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Tony C.
··Ωf Jury memberWell, here's one that you don't see every day, week or year. It is an extraordinary Alpina from around 1940, featuring a multicolored Deco-style sector dial and blued steel hands. It also features a very early example of a recessed crown. The watch is in good condition overall, and is believed to be original with the exception of the crystal.
The unpolished 32mm case is, of course, small by today's standards, but as seasoned collectors know, this was a man's watch, and the size was quite typical during the era of production. I would also say that it wears a touch a larger than the raw measurement. It is steel, with a steel snap-back, but note that the bezel was made of "base metal". It was not uncommon during the wartime era to find cases made of some base metal parts, as steel was often prioritized for military purposes. The bezel is solid, and will not degrade like chrome, but it does change color after some time, and, somewhat like silver, can be polished to bring back at least some of its original color. It shows a very light gold tone currently, and contrasts nicely with the main body of the case.
Two other notes on the case: It is in very good condition, with some light scratches visible under a loupe, but no serious flaws. The recessed crown, an elegant, early example, is easy to manipulate, unlike some much later iterations of the design.
The dial, of course, is the real star of the show. Eye-catching and attractive, it does show some signs of age, but nothing particularly off-putting, to my eye. The original blued steel hands suit the dial perfectly, and are also in very good condition. I feel comfortable suggesting that it will look nicer in person than in the photos below.
The movement is a hand-wind cal. 585, which was an early version of an attractive bridge layout that Alpina used for several decades. It is working, but has not been timed, and I would certainly recommend a service for anything like regular wear.
It's never easy to price desirable vintage watches that are so rarely seen in the market, but I'll try to make it easy by erring on the reasonable side. I ask $500 shipped with tracking from my home in Portugal, PayPal fee included. For faster EMS (express) shipping, please add $50.
Feel free to ask any questions!
The unpolished 32mm case is, of course, small by today's standards, but as seasoned collectors know, this was a man's watch, and the size was quite typical during the era of production. I would also say that it wears a touch a larger than the raw measurement. It is steel, with a steel snap-back, but note that the bezel was made of "base metal". It was not uncommon during the wartime era to find cases made of some base metal parts, as steel was often prioritized for military purposes. The bezel is solid, and will not degrade like chrome, but it does change color after some time, and, somewhat like silver, can be polished to bring back at least some of its original color. It shows a very light gold tone currently, and contrasts nicely with the main body of the case.
Two other notes on the case: It is in very good condition, with some light scratches visible under a loupe, but no serious flaws. The recessed crown, an elegant, early example, is easy to manipulate, unlike some much later iterations of the design.
The dial, of course, is the real star of the show. Eye-catching and attractive, it does show some signs of age, but nothing particularly off-putting, to my eye. The original blued steel hands suit the dial perfectly, and are also in very good condition. I feel comfortable suggesting that it will look nicer in person than in the photos below.
The movement is a hand-wind cal. 585, which was an early version of an attractive bridge layout that Alpina used for several decades. It is working, but has not been timed, and I would certainly recommend a service for anything like regular wear.
It's never easy to price desirable vintage watches that are so rarely seen in the market, but I'll try to make it easy by erring on the reasonable side. I ask $500 shipped with tracking from my home in Portugal, PayPal fee included. For faster EMS (express) shipping, please add $50.
Feel free to ask any questions!
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