Used Watch Market Outlook - Alpina Seastrong Extreme Diver 300

Here at the SecondhHander, we realize there are many other sites reviewing watches (and doing a really good job of it). So we thought take a different approach by reviewing watches through the lens of the used watch market. We’ll tell you how a watch is trending, if it’s being offered at a good value, and what price targets you can expect. We hope you enjoy!

It sounds strange suggesting that a watch company started in 1883 is an “upstart.” But there’s no better way to describe Alpina, in my opinion.

The Alpina of the year 1883 is long gone, having been sold a couple of times and devastated by the quartz crisis in the 80s. The new Alpina, a cousin of Frederique Constant (both are owned by Aletta and Peter Stas), has completely retooled their offerings over the last few years and has positioned themselves as a fierce competitor, having a number of desirable pieces, in a highly competitive watch segment – the midrange sport watch.

Extreme Diver 300

A few years ago, Alpina introduced the Seastrong line of divers, offering 300M of water resistance, and mechanical components. The Seastrong is powered by an AL-525, which is offered in both ETA-2824 and Sellita SW200 varieties. Like other makers such as Christopher Ward and Oris, it’s a crapshoot as to which version you’ll get, but both versions perform reliably as expected.

The packaging certainly earns the “extreme” moniker, showcasing a large yellow imitation diving cylinder with a false bottom. Some find it annoying (especially flippers who will have to find a box large enough to ship it when it comes flipping time), but I think it fits perfectly with what Alpina is doing with the brand. Aside from overall great design, I especially like Alpina’s unique custom rotor design. It adds a new flair on the standard ETA layout visible through a display caseback.

Secondary Market

The Diver 300 retails for CHF (1,450), or about $1530 USD. Given the build quality of this diver, it’s a really competitive starting point. Considering these don’t come up nearly as often in the secondary market, the prices vary wildly, which is to be expected.

Picking this one up used is a must try for dive watch lovers. You’ll be very surprised at the build quality for the price. We selected this watch in particular for a review, because we don’t have a ton of data cataloged yet – and we want to see where it goes. Our current listed price target is $825, which is admittedly a little high for used on the Extreme Diver. Personally, I think $825 is a fair price given the quality, but I’d probably lean more towards $675 (on a rubber strap) given what we've seen recently in the market. Some can be had for right around $600, but given how rare these come up, I’d advise not playing the waiting game.

Low Availability In The Used Market

As mentioned earlier, these don't come up often. And they also don't move easily. I think that will change as people become more cognizant of just how good a brand Alipina has become. But for now, know it's going to be something you'll have to hold for a while, should you pick one up.

Competition

Christopher Ward would be a competitor on the lower end (though they're moving up-market with the newer C60). Oris would be someone else to consider at a slightly higher price point. If you go up a couple hundred dollars, you're in Oris Aquis territory - and that's a very nice piece.

Long Term Outlook

Alpina gets the benefit of sharing horsepower with Frederique Constant, and with that comes economies of scale in both mechanics and design. It shows through the newer offerings from Alpina - and the in-house FC movement has made its way into some Alpina models.

Should the watch-loving public become more aware of Alpina's quality and value, we may see even these somewhat older models not only stabilize in price, but trend upward. At least for now, it's good to know that the Extreme 300 is a safe bet - it is reasonably priced (and worth picking up) even at the retail price, and you won't take a hit in the secondary market on it like you might on some of their more expensive chronograph models.

See active and sold listings for Seastrong Diver 300 44mm Automatic Extreme