Alpha Industries Watches Review
The name “Alpha Industries” may not ring a bell, especially when it comes to wristwatches. The company was originally founded in Tennessee in 1957 as Dobbs Industries, and the company was created to manufacture clothing for the U.S. military. Their wares included flight jackets and rain gear.
A few years later, the company splintered into several different companies, one of which became Alpha Industries. The company still makes clothing for the military, and also sells military-styled clothing to the public via their Website and through a number of online retailers. Their product line includes a limited number of wristwatches.
Read on for the full Alpha Industries watches review.
Build Quality
Movements
Innovation
Styling and Features
Care and Maintenance
Warranty
Prices
Where to Buy
Summary
Alpha Industries Watches Build Quality
The build quality certainly qualifies as acceptable. The watches use stainless steel cases and mineral crystal to protect the watch face. Water resistance varies from 30 meters to 100 meters, depending on model. This means you can get them wet, but they’re not recommended for swimming or diving.
These watches are manufactured in Japan, which makes it likely that the movements are themselves Japanese. All of the models we’ve seen had quartz movements, which are highly reliable timekeeping devices that work well with minimal maintenance.
We can’t say for sure but the movements are likely sourced from Miyota, as that is the largest manufacturer of watch movements in Japan and they’re also one of the biggest makers of watch movements in the world.
Click here to shop for Alpha Industries watches at Amazon.
If you’re looking for innovation, you’re not going to find much of it with this brand. They’re relatively inexpensive timepieces that are sold as fashion accessories, rather than cutting-edge watch technology. As such, the features to be found in Alpha Industries watches are fairly basic – time-only and chronograph features.
One rarely finds technical innovation in watches in this price range, as they’re usually considered fashion accessories. There’s nothing wrong with that; lots of fashion companies offer a limited number of watches in their product line in order to complement their clothing.
Few of these companies have watchmaking specialists on their staff; instead, the design and manufacture of the watches is usually outsourced to major watch companies who manufacture them under contract.
The styling of Alpha Industries watches is in line with the rest of the company’s products, so they’re going to have somewhat of a military look to them. All of their models seem to be for men, and they come with either stainless steel bracelets, leather straps, or a nylon band. We didn’t see any models labeled as either women’s models specifically or any labeled as “unisex.” Still, there’s no reason why women couldn’t wear some of the models if they are so inclined. It’s a watch – if you like it, wear it.
Cases are in the 40mm-50mm range, and are all stainless steel. There is a bit of color in the Alpha Industries watches product line, so besides the basic white, silver and black, you’ll also find models with either blue or orange faces.
As far as we know, Alpha Industries watches only include time-only models and a couple of chronographs. We haven’t seen any models with day/date complications or any other features. You also won’t find any gold, platinum, or precious gems on Alpha Industries watches, as these are relatively modestly priced timepieces.
The care and maintenance is pretty easy and straightforward. As all of the company’s watches feature highly reliable quartz movements, your only maintenance obligation will be to replace the battery every couple of years.
As with any watch, you should protect your watch against extremes of temperature or strong magnetic fields, as either of these can affect the watch’s movement and its ability to keep accurate time.
With appropriate care, you’ll find that your watches are likely to run well for many years to come.
Alpha Industries Watches Warranty
We were not able to find any specific information about a warranty offered with the purchase of this brand, though some retailers, such as Amazon, include a two year warranty against defects in materials and craftsmanship when you purchase one. That’s a standard warranty; more than 90% of all watch companies offer a two year warranty.
As these watches are tested thoroughly at the factory, you’ll likely find defects to be relatively rare.
The prices are moderate, as designer watches go. The models we’ve seen are priced between about $175 and $400, which puts them in the middle of the range for watches of this type.
You may find them discounted here and there online and prices can vary from one retailer to another.
You can find them for sale at a number of online retailers, including Amazon. Oddly enough, you cannot find them for sale at the official Alpha Industries watches Website, which seems to sell clothing items only.
We’re not aware of any brick and mortar stores that carry the brand, but you’ll likely find a good assortment of models and prices online.
Alpha Industries Watches Summary
People buy watches for all kinds of reasons. Some like them as jewelry. Others like them for their function. Still others buy watches as fashion accessories. Alpha Industries watches fall into the latter category; they’re reasonably well made watches that will tell the time and blend well with the military-styled clothing sold by the company.
These watches are relatively affordable and are likely to run well for years, as they’re reasonably well built. You’re not going to find an overly broad selection of styles or features, however. They’re mostly basic, military-styled timepieces that work well for what they were intended to do – accessorize your military-style fashions.
If that’s what you’re looking for, then Alpha Industries watches should fit the bill.