Introducing Alpina To The Windup Watch Shop
Blake Malin
Windup Watch Shop | October 9, 2024
Gottlieb Hauser had a vision: to bring together various elements of Swiss industry to create innovative, high-quality timepieces; in 1883, the Schweizerische Uhrmacher Corporation (to later become Alpina Union Horolgère S.A.) company was founded to meet that aim. The brand continued to grow, and half a century later, they innovated in an emerging concept that would one day dominate the industry — the stainless steel sports watch. The revolutionary “Alpina 4” idea, introduced in 1938, was composed of four guiding pillars: a sports watch must be 1. Stainless steel, 2. Anti-magnetic, 3. Anti-shock, and 4. Water-resistant. The idea caught on, becoming popular with those who demanded the most from their watches.
Nearly 150 years later and now under the Frederique Constant umbrella, Alpina is still dedicated to manufacturing high-quality Swiss sports watches with an emphasis on innovation in its movements and technology. To welcome Alpina to the WindUp Watch Shop, we are starting with three collections: the Alpiner Heritage Carrée Automatic, Heritage Automatic, and Alpiner 4 Automatic.
Alpiner Heritage Carrée Automatic
In 2023, Alpina brought out a vintage-inspired, square-cased watch featuring vintage new-old-stock Alpina movements. Now, they’ve introduced a non-limited version of the Heritage Carrée Automatic (carrée being French for “square”) with the same unique stepped case. It features a silver dial with matte cream printing, black Arabic numerals, and leaf hands, effectively evoking art deco designs of the early twentieth century. The increased case size provides a contemporary touch, elevating the wearing experience to suit modern tastes. Combined with an elegant light brown ostrich leather strap, the Heritage Carrée offers a deft compromise for those wanting a vintage-inspired dress watch without the worry of a vintage piece.
Alpina Heritage Automatic
The Heritage Automatic blends design elements from the early twentieth century into a pair of two steel watches, inspired by watches the brand innovated with its Alpina 4 concept. Sharing the same 38mm stainless steel case, the two are separated by their dial designs. The first is a rich cream with black Arabic numerals, a minute track with numerals every five minutes circling the dial's edge reminiscent of military watches of the ‘30s and ‘40s. The second is a satin silver sector dial with bronze-colored hour markers, Arabic numerals, and a cream center. With elegant case proportions, blued dauphine hands, and a textured black leather strap, the Heritage Automatic is a quiet statement with a loud echo.
Alpina Alpiner 4 Automatic
From the brand’s land-focused Alpiner collection, the Alpiner 4 Automatic reinterprets the classic Alpina 4 formula for the twenty-first century in a well-packaged do-it-all watch. With its versatile 40mm stainless steel case, 100m of water resistance, and bidirectional stainless steel bezel, it cuts a rakish figure that reinforces the watch’s sporty heritage. Not content to leave it there, Alpina has fitted the Alpiner 4 with a vibrant blue sunray dial that adds a dressy touch, neatly complemented by a stitched brown leather strap. Bridging the gap between elegance and sportiness, the Alpiner 4 Automatic makes a compelling case for a daily wear watch that can do everything.
