The must-have Macro Loupe for all watch lovers

Iconic watch art prints. Made in Switzerland, lifetime guarantee

As an aviation enthusiast, I came across this model a few years ago, and it took a great sale to finally take the plunge, but I don't regret it. It's incredibly easy to read with a very comfortable strap. The white dial contrasts perfectly with the black markers.
The date at 3 o'clock is perfectly integrated. In short, a success, a delightful purchase for just a few hundred euros.

Alpina pilot's watch

So for some time now I wanted to acquire a "real G Shock" that is a robust and durable watch with some interesting functions for sports. I am seduced. Both light and comfortable, this pretty beast has everything to please after two months of use it is perfect.

GBD H2000 1AER 

With an oversized 46mm case, Hamilton clearly pays homage to the B-HUR type pilot's watches of the Second World War, all powered by a h30 movement based on a 2836-2 with an 80-hour power reserve. This watch is one of my main ones that I wear very often. The brown leather strap is very comfortable to wear. In short, despite its imposing size, I never tire of wearing it.

H64715885

The Alpina brand was created in 1883 by Gottlieb Hauser in Winterthur, Switzerland. Originally known as the Corporation of Swiss Watchmakers, it brought together several companies in the sector (manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers) with a simple objective: to consolidate purchases and reduce costs to develop new movements. The concept met great success and the Corporation quickly developed its own calibers.
<h2 dir="ltr">History of the Alpina brand</h2>
However, it was not until 1908 that the name "Alpina" was registered by its members as a watch brand in its own right.
The brand's logo is inspired by the shape of the Matterhorn, an alpine peak that rises to an altitude of 4,478 meters. Alpina is recognized as one of the pioneers in the production of modern sports and adventure watches, particularly for activities such as mountaineering, scuba diving and skiing. Indeed, it offers a concept of accessible luxury watches for robust and quality sports watches.
The range includes models such as the<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/alpina/alpiner_extreme">Alpina Alpiner Extreme</a>, l'<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/alpina/alpiner_extreme_regulator">Alpina Alpiner Extreme Regulator</a>, l'<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/alpina/alpiner_4">Alpina Alpiner 4</a>, l'<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/alpina/seastrong_diver_300_heritage">Alpina Seastrong Diver 300 Heritage</a> and the<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/alpina/startimer_pilot_chronographe">Alpina Startimer Pilot Chronograph</a>. The Alpiner 4, launched in 1938, was the favorite watch of mountaineers, air force pilots, divers, sailors and soldiers in general.
The brand is also known for signing partnerships with many players in the mountain world, such as the partnership with the Chamonix-Mont-Blanc ski resort.
<h2 dir="ltr">How much does an Alpina watch cost?</h2>
The prices of new Alpina watches change regularly and vary depending on the model. Most cost between $ 1,000 and $ 1,500. An entry-level Alpina like an Alpina Startimer Quartz costs $ 950, while an Alpina Alpiner Heritage Carr&eacute;e 140th anniversary is offered at $ 5,400. Prices also fluctuate depending on the distributor, and promotions sometimes allow you to benefit from a more competitive price. The second-hand market is also an opportunity to look at to buy a cheaper Alpina.
<h2 dir="ltr">Alpina: A historic brand that has everything of a great</h2>
Alpina belongs to the group<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/citizen"> Citizen</a>, in the same way as brands<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/frederique_constant"> Frederique Constant</a>,<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/bulova"> Bulova</a> And<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/arnold_&amp;_son"> Arnold &amp; Son</a>, and produces around 15,000 watches per year, all models combined. To choose one that suits you best, the Dialicious owners' reviews are a valuable resource for evaluating each of the different models through real owner experience.
Check out the <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/top/the_best_swiss_watch_brands">Ranking of the best Swiss watch brands</a>, including Alpina.
(Updated March 2024)

The Alpina Startimer is a watch collection developed by Alpina, a Swiss watch brand renowned for its high-precision sports and aviation watches. The Startimer collection is particularly designed for pilots and aviation enthusiasts, offering features tailored to their needs, such as exceptional readability, precision. This watch is robust and their aesthetics are inspired by aviation, with large and clear dials, clearly visible hands and indexes, often accompanied by a luminescent coating for better visibility in low light conditions.

Alpina is a brand that values tradition and innovation, and this is reflected in the Startimer range, which combines the classic aesthetics of pilot's watches with modern technologies to meet the expectations of contemporary wearers.

The classic aesthetic of pilot's watches

I was absolutely seduced by the design of this watch: refined, with a small red accent on the hands; a good overall balance with the date at 6 o'clock that does not spoil the symmetry; a very beautiful brushed metal finish.

The watch is also quite precise and very robust in appearance. It is a little thick, but without being bulky or heavy.

I prefer to wear it on NATO or a leather strap, rather than on the original steel strap which adds to the weight and lacks micro-adjustments.

That said, it is extremely versatile and can have a sporty or dressy look depending on the strap.

I find the dial magnificent and perfectly readable.

I would have kept it permanently, if it had not been for a comfort problem, which I think reserves this watch for large wrists.

I have a wrist of about 16.5 cm, so rather thin, and this watch has never been balanced on me: on the left wrist, the crown digs into my skin, on the right wrist, the horn touches the edge of my bone which ends up becoming painful.

I will therefore fall back, with regret, on watches of smaller dimensions.

Beautiful but uncomfortable

I snapped it up on the net, but hadn't tried it before. It's beautiful with its white dial, its slightly weathered leather, its slightly coppery case... 44mm on my wrist has never been a problem, on the contrary. So I wear it from time to time, but, because there's a but... its crown is disproportionately large, and if I have the misfortune to use a computer keyboard, it gets stuck in my hand, leaving a pretty mark...

Is suffering good for you? Nevertheless, I don't hold it against me and wear it from time to time.

Apose&nbsp;est une marque horlog&egrave;re fran&ccedil;aise fond&eacute;e en&nbsp;2020 &agrave; Mulhouse (France) avec l&rsquo;ambition d&eacute;clar&eacute;e de b&acirc;tir une collection de montres fabriqu&eacute;es en France, automatique, haut de gamme, et au dessin &eacute;pur&eacute;.&nbsp;
<h3 class="p3">Histoire de la marque : mission 100 % France</h3>
N&eacute;e en pleine effervescence des micro-marques hexagonales, Apose revendique une d&eacute;marche &laquo; retour &agrave; la puret&eacute; &raquo; qui s&rsquo;oppose &agrave; la surench&egrave;re de complications et de styles criards. Le cap est clair - dessin minimaliste, composants sourc&eacute;s en France, assemblage local et partenariats tricolores (cadrans, aiguilles, bracelets et &eacute;crins&hellip;), le tout pilot&eacute; par Romain Thieriet, horloger talentueux et r&eacute;gional de l'&eacute;tape, ayant rejoit Apose d&egrave;s le d&eacute;but de l'aventure.
L&rsquo;objectif est de prouver qu&rsquo;une montre contemporaine et d&eacute;sirable peut &eacute;galement servir de vitrine au savoir-faire fran&ccedil;ais, si bien que la promesse d&rsquo;Apose tient dans l&rsquo;&eacute;quation &laquo; &eacute;l&eacute;gance fran&ccedil;aise, fiabilit&eacute; m&eacute;canique et cha&icirc;ne d&rsquo;approvisionnement localis&eacute;e &raquo;.
<h3 class="p3">Apose : design minimaliste et &eacute;l&eacute;gance subtile</h3>
L&rsquo;identit&eacute; formelle d&rsquo;Apose repose sur des volumes sobres et des contrastes ma&icirc;tris&eacute;s : carrure acier 316L aux facettes tendues, architecture de bo&icirc;tier souvent &laquo; en trois &eacute;tages &raquo;, alternance de bross&eacute;s et polis, cadrans &agrave; niveaux avec index sur&eacute;lev&eacute;s et aiguilles singuli&egrave;res. L&rsquo;ergonomie se veut universelle autour d&rsquo;un diam&egrave;tre signature de 40 mm et d&rsquo;une &eacute;paisseur contenue, avec des verres saphir trait&eacute;s antireflets et des &eacute;tanch&eacute;it&eacute;s r&eacute;alistes (jusqu&rsquo;&agrave; 10 ATM selon les r&eacute;f&eacute;rences). L&rsquo;objectif &eacute;tant de faire d&rsquo;une montre de ville, un compagnon &laquo; tous les jours &raquo; plut&ocirc;t qu&rsquo;un objet de vitrine, d&rsquo;o&ugrave; le fait que la lisibilit&eacute; et la tenue au port&eacute; priment syst&eacute;matiquement sur l&rsquo;effet de manche..
<h3 class="p3">Collections Apose : N&deg;3-100, Radial, Douz et Pur</h3>
La gamme Apose s&rsquo;articule en familles clairement diff&eacute;renci&eacute;es, dont l&rsquo;&eacute;volution illustre la mont&eacute;e en &laquo; francisation &raquo; des composants : la s&eacute;rie N&deg;3-100 (collection &agrave; composants exclusivement fran&ccedil;ais), les d&eacute;clinaisons Radial (anneau cannel&eacute; sur cadran), les collections Douz et Pur aux variantes esth&eacute;tiques plus &eacute;pur&eacute;es, chacune pens&eacute;e pour une allure chic au quotidien, plut&ocirc;t que sportive.
Les bracelets, propos&eacute;s en acier ou en cuir pleine fleur, ont &eacute;t&eacute; d&eacute;velopp&eacute;s notamment avec des chutes de cuir Longchamp sur certaines s&eacute;ries, consolidant l&rsquo;ADN d&rsquo;une montre urbaine fran&ccedil;aise qui assume ses choix de style sans recourir &agrave; des complications spectaculaires, de telle sorte que&nbsp;le choix entre les collections tient &agrave; l&rsquo;ambiance et aux styles ces cadrans.
<ul class="ul1">
<li class="li1">Apose n&deg;3-100 - S&eacute;rie limit&eacute;e &laquo; 100 % fran&ccedil;aise &raquo; : composants d&rsquo;origine hexagonale, bracelet issu de chutes de cuir Longchamp, mouvement fran&ccedil;ais Pequignet Initial (65 heures de r&eacute;serve).</li>
<li class="li1">Apose Radial - Cadran soulign&eacute; d&rsquo;un anneau cannel&eacute; anodis&eacute;, multiples coloris (Indigo, Azur, etc.), bracelet acier ou cuir et mouvement France &Eacute;bauches (44 heures de r&eacute;serve).</li>
<li class="li1">Apose Pur - La collection la plus minimaliste de Apose, mais qui en est aussi l&rsquo;essence m&ecirc;me&nbsp;: un cadran poli pour une profondeur de couleur intense. Mouvement France &Eacute;bauches (44 heures de r&eacute;serve).</li>
<li class="li1">Apose Douz - Variation plus sobre du cadran n&deg;3-100 avec mouvement France &Eacute;bauches (44 heures de r&eacute;serve).</li>
</ul>
En 2022, Apose franchit une &eacute;tape symbolique avec la&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/apose/n%C2%B03-100">Apose N&deg;3-100</a> : l&rsquo;&eacute;dition adopte le calibre fran&ccedil;ais &laquo; Initial &raquo; (65 heures de r&eacute;serve de marche, 4Hz, masse oscillante en tungst&egrave;ne) manufactur&eacute; par Pequignet, tandis que les bracelets r&eacute;alis&eacute;s &agrave; partir de chutes de cuir Longchamp viennent au service d&rsquo;un cahier des charges &laquo; 100 % France &raquo; des composants et de l&rsquo;assemblage. Cette configuration n&rsquo;a pas vocation &agrave; rendre obsol&egrave;tes les autres N&deg;3, mais &agrave; d&eacute;montrer la faisabilit&eacute; industrielle d&rsquo;un haut niveau de &laquo; Made in France &raquo; sur une montre de s&eacute;rie limit&eacute;e, c&rsquo;est-&agrave;-dire que le tour de force industriel sert d&rsquo;abord une coh&eacute;rence d&rsquo;ensemble design &agrave; la cha&icirc;ne d&rsquo;approvisionnement.
<h3 class="p3">Guide d&rsquo;achat Apose : comment choisir sa montre automatique fran&ccedil;aise ?</h3>
Pour s&eacute;lectionner votre Apose, commencez par la ligne : Apose Radial si vous aimez un cadran anim&eacute; par un anneau cannel&eacute; et des contrastes plus marqu&eacute;s, Apose N&deg;3-100 si la dimension &laquo; int&eacute;gralement fran&ccedil;aise &raquo; (y compris le mouvement Pequignet) est d&eacute;terminante, Apose Pur ou Apose Douz si vous voulez la sobri&eacute;t&eacute; maximale. Poursuivez par la couleur de cadran et la texture de bracelet (acier ou cuir faits main), puis v&eacute;rifiez le confort &agrave; 40 mm de diam&egrave;tre et l&rsquo;&eacute;paisseur au poignet. Enfin, gardez &agrave; l&rsquo;esprit que le v&eacute;ritable b&eacute;n&eacute;fice d&rsquo;une Apose r&eacute;side dans l&rsquo;&eacute;quilibre entre dessin, lisibilit&eacute; et provenance des composants.
<h3 class="p3">Conclusion</h3>
En quelques ann&eacute;es, Apose a impos&eacute; un style reconnaissable - coupe nette des volumes, cadrans architectur&eacute;s, bracelets soign&eacute;s - et une ambition rare de &laquo; francisation &raquo; int&eacute;grale de la gamme. La proposition est claire et transparente pour l&rsquo;acheteur : une montre automatique au dessin contemporain qui valorise un tissu de partenaires fran&ccedil;ais. Si vous h&eacute;sitez entre une Apose Radial ou une Apose N&deg;3-100 par exemple, pesez d&rsquo;abord votre rapport au &laquo; Made in France &raquo;, &agrave; la couleur et &agrave; la polyvalence ; et pour conforter votre d&eacute;cision par des retours concrets, fiez-vous aux avis clients Dialicious.
(Mise &agrave; jour Mars 2026)

Apose is a French watch brand founded in 2020 in Mulhouse (France) with the stated ambition of building a collection of watches made in France, automatic, high-end, and with a clean design.
<h3 dir="ltr">Brand story: 100% French mission</h3>
Born amidst the burgeoning French micro-brand scene, Apose champions a "return to purity" approach that opposes the overabundance of complications and flashy styles. The direction is clear -minimalist design, components sourced in France, local assembly and tricolor partnerships (dials, hands, bracelets and cases&hellip;), all managed by Romain Thieriet, a talented local watchmaker, who joined Apose from the beginning of the adventure.
The goal is to prove that a contemporary and desirable watch can also showcase French craftsmanship, so the promise of Apose lies in the equation "French elegance, mechanical reliability and a localized supply chain".
<h3 dir="ltr">Apose: minimalist design and subtle elegance</h3>
Apose's formal identity is based on understated volumes and controlled contrasts: a 316L steel case with taut facets, a case architecture often resembling three tiers, alternating brushed and polished finishes, and multi-level dials with raised hour markers and distinctive hands. The ergonomics are designed to be universal, centered around a signature 40mm diameter and a slim profile, with anti-reflective sapphire crystals and realistic water resistance (up to 10 ATM depending on the model). The aim is to create a dress watch, an everyday companion rather than a showpiece, hence the fact that readability and fit when worn always take precedence over the waouh effect.
<h3 dir="ltr">Apose Collections: N&deg;3-100, Radial, Douz and Pur</h3>
The Apose range is structured into clearly differentiated families, whose evolution illustrates the increasing "Frenchification" of the components: the N&deg;3-100 series (collection with exclusively French components), the Radial variations (fluted ring on dial), the Douz and Pur collections with more refined aesthetic variants, each designed for a chic everyday look, rather than a sporty one.
The bracelets, offered in steel or full-grain leather, were developed in particular using offcuts of Longchamp leather for certain series, reinforcing the DNA of a French urban watch that embraces its style choices without resorting to spectacular complications, so that the choice between the collections depends on the atmosphere and style of these dials.
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Apose n&deg;3-100 - Limited series &ldquo;100% French&rdquo;: components of French origin, strap made from Longchamp leather hides, French Pequignet Initial movement (65 hours reserve).
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Apose Radial - Dial highlighted by an anodized fluted ring, multiple colours (Indigo, Azure, etc.), steel or leather bracelet and France &Eacute;bauches movement (44 hours reserve).
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Apose Pur - Apose's most minimalist collection, yet also its very essence: a polished dial for intense color depth. France &Eacute;bauches movement (44-hour power reserve).
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Apose Douz - A more understated variation of dial N&deg;3-100 with France &Eacute;bauches movement (44 hours power reserve).
</li>
</ul>
In 2022, Apose reached a symbolic milestone with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/apose/n%C2%B03-100">Apose N&deg;3-100</a> the edition adopts the French "Initial" caliber (65-hour power reserve, 4Hz, tungsten oscillating weight) manufactured by Pequignet, while the straps, made from Longchamp leather offcuts, serve a "100% French" specification for components and assembly. This configuration is not intended to make the other No. 3 models obsolete, but to demonstrate the industrial feasibility of a high level of "Made in France" on a limited-edition watch, meaning that the this industrial feat primarily serves to ensure overall design coherence across the supply chain.
<h3 dir="ltr">Apose Buying Guide: How to choose your French automatic watch?</h3>
To select your Apose, start with the line: Apose Radial if you like a dial enlivened by a fluted ring and more pronounced contrasts, Apose N&deg;3-100 if the "fully French" aspect (including the Pequignet movement) is crucial, Apose Pur or Apose Douz if you want maximum simplicity. Next, consider the dial color and bracelet texture (handmade steel or leather), then check the comfort at 40 mm in diameter and the thickness on the wrist. Finally, keep in mind that the true benefit of an Apose lies in the balance between design, legibility, and the origin of the components.
<h3 dir="ltr">Conclusion</h3>
In just a few years, Apose has established a recognizable style- clean lines, architecturally designed dials, meticulously crafted straps - and a rare ambition to fully "Frenchify" the range. The proposition is clear and transparent for the buyer: an automatic watch with a contemporary design that showcases a network of French partners. If you are hesitating between an Apose Radial or an Apose N&deg;3-100, for example, first consider your relationship to "Made in France," to color, and to versatility.
And to reinforce your decision with concrete feedback, rely on Dialicious customer reviews.
(Updated March 2026)

Alpina Startimer Pilot Owner Review : Precise, readable and light

Alpina pilot's watch

Pros & Cons for this watch

Where to buy your Alpina?

YOU ARE :

Other reviews published by JUJU60

G-SHOCK
GBD

Hamilton
Khaki Aviation Day Date

Other Alpina Startimer Pilot owners' reviews