Well-established brands have always dominated the watchmaking industry. This is mostly because of their time in the industry, the quality of the materials and their products, and occasionally, because of their country of origin. Brands that come from third world countries normally do not stand a chance. Klo & Co could change that as a company that originates from a country that is not renowned for its top of the line products, to have this new model that pays keen attention to detail is a breath of fresh air into the Philippine’s watchmaking industry. 

Inspiration

The Alpesailer Automatic timepiece was inspired by the travels of those that established Klo & Co. all over the world, their influence is apparent in the design of the watches. What brought these out, specifically, are the Alps in Switzerland and their special affinity with the ocean. That is why, as their first offering to the public, Klo & Co released two versions of a single timepiece – the Polar Edition and the Deep Blue. 

As for their goal, there is only one – to have their timepieces become one of the best quintessential adventure timepieces. However, with so many options out in the market, it is difficult to get the verdict out. What we can do is look over its design. 

The Look

As mentioned earlier, the Alpesailer comes in two versions, and as such, it also comes in two distinct colors. First, let us look over the Polar Edition. 

As its name suggests, this timepiece has a white dial that contrasts well with the black color of the indices and various demarcation lines. Other than the silver from the case and the band, it is not a timepiece that is expected to be colorful. In fact, the only pop of color you will have on the Polar Edition of the Alpesailer is the blue second hand. 

The Deep Blue Alpesailer, on the other hand, has an electric blue sunburst dial which makes it stand out more. It goes well with the white indices and hour demarcations that contour the dial. Because of such an eccentric color dominating the dial, it kept its second-hand simple – silver, just like the rest of the timepiece. 

Both versions feature a ‘6’ for the six o’clock demarcation. This coincides with the simplicity that Klo & Co was aiming for. 

If there is one knock on its design, it would be with the Polar Edition especially since this is a “special” version, it should have added more to its aesthetics rather than a simple white backdrop as its dial. However, this is what the watchmakers intended to create, and maybe, they wanted to be known more for the specs of their timepieces rather than just its aesthetics. 

Materials and Specs

From looking at the timepiece, the band and case are clearly made out of stainless steel. What makes it different is that the makers of the watch made it so that the stainless steel used is triple-finished. This means that it is beveled, polished, and brushed giving us the finish that it has. In addition, the case has a 41mm diameter, which slightly larger than what is standard in the market. However, in spite of the added bulk, it remains elegant.

The crystal that protects the dial is made of sapphire imbued with anti-reflective properties. This is vital if it aspires to be a sporty dive timepiece, as it needs to be able to tell time legibly in spite of strong glares. When underwater strong light can still shine through, and being able to tell how much time has passed is extremely important for a diver. 

The Alpesailer features a directional inner rotating bezel which gives you the convenience of being able to adjust the bezel either way. The inner bezel is adjusted by using the the upper crown, which is also a screw-down for extra security. Although, there have been concerns with bezels designed this way, its faults have not been proven as of yet. At the end of the day, uni-direction or bi-directional will depend on personal preference. 

In addition, the Alpesailer was designed to be capable of withstanding pressures of up to 10 ATM. What this means is that this timepiece resilient enough for snorkeling conditions, but not much more. Unfortunately, beyond that is too much for the wristwatch and this somewhat limits its potential of becoming a quintessential adventure timepiece. On the other hand, a powerful enough timepiece for an upstart’s first showing. 

Speaking of power, this watch is run by an NH35 automatic movement with 24 Jewels and a power reserve of 42 hours. This is a very common movement we are starting to see more frequently in budget friendly offerings like the Alpesailer. 

Conclusion

For a first offering, the Alpesailer from Klo & Co shows that they’re dedicated to bringing some unique watches to market. Having looked into the specs and design of the timepiece, it could be promising start which may allow the Philippines to break into the watchmaking industry. 

For more specs and pricing information please visit the Klo & Co official website here.