Alpina Pilot Automatic Startimer 44 mm Reference AL-525B4S6 Limited Edition of 8888 pieces (#2000) – Sold at a price point that belies its provenance, A Review (plus Video)

The pilot watch is a theme that I have been quietly drawn to. This time, I’ve decided to look at the Alpina Startimer series as good candidate for my collection. I did find one I like and it’s the basic three hand plus date model. The Startimer Reference AL-525B4S6 was the choice I made with a limited production run of just 8,888 examples. The particular unit I got was numbered 2,000.

I think my taste has changed. Usually I get excited with dive watches. However, as the years rolled by, I am attracted to simpler and more formal styles of watches. A pilot watch is one of the new found interests to me. I find it more flexible when it comes to usage especially within a formal event.

Alpina Watches was established 1883, making them one of the oldest brands currently in production. Founded by Gottlieb Hauser, Alpina made watches in both Switzerland and Glashütte. In 1938, Alpina introduced durable sport watches with the “Alpina 4” concept, a set of standards that includes anti-shock, waterproof, anti-magnetic and a stainless steel case. In 2002, Alpina was bought by the founders of Frederique Constant. They have several themed ranges, but the most numerous is their line of pilot watches.

AVI-8 Hawker Hurricane Automatic Pilot Watch AV-4017-02 – A Cheap Mechanical Pilot Watch, A Review (plus videos)

The Specification

UK-based AVI-8 Watches is a fashion watch stylist in my view. In a short period of time they have managed to roll out an extensive line of timepieces; a manufacturing strategy not adopted by any ‘serious’ watchmaker but you will see being done by fashion houses such as Fossil, Daniel-Wellington and others.

I don’t usually cover these brands as I find the inputs they have on their products are generally minimal. They may be the original designers, but the manufacturing process is totally contracted out to OEM manufacturers typically in China. However, I made an exception for the AVI-8 Hawker Hurricane Automatic Pilot Watch with the reference AV-4017-02 because of a few unique features.
The AVI-8 Hawker Hurricane AV-4017-02 is a mechanical timepiece with a pilot watch design. Made out of 316L stainless steel, the watch is 44 mm wide and 14 mm thick. Its lug width is 22 mm.

BALL Engineer Hydrocarbon AeroGMT Reference DG2016A-SC-BK - Well protected as a tank and a real bright spark in the dark, A Review

This is my first BALL watch. Although I know about this brand, I was introduced to it only lately by a friend of mine that have a lot of knowledge about BALL watches. From a historical perspective, BALL Watch Company is impressive. 


Brand History

BALL Watch Company SA is an American watch company based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. It was founded in 1891 by Webster Clay Ball (also known as Webb C. Ball) in Cleveland, Ohio, and is directly linked to the American railroad history.

After a tragic train collision in 1891 in Kipton, Ohio, due to timing issues, Mr. Ball was appointed by Lake Shore Lines, a train company to help revamp the railroad system, incorporating accurate timing as a cornerstone that keeps things moving without any mishap. He set up the “RR Standard” (“RR” for Rail Road) to assure a high accuracy and perfect reading to all railroad employees. He also created the BALL Time Service, an after-sale service to which every employee of the rails had to bring his watch every two weeks to make sure the accuracy and reliability of the watch was optimal. Some of the key criteria for a watch to obtain the “RR Standard” certification are as follows; no lid on the dial; size 18 or 16 (44.86mm or 43.17mm); plain white dial, bold black hands and Arabic numbers; minimum of 17 jewels; adjusted to at least 5 positions; adjusted to temperature 40 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit; and accuracy with a gain or loss of maximum 30 seconds a week, among others.

Aristo Flieger Automatic 3H114 Pilot Watch - German Construction Quality But Poor Paint Job Spoils An Otherwise Excellant Watch, A Review

The first "pilot" watch as well as my first German watch that I got was the Aristo Flieger Automatic 3H114. The design concept is similar to the vintage German flieger watch with clean dial with luminous markers and luminous sword hands.