he 2022 edition of the Seastrong Diver 300 Heritage embodies everything Alpina stands for: an athletic feel powered by state-of-the-art technology and vintage undertones in step with its heritage, inspired by the 10 Seastrong, the brand’s very first Super Compressor. This new watch stars something of a first for the Maison, too: a green face paired with an original green rubber strap. Thanks to its two screw-down crowns – one to set the time, the other to programme its mobile rehaut – the latest addition to the family stands out as the ultimate automatic dive watch, measuring 42 mm across and water-resistant up to 300 metres.

Diving watches are a relatively recent chapter in the history of watchmaking, and Alpina has been making waves in the field from the very start. Now one of the Maison’s most iconic timepieces, the Super Compressor 10 Seastrong divers watch was first introduced in 1969. Water-resistant up to 200 metres, it was anti-magnetic and featured Super Compressor trademark casing: two crowns, one of which controls the internal rotating bezel, used to measure the passing of time on a scale of one to 60 minutes.

It’s safe to say that the design has withstood the ebbs and flows of trends and fashions, with the recent Seastrong watches now firmly rooted on the shores of the present day. In 2016, Alpina launched its Seastrong Diver Heritage range in a tribute to the historical design. So much more than a replica, the series was a fresh take on a vintage classic. In 2022, the Maison unveiled its latest riff on a firm favourite, this time all decked out in green, making it without a doubt the most contemporary of the last few editions of Alpina’s iconic diver.

For this new version, Alpina opted for all-over green, from dial to strap. Generally a mainstay of pilots’ watches, green is rarely associated with diver’s watches. This year, Alpina decided to wander off the beaten path with a shade symbolic of underwater life and biodiversity: a tribute to the ocean, Earth’s largest ecosystem. A glossy, radiant finish scatters light evenly across the face in a glow reminiscent of sunshine reflecting off the surface of the water.

This mirror-shine effect serves to further enhance the different shades of green used while improving clarity of the hour and minute hands – a crucial feature for any diver’s watch. Alpina also included a trio of large hands to ensure the Seastrong Diver 300 Heritage is functional and genuinely usable in action. Each of the three hands is luminous, and the minute hand is topped with a generous arrow pointing up to indices that glow just as brightly, making sure that divers are never left guessing just how long they’ve been in the water.

 Immersion times are calculated using the Seastrong Diver 300 Heritage’s black bi-directional rehaut, which can be adjusted using the upper crown positioned at the two o’clock mark. The timer can be set for dives for up to 60 minutes. Positioned opposite the minute hand, it instantly counts time spent under water, or any other timespan divers may like to work with, such as remaining oxygen time or decompression limits. The second crown is set above the four o’clock mark and can be used to change the time. These two screw-down crowns prevent any mishaps when handling the watch once the time and rehaut have been set.

In terms of fittings, the Seastrong Diver 300 Heritage puts the emphasis on sturdiness thanks to its steel casing: polished and brushed on the sides, measuring 42 mm across and water-resistant up to 300 metres. It boasts a full steel caseback engraved with Alpina’s beloved Alps and embellished with a trident in a nod to the watch’s maritime flavour, and is anchored to a new green rubber strap that is sand-, sea salt- and corrosion-resistant. Self-winding with a high frequency of 28’800 alt. /h, the Seastrong Diver 300 Heritage offers 38 hours of power reserve.