Alpina
1883
1883 and German Watchmaker Gottlieb Hauser
The Union Horlogère (UH) or Vereinigte Uhrmacher Alpina (VUA) was founded
by Gottlieb Hauser1883 as an association of leading manufacturers, wholesalers and
retailers to unify the purchase and distribution of watch and clock parts. Soon genuine
calibres were designed, and manufactured by the Alpina *Ebauche Factory of Duret &
Colonnaz in Geneva.
* Ébauche: an incomplete watch movement which sold sets of loose parts,
comprising the main plate, bridges, train, regulator, winding and setting mechanism
without the timing system, escapement and the mainspring.
1888
Alpina Glashütte 1909-1922
In order also to participate in the German watch-manufacturing base, Alpina Union
Horlogère founded the "Präcisions-Uhrenfabrik Alpina" in Glashütte in 1909.
The Union's factories were now located in Geneva, Bienne, Besançon and Glashütte and by
1913 the Alpina Chronometer Glashütte equipped with an Alpina chronometer ebauche with
Glashütte escapement instead of the typical Swiss anchor escapement dialed the 21''
marine watch was purchased by the German navy at the time.
The First World War
During the First
World War, major capital flow restrictions and import/export restrictions restricted
cused problems for Alpina. Finally in 1917, towards the end of the war, the Association
"Union Horlogère" was dissolved. Two separate anonymous societies were
incorporated: the Union Horlogère SA in Bienne, Switzerland and the Alpina Deutsche
Uhrmacher-Genossenschaft G.m.b.H. in Berlin, Germany.
After WWI
The representatives of Union Horlogère sold high quality watches
primarily under the Alpina brand. Each watchmaker, manufacturer or specialized shop that
wanted to become a member had to apply. Membership allowed each representative to benefit
from the purchase of Alpina watches. Each member was guaranteed to be the only Alpina
representative in his or her town with the exception if the town was large enough to
support more than one representative.The Association fixed retail prices. Advertising was
entirely paid the Association from its common funds coming from subscriptions, entry fees
and subsidies calculated on suppliers' turnover.
<The Alpina Gruen Gilde 1929-1937
In 1929 the
American brand Gruen merged with Alpina forming "Alpina Gruen Gilde SA", the
largest community of interests that ever existed in the horological field. The quality of
Alpina and Gruen watches improved. Models such as the "Doctor's Watch" produced
by the Aegler factory -- Rolex later bought the Aegler factory-- and was distributed under
the names of Alpina, Gruen, Alpina-Gruen and Rolex ("Prince"). But the merger
was of short duration. Gruen restricted Alpina access to its USA members and
attempted to sell watches higher priced than Alpina, the two brands separated in
1937 and Alpina Union Horlogère SA continued alone.
Alpina's best
sellers
In 1933, Alpina
presented its first "sports-watch", the "Blockuhr" in steel- patented
a new type of crown (Brevet 1464).- the "Alpina 4" in 1938 1) anti
magnetic, 2) waterproof 3) Incabloc anti-shock system, 4) stainless steel.
The Second World
War
While the Union
Horlogère had separated in three legally independent companies during the First World
War, relationships were again under intense scrutiny during World War II. Import and
capital flow restrictions as well as travel problems suppressed many of its activities.
Eventually, the Allied Forces pressed the Swiss Alpina Union Horlogère to drop usage of
the Alpina name in Germany. The German association then adopted the name Dugena (Deutsche
Uhremacher-Genossenschaft Alpina), which became their new trademark
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ALPINA
VUA
(Vereinigte Uhrmacher Alpina) |
