Alsta Watch Company, a Swiss watch brand that was resurrected in 2014 after lying dormant since the quartz crisis, has signed its first three retailers in the UK.
Watchshop, HS Johnson and First Class Watches have all decided to stock the brand’s debut model, the Alsta Nautoscaph II divers’ watch.
“We are really excited to be working with these retailers. They fit exactly what we are looking for in retail partners: good reputations and reach into the segments of the watch-buying market that we serve,” says Alsta’s Angus MacFadyen.
The current trend for reviving historic watch models could give Alsta’s UK retailers a boost, Mr MacFadyen believes. “They get how relevant our watch is right now given all the big brand re-issues we have seen in recent months. There is a lot of commentary on Baselworld 2017 about the big brands reaching into their back catalog and making reissues. It makes what we are doing spot-on for today’s market and there are not many that can touch us on value for money especially considering we don’t have the economies of scale of the big brands. This fits squarely with the value offered by these retailers.”
Alsta relaunched its first watch this year, the Alsta Nautoscaph II in a limited edition of 300 pieces.
The original Alsta Nautoscaph dive watch was famously worn by Richard Dreyfuss’s character, Matt Hooper, in the movie Jaws.
The new Alsta Nautoscaph II design was inspired by the original from the 1960s and has been increased from 36mm case size to a more contemporary 40mm.
Every component of the Alsta Nautoscaph II is manufactured in Switzerland or Germany and it is powered by the NH35A automatic movement which is manufactured by Seiko of Japan.
Alsta says its second and third models, which will be released in 2018 and 2019, are in the planning stages.
