Watch collectors use all kinds of oddball nicknames to describe popular watches to other people. For instance, many collectors will know exactly what I mean if I say that I just bought a Seiko Turtle, or Sumo, or Tuna, or Monster. Seiko is perhaps the most popular brand for this creative nomenclature, but Rolex also has great nicknames likeย Batman, Hulk, and Kermit for some of their watches.
My Victorinox Swiss Army Alpnach never came from the shop this way…
One brand that does not seem to have a lot of pet names is Victorinox Swiss Army, but I am about to change that by coining my own name for a slightly customized watch and bracelet combination that I cobbled together. To be honest, I did not invent the watch seen above. Perhaps many people have already done this mild modification! In fact, my good buddy Brian A. gets full credit for doing this combination first and teasing me with it. Once I saw it in the images that he sent me, I had to do it myself. Thanks, Brian!
This customized Victorinox Swiss Army Alpnach looks formally dressed… thus the new nickname.
This “new watch” is not a rare prototype that never made it outside of the Swiss Army HQ. Instead, it is a combination of watch head and strap that were never sold in the same box by Victorinox Swiss Army. To my knowledge, this watch and bracelet combination does not appear in any catalogs, websites or brochures in the final form that I put together. So, without further adieu, I am pleased to introduce to the world (drum roll, please…) the Victorinox Swiss Army “Alpnach Tuxedo” Chronograph. Now that this baby has been nicknamed, let’s take a look at this creation.
What the “Alpnach Tuxedo” looks like under a cuff
It seems that Victorinox Swiss Army had all the ingredients in place years ago when the first generation of the Alpnach Chronograph was released. Most of those watches came on a high-quality black leather strap with a deployant buckle. However, there was one model that stood out from its siblings because it had a two-tone metal bracelet!
The distinctive two-tone black and silver bracelet
Two-tone is often used to describe watches made with the combination of stainless steel and gold. It’s a distinctive look that was popular in yearsย gone by, and it is making a bit of a comeback as of 2018. For the Alpnach, however, the secondary color is black PVD, not gold. This is highly unusual, to say the least. Not a lot of famous watches with this decorative treatment come to mind, so I am going to have to say that it is a seldom seen technique.
These Alpnach Chronos are about to swap straps
To make my “Alpnach Tuxedo”, I took the bracelet from a Swiss Army Alpnach Chronograph v.241194ย with a blue dial and put it on the Alpnach Chronograph v.241450 with a white dial. In my opinion, this watch and bracelet combo makes a better visual match. The white dial Alpnach Chrono probably should have been a special edition. It has some of the same finishing techniques that were used on the Victorinox Swiss Armyย Limited Edition Alpnach Power Gauge, v.241382. Details include anย alternating polished and sandblasted bezel, and a red triangle on the count-down bezel. Maybe the white just feels more special than the blue one.
The standard leather strap for the Alpnach Chrono is quite nice.
The original leather strap with deployment buckle
I love the audacity of this two-tone bracelet, but not everyone is a fan. In fact, there is a PVD removal specialist that called this watch out by name as an eyesore during a conversation. I don’t think that he knew that I owned it. I had a good chuckle over it because it was like having your new baby called homely. haha
The bracelet came from the blue Alpnach Chrono (v.241194)
Where my buddy saw ugliness, I saw potential. I find in life that different people can have wildly different viewpoints, even when discussing the same watch. We don’t all have to like the same watches. I think that it isย our different preferences that make us all unique. I appreciate the black and silver Alpnach bracelet because I really can’t name another watch that uses this style. Can you?
STRAP SWAP: Victorinox Swiss Army “Alpnach Tuxedo”
Adding this two-tone bracelet to a watch will have a strong impact on its appearance. Usually, I previsualize watch and strap combinations using Photoshop. ย This method can save a lot of hassle and time. Plus, there is little risk of scratching your watch if you are just manipulating pixels. Lucky for me, Brian A. already paved the way by trying the combo before me. It was a no-brainer swap that took about 30 seconds.
A lug pin tool makes quick work of strap swaps
I checked Reflections of Infinity, my favorite source for Victorinox Swiss Army straps and bracelets and found that they have metal bracelets forย v.241194 in stock. Just look for part numberย 003278. It will cost roughly $160 USD plus shipping. Personally, I think this is a small investment for a customized watch.
Buy the “tuxedo bracelet” at Reflections of Infinity
When you start to get a lot of watches, it can be easy to forget the ones that you really enjoyed wearing in the past. Sometimes it just takes a little creativity to rekindle the fire that you once felt for the watch. That can be something as simple as a STRAP SWAP. In the end, I reconnected with two watches that I already liked, but new strap combinations revitalized my interest in them. This is what I call a win-win situation.
Even the donor watch got another strap from Luminox that showed off the blue dial better
