Alpina Introduces an Environmentally Friendly Diver Made From Recycled Plastic

One of the most welcome watch trends in recent years has been the wide adoption of green initiatives among brands. We’ve seen this manifested in all sorts of ways, at virtually every price point. Many brands, for example, partner with organizations that promote environmental causes. Others have made efforts to reduce wasteful packaging, and produce watches from recycled components. Today, we’ll look at a watch from Alpina that’s doing all three.

Alpina Seastrong Diver Gyre Automatic

• Case Material: Recycled plastic/fiberglass composite
• Dial: Blue
• Dimensions: 44mm
• Crystal: Sapphire        
• Water Resistance: 300 meters 
• Crown: Screw down                     
• Movement: AL-525 
• Strap/bracelet: Fabric made from recycled plastic bottles
• Price: $1,395
• Reference Number: n/a
• Expected Release: Available now 

The Gyre is a new dive watch from the Swiss brand that specializes in tough sports watches with mostly classic and vintage inspired looks. The Gyre, part of the brand’s Seastrong line, is something altogether different in the way that it looks unapologetically forward. The major technical innovation here is that the case has been made from recycled material: 70% of the Gyre’s case has been fabricated from plastic debris derived from fishing nets collected in the Indian Ocean. The remaining 30% of the case consists of fiberglass, which adds strength and rigidity to the timepiece, making it just as suitable for diving as a watch made from traditional materials. 

In a move that perhaps underscores Alpina’s commitment to the cause, the Gyre is available in two sizes, with a smaller 36mm case marketed directly to women, including a variant with a dyed mother-of-pearl dial. The other 36mm variant is a shade of blue that’s also available in the larger 44mm version of the watch, and would be completely appropriate for anyone who simply prefers a smaller cased dive watch. Regardless of your size preference, however, you’ll have to be OK with a blue dial to some degree – the dials used here are all inspired by the blue shades of the ocean. 

Alpina is also making use of eco-friendly packaging with the Gyre. The gift box has a minimal design and has been made from recycled paper and plastic, and rather than a traditional physical instruction manual, all documentation for the Gyre is accessed through a QR code. Alpina has also timed the release of the watch to coincide with World Oceans Day, and has announced that they are officially partnering with Gyre Watch, a start-up responsible for sourcing the recycled material used in this edition. 

The Seastrong Gyre (in a total of 5 variants) is available now. The 44mm watches (as well as the mother-of-pearl variant) have a suggested retail price of $1,395. The 36mm variant with a smoked blue dial will sell for $1,295. Alpina