Alpina Heritage Tropic-Proof Handwinding revives a 1960s classic

Alpina pays tribute to the Tropic-Proof model from the 1960s with the Heritage Tropic-Proof Handwinding, black or white. Price €1,750.

Founded in 1883, Alpina has a heritage rooted in precision, reliability, and adventure. Since the 1930s, the brand has produced sport watches built to meet four essential criteria: anti-magnetic, shock-resistant, water-resistant, and rust-resistant.

Among the most emblematic models to embody this philosophy is the Tropic-Proof, a mid-1960s creation that captured the spirit of exploration with its rugged case, Swiss manual movement with a two-day power reserve, and a design focused on legibility.

Born in an era when air travel was opening new routes to tropical destinations, the Tropic-Proof responded to the needs of a changing world. Though officially launched in 1968, records suggest that production began as early as 1965, when naming conventions and collections were more fluid.

At the time, ‘Tropic-Proof’ referred to a specific style of watch construction, marked by cases stamped with ‘FB’—the initials of François Borgel, a renowned Geneva casemaker from the early 20th century. Alpina, like many brands, turned to Borgel for its most durable cases, especially those with screw-down backs. 

The original 1960s Tropic-Proof (left) and the new Alpina Heritage Tropic-Proof Handwinding

The Tropic-Proof name also signalled the use of high-quality Swiss movements, such as Alpina’s hand-wound 598R, a reliable calibre introduced in the 1950s and still in use by 1965.

Alpina is now paying tribute to this historic model with the Heritage Tropic-Proof Handwinding, a pair of modern interpretations housed in a 34 mm x 9.25 mm stainless steel case and powered by a hand-wound movement.

For these two reissues, Alpina is offering the same dial colours as the original: black and white. While the hand-polished Dauphine hands also remain unchanged from the 1965 edition, luminous coating has of course been applied instead of the original tritium. 

The hour markers have been faithfully reproduced too, including the unusual use of double markers at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o’clock.

The new non-reflective sapphire crystal (now made of sapphire instead of resin, offering better impact resistance and UV protection) retains the characteristic ‘glassbox’ shape, curving down towards the bezel to ensure the dial can be easily viewed from any angle.

The beating heart of these two unlimited editions is the 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) AL-480 calibre, hand-wound, just as it was in the watch’s first iteration, with a power reserve of 42 hours.

In homage to the original’s solid caseback (designed to ensure the 1965 Tropic-Proof remained watertight), the 2025 edition uses the same construction, with the discreet addition of the word ‘Heritage’. Both timepieces feature a beige Alcantara strap with topstitching and a pin buckle.

The caseback of the original Tropic-Proof and, below,  that of the tribute model 

Water-resistant to 3 ATM (30 metres / 100 feet), the new Alpina Heritage Tropic-Proof Handwinding, available with either a black (ref. AL-480B2H6) or a white dial (ref. AL-480S2H6), has a suggested retail price of €1,795. alpinawatches.com

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