiss brand that has begun switching up their use of regular watch-making materials for more environmentally friendly ones such as those that make use of recycled ocean plastics. Saving the oceans by reusing discarded fishing nets for watch straps so that some poor turtle or dolphin doesn’t get entangled and end up dying an unimaginable death is at least a step in the right direction, right?

Sure it might well be that popular bandwagon that the Swiss watch industry among others are all too keen to jump on but it’s a worthy one, albeit only one component in the bigger picture that is ocean conservation – 

which itself is perhaps one of if not the most critical issues facing us, today along with the Pandemic, the rise of China as superpower, climate change, and all this woke cancel culture.

Yes, there is much scarier sh!t going on in the World right now besides ocean plastics but seeing as this is where we are we should at least see what Alpina has been up to with their new Sea Strong Gyre Automatic collection. 

I should add that while this new collection, strategically launched on this year’s World’s Ocean Day (June 9th) is new for 2021, Alpina are no stranger to such good practices as they were among the earliest adopters of recycled ocean plastics for use in watchmaking.

Alpina’s new Seastrong Diver Gyre Automatic collection includes models for both ladies and gents which are advertised as being eco-responsible with their use of environmentally friendly materials for the watch case, the strap as well as their packaging. 

Alpina debuted their Seastrong Diver GYRE in 2020 - Gyre watch was founded in 2017 with the aim to make an entire watch out of recycled ocean plastic. Ulysse Nardin also made such a watch HERE it is - it's a pretty expensive. 

The name Gyre derives from giant “gyrating” ocean currents as well as the word for ghost that is why ocean plastics from the Indian Ocean are known locally as “ghost” plastics – 

regional fishermen are paid to collect and deliver them to recycling plants where they are cleaned and made into the plastic pellets which are used to fabricate the collection’s watch cases.

The watch’s mid-case is composed of 70% plastic debris from ghost fishing nets collected in the Indian Ocean with 30% fiberglass, which results in an ultra-resistant and lightweight product. 

Alpina has developed an eco-responsible black, and blue NATO-style strap made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. 

And for the gent’s model, a second black strap made from cow-friendly apple leather, yes, good old fashioned vegie derived leather that Greta would surely approve of.

In addition to the watches themselves, all models of the Gyre collection come in eco-boxes along with eco-manuals; upon opening the box, you’ll discover a single FSC Recycled paper on which is printed the guarantee and certificate of authenticity along with a QR code printed on the box’s lining to access online instructions. Btw even the lining of the box is made from recycled plastic bottles (rPET). The two new Limited Editions, 44mm for gents and 36mm for ladies have been painted with Alpina’s unique blue color palette. The varying blue tones are inspired by the contrast between the inky depths and the azure shallows.

The watches come with screw-down crowns, and Stainless steel with blue PVD unidirectional 60-minute graduated diver’s bezel. 

Both models are water-resistant to 300 meters. The black dial features a turquoise minute track with silver luminescent markers for increased readability in low light.

The black markers on the blue bezel are also luminescent allowing you to keep track of dive-time. Meanwhile the NATO strap echoes the ocean waters with its black central band and a turquoise edge. Even the famous Alpina red triangle is in this instance is realized in turquoise. Both models are equipped with the AL-525 caliber, offering 38 hours of power-reserve and exclusively limited to 288 pieces. MSRPS for both models in the EU is as follows: ladies 1’295euro / men’s 1’395euro. Thoughts? I think I’ve said more than enough with my slight digression, above but I should add that I absolutely love the colors used, but what do you think? Are Alpina watches any more appealing, do you like these offerings?