# Alpha Radiomir Chronograph: Mini-Review



## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

So three great news today: both Alphas are here and the Police gave me back my stolen camera!! Doesnâ€™t mean I can get you great pictures but certainly better than the ones I posted before taken with my cell-phone.

So, first, hereâ€™s the Alpha Radiomir:



















It's a hand-winding watch with a Seagull SG2903. Looks amazing to meand it's very well done watch all-around. I couple of things I might not like so much is the stap, supposedly a 24mm real leather band. Feels really nice and all but something tells me it's not going to last... we'll see. A nice detail is the Alpha logo on the buckle. Really classy!










(hard to see, I know...)

The other thing is the feeling when you push the upper chrono pusher. It's a bit hard and rough. Also, resetting the chrono happens with a snap of big second hand, that works here only on chrono-mode (regular second hand is on the dial at 9 o'clock). On other chronographs that I used, this action is much smoother. Probably being picky but it's a way of not saying only good things about this one.


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

This watch is an homage to the PAM158, a real hard to find watch... only 10 were made! So if you like it, you'll porbably going to have to settle with this Alpha!










Moving on with the Alpha, here's a couple more pictures:



















Really happy with this one!!! :thumbsup:


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## moleng1 (May 10, 2009)

Kutusov said:


> This watch is an homage to the PAM158, a real hard to find watch... only 10 were made! So if you like it, you'll porbably going to have to settle with this Alpha!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## moleng1 (May 10, 2009)

Are you sure of your movement in this one?? It looks more like the hand wind Seagull column wheel ST1902 movement to me?? Still a beautiful watch for the money though........


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

moleng1 said:


> Are you sure of your movement in this one?? It looks more like the hand wind Seagull column wheel ST1902 movement to me?? Still a beautiful watch for the money though........


Hi! Well, that's the official information on the Alpha homepage. But now that you asked, yes... it looks just like an ST-19.

There is something else I hadn't noticed... Here's the official photo of the back of the watch:

http://www.alpha-watch.com/popup.php?photo/62142455.jpg

You can see the markings "SG2903" but on my photo you can see that it says "HA2902" and I don't know what that means. Still, it seams to me that it's the same movement. I don't know, maybe someone else more knowledgeable than me might tell..


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## ctre jammot (Apr 10, 2008)

Can we please cut out the mealy-mouthed euphemisms? That movement is definitely one Sea-Gull or another, (Sea-Gull seem to sprout new model-references as fast as an epidermically-challenged teenager sprouts spots) and the watch is a Chinese fake. Even a well-known Chinese fake.

If you want to buy a Chinese fake, buy one and call it what it is. On one hand the chances of a fake Panerai actually damaging Panerai's reputation and finances are somewhat less than none. On the other hand the chances of any fake watch that is called some term that seems less criminally-associated word than "fake" fooling an innocent into paying too much money for a fake are extremely high.

If people in the know would let people not in the know fully understand what they are buying into a lot less people would get ripped-off. If people not in the know would and could rely on a site like this to know they could be about to buy a fake there would be a little less pain in the world.

I have had several Chinese watches. Some are very amusing and work well enough. When they stop amusing I give them away for someone else to find amusement.

There is a claim somewhere in the thread that Revue Thommen watches are made in China or of Chinese components. Very strange idea, sort of half well informed, like Revue Thommen watches division was in fact bought out a few years ago now (but by another, non-Swatch group, watch-making firm not by anyone remotely Chinese). Or that RT make special series for sale outside their AD network, (but they don't put anything Chinese in those watches). However a key retailer of those bargain RTs is caught up with the Claro-Semag shindig about "if I add 2 hours of labour and a couple of over-valued parts to a Chinese movement can I call it Swiss?".

See, there's a route from China to RT, but it's one of those "x stages of separation" routes.

(Today I am wearing a "non-fake" Sea-Gull manual wound watch, and it's very nice. But making sure it is not a fake was too much like hard work to repeat...)


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## zed4130 (Jun 25, 2009)

I like that, i have a few pam homages and all good fun, i love the look of that movement as well :thumbsup:

paul


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## Disco You (Jun 22, 2010)

Does the huge crown not dig in and annoy you at all?


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

zed4130 said:


> I like that, i have a few pam homages and all good fun, i love the look of that movement as well :thumbsup:
> 
> paul


It's one of my favorites, it's just the right size and it looks amazing! I would buy one of these again without a second thought.



Disco You said:


> Does the huge crown not dig in and annoy you at all?


Nope! I was worried about that while I waited for it but the watch has 42/43mm case so it's not vey large. Sits just right on my wrist, its very very confortable. The crown never digs into my wrist or hand, even if a tilt it upward.

Oh, and this is a mechanical fully functional chronograph. It's not easy to find one for this kind of money... well, there's the Alpha Daytonas and Paul Newmans, same movement


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## funtimefrankie (Sep 8, 2009)

I keep getting drawn back to the white dialed version on the Alpha site mate. Think I should induldge myself?

Frank


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

funtimefrankie said:


> I keep getting drawn back to the white dialed version on the Alpha site mate. Think I should induldge myself?
> 
> Frank


I think you should, all the way yes!! What I can tell you is that this is an amazing watch in the flesh. Quality wise I also think it's miles ahead of the other Alphas I have and they are already very good (Sub LV, GMT and PO)!

Would be nice to see the white dialed brother over here!


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## funtimefrankie (Sep 8, 2009)

Kutusov said:


> funtimefrankie said:
> 
> 
> > I keep getting drawn back to the white dialed version on the Alpha site mate. Think I should induldge myself?
> ...


I think I should too mate. Just need to convince Noreen now...... I'll just remind her about the new shoes I bought her the other week, that should do it.


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

I dunno where some folks come from, certainly NOT the same planet as most of us!.









The Alpha is what an Alpha is - in any model they make - a reasonably good look-a-like that doesn't cost the earth, of reasonably good quality for the price point. :notworthy:

They do what they do well, and in no way do they attempt to mislead or rip-off anyone as regards to calling their watches Rolux, Breitlight, OmiGod or PanBread - in fact nothing other than Alpha appears on an Alpha dial signature. :yes:

So trying to put folks off by calling them fakes is a







- replicas or homages they may well be, in the same way as there are many Submariner style watches, but not fakes. You know what you are buying and you get what you pay for.

My 2c worth!


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## funtimefrankie (Sep 8, 2009)

mel said:


> I dunno where some folks come from, certainly NOT the same planet as most of us!.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I take it you read the one post wonder there as well Mel. I just ignored it as like you said an Alpha is an Alpha, It's printed big enough on the dial so not to confuse people too.

Oh well it's not put me of wanting the white dialed one, only Noreen has that ability with a firm NO! And I might even listen to here for a little while too!

Frank


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## zed4130 (Jun 25, 2009)

I like homage watches, yeah the real thing would be better, but out of reach of the everyday man, there all good to me and cheap enough that you can fiddle with them,

i got the buckle through this am, plus made this strap,










my 3 modded pam homages, a member on here got me started on this


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

I ignored Jammot's post because I think he mistakenly post it here when he meant somewhere else... I don't see any Revue Thommen mentioned anywhere here like he says... oh, maybe that was a stealth advertisement on those watches (1 post/1 rant)? Btw, very cool models on those!



zed4130 said:


> my 3 modded pam homages, a member on here got me started on this


Nicely done as always! That brown strap is very nice!


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## zed4130 (Jun 25, 2009)

Kutusov said:


> I ignored Jammot's post because I think he mistakenly post it here when he meant somewhere else... I don't see any Revue Thommen mentioned anywhere here like he says... oh, maybe that was a stealth advertisement on those watches (1 post/1 rant)? Btw, very cool models on those!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


cheers mate, im going to try and make another strap with full stitching, ive ordered another buckle ,

and yeah i didnt get what he was on about :dontgetit:


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

D'ya know, what would really work for me with your custom made brown strap would be a couple of rivets through at the lugs, big chunky ones, one each side - but what do I know! :lol:


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

mel said:


> D'ya know, what would really work for me with your custom made brown strap would be a couple of rivets through at the lugs, big chunky ones, one each side - but what do I know! :lol:


Something like this?


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

Just to add two lume shots... I still can't handle them but what I wanted to show is how the lume hands reflect on the "chromed" sub-dials making a fantastic light-play.



















(The watch was in a dark drawer and I didn't charged the lume very long... don't have a UV lamp...)


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