Alpina Debuts Startimer Pilot Heritage Limited Edition

With an aviation history spanning back decades and covering everything from air force issued timepieces to partnerships with air racing, Alpina is no stranger to the pilot watch field. Its latest release, the limited edition Alpina Startimer Pilot Heritage, helps to celebrate that long legacy with a vintage inspired reimagining of a classic early 20th century pilot watch design. The 44mm stainless steel case is a throwback to the early days of oversized pilot watch cases, with a sloping smooth bezel, tapering lugs, and rounded case sides. The oversized crown at 3 o’clock is another classic pilot hallmark, but the small polished pusher at 4 o’clock is a less common element. While a first glance might suggest a quickset hour hand or a date corrector, this undersized button actually releases the hunter style caseback, revealing the sapphire display window underneath. It’s a playful throwback to the early days of wristwatches, and while less common than a simple display caseback today should make for a fun conversation piece. The dial is a rounder, more flashy take on the Type B flieger dial formula, with polished applied Arabic numerals supplemented by surprisingly delicate leaf hands and an old school applied Alpina script emblem. The lume treatment throughout is a light khaki, combining with the warm matte black dial to add a coating of patina to the look. Underneath the hunter caseback beats the Sellita SW200 based AL-525 automatic movement. Topped with an unorthodox black rotor, this movement provides a middling 38 hour power reserve at a 28,800 bph beat rate. Alpina completes the look with a warm russet leather strap featuring khaki accent stitching. Only 1,883 examples of the limited edition Alpina Startimer Pilot Heritage will be made, available now through authorized dealers at an MSRP of $1,295. As an added bonus, $100 of each purchase will be used to support the National Park Foundation, helping to preserve America’s parkland for future generations. For more details, please visit the brand’s website.

Casio Unveils G-Shock Clear Camo Series

Over the years, the familiar shapes of the Casio G-Shock 5600, DW6900, and GA110 have become canvases for the brand’s designers to experiment with new materials and patterns, and for its latest series of new releases Casio has taken the line in a stealthy new direction. The new Casio G-Shock Clear Camo Series brings a touch of the look of the G-Shock GMW-B5000CM released earlier this year to a dramatically more affordable price bracket, while expanding to other popular G-Shock designs. The cases (measuring in at 43.2mm in diameter for the GM5600SCM-1, 49.7mm for the GM6900SCM-1, and 48.8mm for the GM110SCM-1A, all featuring 200 meters of water resistance) feature forged metal bezels and are finished with a laser etched camouflage pattern, resulting in a ghostly, semi-transparent look on the metal surface. These new laser etched case designs are paired with translucent resin straps, also finished with a dot matrix camouflage pattern, to further add to the effect. The pattern also extends to the dials of the GM5600SCM-1 and the GM6900SCM-1, with a printed gray camouflage pattern surrounding the digital subdials. For the GM110SCM-1A, the dial instead sports a monochrome silver metallic look. In terms of form and functionality, all three models are near identical to their predecessors, with the exception of EL backlights for improved low light visibility on all three models, along with new magnetic resistant technology for the GM110SCM-1A. All three models will be available later in October through authorized dealers, with MSRP for the GM5600SCM-1 and GM6900SCM-1 set at $210, while the GM110SCM-1A will be priced at $230. For more details, please visit the brand’s website.

Bulova Announces Precisionist X Series

2020 marks the tenth anniversary of the Bulova Precisionist line, and to celebrate the brand has unveiled a trio of special iterations of its high accuracy quartz chronograph series. These include the stainless steel and gold two tone Bulova Precisionist X Limited Edition, along with two Bulova Precisionist X Special Edition models featuring Damascus steel bezels. All three models share the same 45mm by 47mm case architecture, with an angular, integrated shape that punches well above its weight visually. This wide, angular case features a wide variety of brushed and polished facets, while each variant takes on its own character through the use of different materials. For the Precisionist X Limited Edition, the mix of brushed and polished stainless steel surfaces is topped by a futuristic, anglular bezel secured by four hex screws and rendered in 18k yellow gold. The two Precisionist X Special Edition models instead feature bezels in dramatic, striated Damascus steel, with one model going in a decidedly more aggressive, sporty direction with a black ion plated stainless steel case, while the other takes on a modern masculine look with a rose gold ion plated case. All three variants share the same futuristic semi skeleton dial layout, with an unorthodox cutout showing off the date wheel and not much else. The four subdial arrangement is unorthodox as well, but intriguingly done, with the hexagonal subdial at 12 o’clock and the retrograde subdial at 6 o’clock becoming natural focal points. These subdials are also a clue to the Precisionist X series’ party piece – a 1/1000 second analog quartz chronograph movement. Ultra high frequency quartz chronographs are nothing new, but the blinding speed of these hands in motion still presents a spectacle to wearers. Each one of the Precisionist X series is finished with its own strap option. The two tone Precisionist X Limited Edition is paired with a tapering black alligator leather strap that flows directly into the lines of the case, while the black ion plated Precisionist X Special Edition receives a distressed leather strap in distressed moss green for a more rugged look. The rose gold ion plated Precisionist X Special Edition opts for cocoa brown nubuck instead, complementing the warm tones of the case. The Bulova Precisionist X series points a bold, more upscale way forward for the line as it enters its second decade. While the Bulova Precisionist X Limited Edition is limited to only 100 units, all models in the Bulova Precisionist X series are available now through authorized dealers. MSRP for the Bulova Precisionist X Limited Edition stands at $3,950, while both Bulova Precisionist X Special Edition models retail for $1,295. For more details, please visit the brand’s website.