The special thing about this Startimer Pilot Heritage Manufacture from Alpina is not so much its vintage cushion shape, but its movement...
That is because it is based on the classic 'bumper movement' used by Alpina in the 1950s. This is a movement whose oscillating weight does not rotate 360°, like a contemporary rotor, but 120°.
Now 330°
On either side of its strike is a small spring that serves to direct the mass in the opposite direction, thus promoting winding of the movement. A simple and effective idea that gradually disappeared with the advent of the 360° rotor. Now it is back in this calibre AL-709, a modern interpretation, because slightly different: the vintage version rotated at an angle of 120°, this one makes a 330° rotation. And the traditional-shaped springs used initially have been replaced by a leaf spring to give a greater rotation range.
Visible
Incidentally, the calibre AL-709 can be admired through its open underside, clearly showing the family ties to the original. In two variants, gold-plated and steel, each limited to 188 copies.
From € 2850. The gold-plated version costs a hundred euros more.
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