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The Alpina Alpiner 4 GMT Business Timer is a 2016 GMT watch built to show local time and home time together. Its key feature is a local-hour hand that jumps in one-hour steps without changing the 24-hour hand used to track home time. The model was reported with black or silver dials, a 44 mm steel case and 100 m water resistance.
How the Alpiner 4 GMT Business Timer displays two time zones
The watch pairs two different time displays. The ordinary hour hand shows local time and can be adjusted independently in one-hour increments. A separate 24-hour hand continues to indicate home time, read against the 24-hour scale. That arrangement lets a wearer change local time while travelling without resetting the home-time display, according to WatchTime’s 2016 launch report.
The red-and-blue scale is part of the Business Timer concept: its colors were intended to make it easier to judge whether home time falls within typical business hours. It is a visual aid, not a calendar or schedule tool; it does not account automatically for daylight-saving changes, local business customs or an individual’s working hours.
Movement and timekeeping
The model uses Alpina’s AL-550 automatic GMT movement. Alpina’s current caliber overview groups AL-550 and AL-555 in its “AUTOMATIC GMT 24H” category for mechanical calibers with in-house modules. That categorization supports describing the movement as an automatic GMT caliber with an in-house module; it does not establish that every component of the complete movement is made in-house. See Alpina’s caliber overview.
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#1 Best Overall
- The Alpiner 4 Automatic sport watch features the AL-525 automatic movement, and is anti-magnetic, anti-shock, and water-resistant to 100M. Brushed and polished stainless steel 2-part 40mm case, with a scratch resistant convex sapphire crystal and an engraved case back.
- Blue dial with sunray finishing and horizontal line pattern. Blue outer ring with white graduations, applied silver color indexes, and hour and minute hands filled with white luminous treatment.
- Silver color second hand with red triangle.
- Date window at 3 o'clock.
- Comes on a brushed and polished 3 link stainless steel bracelet with folding buckle.
2016 specifications
| Specification | Reported detail |
|---|---|
| Case | 44 mm stainless steel, according to WatchTime’s 2016 launch report. |
| Bezel | Bidirectional turning bezel, according to WatchTime’s 2016 launch report. |
| Water resistance | 100 m, as published at launch by WatchTime in 2016. |
| Protection standards | WatchTime’s 2016 report cites ISO 764 anti-magnetic and ISO 1413 anti-shock certifications. It also describes the ISO 764 magnetic-field resistance criterion as 4,800 A/m. |
| Dial and strap options | Black and silver dials were reported; the lighter dial was paired with a brown leather strap and the darker dial with a black leather strap. |
| Original price | $1,995 at launch, as reported by WatchTime in 2016; this is a historical launch price, not a current retail price or valuation. |
These are published model specifications, not a test of any individual watch. In particular, a used example’s present water resistance depends on its seals, condition and service history; the original 100 m rating alone cannot establish that it is safe to immerse now.
Compass use and practical limits
The Alpina manual describes using the 24-hour hand as part of a compass-orientation method. Treat this only as an approximate aid and follow the relevant instructions in the Alpina manual, which is hosted by a third party. A watch compass method is not a substitute for a dedicated navigation instrument.
Rank #2
- The Alpiner Extreme Regulator Automatic is the perfect rugged sport watch
- Offset Hours, Central Minutes, Small Seconds
- Silver-Tone Stainless Steel 41mm Case
- Anti-Reflective Sapphire Crystal
- 200M Water Resistant and Limited Warranty
Availability and what to verify before buying
The available launch reporting identifies the Business Timer as a 2016 addition to Alpina’s Alpiner 4 family. Alpina’s current US website provides brand, collection and store-service information, but does not establish that this older model remains in production or is in stock. No verified current price or exact mapping of references to dial variants is established here. The historical $1,995 figure should not be used as a guide to today’s asking prices.
For a pre-owned example, confirm the specific watch rather than relying on a generic model description:
Rank #3
- The Alpiner Extreme Automatic Regulator is the perfect rugged sport watch. Separate display of the hours, minutes and seconds, set inside a heavy-duty 41 x 42.5mm case with see-through back, and able to withstand extreme conditions.
- Black dial with triangle pattern, black outer ring with silver tone markers. Black hour counter at 10 o'clock, hand-polished silver color hour and minute hands.
- Black second counter at 6 o'clock.
- Silver color second hand.
- Set on a black rubber strap, this timepiece is water resistant up to 200M.
- Check the reference and dial variant against the watch’s paperwork and the seller’s photographs.
- Confirm which strap is included, along with the box, papers and other listed accessories.
- Ask about service history and whether water resistance has been tested recently; do not infer current water resistance from the launch specification.
- Assess case and bezel condition, and verify the asking price against the exact watch’s condition and completeness.
Alpina’s official US website is useful for current brand information, but its presence does not confirm availability of this discontinued-or-otherwise-unverified older model.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Built for total freedom, the Alpiner Extreme Solarmetre is the first solar-powered watch from Alpina
- Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Date
- Silver-Tone Stainless Steel 37.5mm Case
- Anti-Reflective Sapphire Crystal
- 100M Water Resistant and Limited Warranty
Rank #4
- The Alpiner 4 Automatic sport watch features the AL-525 automatic movement and is anti-magnetic, anti-shock
- Brushed and polished stainless steel 40mm case and brown calf leather strap with off white stitching and red lining
- Pin buckle
- Scratch resistant convex sapphire crystal and engraved case back
- 100M Water Resistant and 2 Year Limited Warranty
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
