The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2023 - Issue 34

bitewatches Initially, the corporation optimised and de- veloped timepieces and movements through collaborations with manufacturers and sup- pliers, but it soon started developing and pro- ducing calibres and chronometers in-house. Hauser believed Alpina would become su- premely successful worldwide through his watches' quality, durability, precision and design. He wanted to provide the ideal time- piece for sportspeople, engineers, techni- cians, and adventurers. The union established its headquarters in Biel/Benne in 1890, where member Jacob Straub had his movement manufactory. Elev- en years later, he registered Alpina tomark his 12 and 19-line calibres, seemingly the union’s highest-quality movements. However, Alpina wasn’t used as a brand name until 1908, the union’s 25th anniversary and the year Haus- er died. By 1912, the brand manufactured its first chronometer, with the German Navy quickly purchasing them the following year. In 1921, Alpina became a renowned man- ufacturer and supplier of time instruments for military pilots. Five years later, they in- troduced the international watch guarantee, the first watch brand to do so. The brand produced the Block Uhr, an innovative sports watch, in 1933, evolving into the legendary Alpina 4, one of the brand’s signature collec- tions, in 1938. The Alpina 4 became the reli- able timekeeping choice for Air Force pilots, divers, the Navy and the military. Alpina achieved unparalleled success before Seiko released the world's first commercial quartz wristwatch in 1969, and the Quartz Crisis began in the 1970s. Consequently, the crisis reduced them to selling solely to the Swiss and German markets. In 2002, Frédéri- que Constant acquired Alpina, which contin- ued manufacturing from their factory. Since 2003, the watch company has produced the AL-980 Tourbillon, AL-718 World Timer, AL-950 Automatic Regulator and the AL-710 Small Date timepieces. The latter years saw Alpina invent the Hor- ological Smartwatch, a Swiss Made con- nected timepiece with analogical time and quantified self functionalities display, using watch hands. They also presented a new in- house calibre, the AL-760 Automatic Flyback Chronograph, that reinterpreted the flyback mechanism through Alpina’s patented ‘Di- rect Flyback’ technology. It also significantly increased the reliability and the robustness of the flyback mechanism. Its Land, Air, Sea, Ladies’ Watches and Smartwatches collections included the ex- travagant Alpiner, derived from the original Alpina 4. Startimer, produced since 1920, gained success as pilot watches and still offers support in the aviator world. Today, it’s up- graded with the latest technology with clean and legible dials and mesmerising traditional oversized crowns. Seastrong’s thick case bezel is renowned for its resilience alongside other outstanding features and water resistance up to 300 metres. Alpina released its latest Alpiner Heritage Carrée Automatic 140 Years and Startim- er Pilot Quartz Worldtimer timepieces. The first model celebrates the brand’s 140th anni- versary based on the authentic hand-wound calibre 490 dating from 1938, restored and