ALPINA - FINE SWISS WATCHES
We look back to 1883, the founding year of the association of manufacturers and retailers of watches that evolved into Alpina. Its members called themselves affectionately the "Alpinists", and they all shared the same target: the success of the Alpina watch.

The first horological cooperation
Everything started in 1883 when Gottlieb Hauser, watchmaker in Winterthur, founded the Swiss Watchmakers Corporation ("Corporation d'Horlogers Suisse"). A number of watchmakers joined to purchase watch components and organized their manufacturing. Quickly, the new concept gained acceptance. Together with qualified manufactures, the Association started to develop its own calibres and to enlarge its distribution network. Ebauches (the base of a calibre) were produced by the Alpina Ebauche Factory in Geneva, owned by Duret & Colonnaz, which played also an important role in the construction of the first Alpina calibres. Final steps in the manufacture of the calibres were performed in Bienne, the place of the head quarters of the Association as of 1890. Success was swift and representations were set up in Germany as well as in East and Northern Europe. In 1901, the name "Alpina" was registered as a trademark at the same time; it would only appear on the dials of high-end watches. From the beginning, Alpina watches were manufactured with high quality components, amongst others Brequet spirals, balance wheels with gold screws and heavy gold cases.

Heritage
As the first model of the new Alpina Collection, Heritage has a delicate part to play; to establish the link between the past and the present of the brand. Its rather massive cushion formed case is equipped with an automatic movement and a dial inspired from the thirties. Among the different lines, the chronograph, decorated with the escargot scale in the center of the dial, and the telemeter scale at the periphery, is one of the nicest examples. Strong lines and originality are marrying high level sports to elegance. It is an excellent base for the collections to come.

Startimer
Startimer is an old registered Trademark of Alpina and has been used for the second new Alpina collection. The Startimer Collection comes back with a very actual design and interesting particularities like an additional crown located at 10 o'clock to turn the internal rotating bezel. Some models even have two internal rotating bezels. The small edge of the case increases the impression of wideness of the watches; the wide painted numbers, the vertical alignment of the chronograph's dials with the tachometer scale, everything expresses strength and character. The play of the colors -black and white and sometimes blue- on elements of the dial give a very special character to the watch and doesn't spoil the aesthetic balance of its face.

Avalanche
Avalanche is the latest Alpina introduction. The Avalanche Collection comes with the very recognozable Alpina design while offering an impressive value for money. Watches are very aggressively priced. The robust new case has black rubber accents on the bezel, pushers and crown. The vertical alignment of the chronograph's minute and hour counter increase the impression of wideness of the watches. Further, the wide painted Arabic numbers express strength and character.