New Arrival: The Alsta Motoscaphe 120 Watch

Alsta has released a purpose-built mechanical watch for motorcyclists with a GMT feature and left-handed crown

There are watches for wearing in the cockpit, watches for travel and watches for the sea. There are also watches for the road. The Alsta Motoscaphe is just that. A watch for the road. But when it comes to hyper-specific watches, we are becoming more and more aware that a watch with a specific purpose need not be worn for one purpose only. In fact, a pilot’s watch is rarely worn by a professional pilot. And a dive watch is not just a watch for the sea. Any true watch collector will base his judgement on whether that watch has all-round practical properties that suffice for everyday duties. And on that note – here is the new Alsta Motoscaphe watch. Just know what whether you’re a motorcyclist fan, a rider yourself, or neither – you can enjoy this watch for what it is - a purpose-built watch for motorcyclists but with all the offerings of a practical daily companion.

Alsta is now around 60 years old. Its core aim was to provide watches for those who need their daily life to run smoothly. During the 1960s and 1970s, it focused its attention on developing wristwatches for extreme use. Scaling the highest mountain peaks and exploring deep and daring underwater depths were pursuits that required a companion like an Alsta watch. It was thus as shame when the watchmaker was swallowed up during the quartz crisis. Its resurrection in 2014 marked a clear direction for the brand. The first watch to be released was inspired by the original Nautoscaph – the one worn by Richard Dreyfuss in Jaws. The new and updated Nautoscaph II was hugely popular and vastly sought after. Alsta also began focusing on the reinvention of popular vintage models from the past with models like the Nautoscaph III – a specialized watch for diving but with untampered details that were vastly enjoyed by fans of the original. 

Motorcycling and timekeeping

Now Alsta is releasing a specialist watch for motorcycling. The collaboration came about after Alsta reached out to “Beyond the Dial” co-founder Allen Farmelo, who had been contemplating what it would take to create the perfect watch for motorcyclists for some time. He had been pairing his favourite watches with motorcycles and capturing images of the two for his Instagram posts, catching the eye of the watchmaker. He explains a little further:

“It took about 30 years to dream up this watch because I’ve literally been thinking about the perfect motorcycle watch for about that long. Of course, you start with a dive watch, but it has to be modified significantly to work on a bike.”

The standout features of the new Alsta Motoscaphe 120 watch are its GMT function which makes it a particularly appealing companion for keen travellers, or for utilizing when wanting to track elapsed hours and minutes, and its Destro (or left-handed) crown, which prevents any friction or digging of the crown into the wrist riding a motorcycle. Together the white indexes against the black bezel and dial offer superior legibility whether on a racetrack and dirt tracks or not. Farmelo explains a little more about the 120mph reference in the mew Motoscaphe watch’s name;

“For fast riders, achieving 120mph often triggers spiritual experiences. Space curves, time collapses, and the mind quiets.”

The new Motoscaphe 120 watch by Alsta has been crafted from stainless steel and measures a 40mm diameter on the wrist. Its circular brushing applied to its surface adds depth and definition to the design, whilst the caseback is engraved with further detail. The surface of the metal is embellished with the “Beyond the Dial” ethos and victory wreath. The custom designed dial of the new Alsta watch has an hour track represented by shard-like baton markers treated with luminescent material. In addition to this, the central hands of the watch are also treated with the same Super-LumiNova material that glows richly in the dark.

Inside the robust steel case of the new Alsta Motoscaphe 120 watch is the Seiko NH35 Calibre, which goes without the addition of a date feature. What it does offer is a 41-hour power reserve and a performance of 21,600 vibrations per hour. The mechanical movement is a reliable engine crafted by the Seiko brand to promise ultimate reliability and endurance. The unidirectional ratcheted black matching bezel with a 12 hour scale in aluminium not only acts as a second time zone in collaboration with the white arrow-tipped hand on the dial but can also be used to measure elapsed hours and minutes by multiplying by 5. 

The new Alsta Motoscaphe 120 watch features a domed scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass front treated with anti-reflective technology to assist with a clear view into the dial whether under direct artificial or natural light. The anti-reflective coating is applied to the inside of the dial to ensure it will never scratch. The watch comes complete on a black leather perforated rally strap to promote maximum airflow between the band and the wearer’s skin, and is presented in an oxblood leather carrying pouch, which can also double up as a sunglasses carry case when you’re wearing the watch itself.

Thoughts on the new Alsta Motoscaphe 120 watch…

The Alsta Motoscaphe 120 certainly carries the familiar skin diver case shape associated with the Nautoscaphe II and III. Despite this, several intriguing updates really do bring this watch into its own. It exits from the Nautoscaphe path by offering a GMT and left-handed crown but also boasts some bike-centric touches that nod to Farmelo’s love of adventure-seeking, may that be scuba diving, tearing up on two wheels or skiing the Rockies. The watch can be ordered now from Jura Watches. Simply visit the link here or call our store on 01335 453453 today and speak to a member of our specialist watch team for more information.

Technical specifications of the Alsta Motoscaphe 120

Case: 40mm – stainless steel – circular brushed – black bidirectional ratcheted bezel with 12-hour scale – domed anti-reflective sapphire crystal glass front- caseback engraved with Beyond The Dial’s Ethos and victory wreath – left-handed crown

Dial: Black – blue Super-LumiNova-treated hour markers and hands – Red Motoscaphe lettering at 6 o’clock - custom designed markers – no date window

Movement: Self-winding – Seiko NH35 – 41-hour power reserve – 21.600 vibrations per hour

Strap: Black perforated leather rally strap

Price; £645