Solar watches usually advertise their photovoltaic hardware. The Alpina Extreme Solarmetre does the opposite, hiding its cells beneath a dial designed to read like a conventional Swiss sports watch.
The 37.5mm stainless steel case houses the AL-140 solar quartz caliber, developed with La Joux-Perret. Any light source recharges it; Alpina says one minute of exposure provides roughly a day of operation, while a full charge can keep the watch running for up to 10 months in complete darkness. A translucent dial lets light reach the photovoltaic cells without exposing them visually.
The squared-off Alpiner Extreme case measures 37.5 by 38.9mm and is protected by anti-reflective sapphire crystal with 100 meters of water resistance. Five dial colors span burgundy, mint green, light blue, navy, and frosted white, paired with either textured rubber or a steel bracelet.
For Alpina, founded in 1883 and now part of Citizen Group, the technology is a notable change of pace. The brand has historically centered mechanical sport and aviation watches such as the Startimer Pilot; Solarmetre brings low-maintenance quartz into that outdoors-oriented design language without making the dial look like a solar panel.
U.S. pricing starts at $1,095 on rubber. Bracelet models are priced at $1,295 and are available now through Alpina.
