Key Features
A beautiful object in the rarest preservation! Pocket chronograph (watch with built-in stopwatch) from the Swiss company Alpina, in an all stainless steel case, causing the watch to look almost like new.
Alpina are known for their high-precision pocket and wrist watches, chronographs, and repeaters. A supplier of the Wehrmacht in the 1940’s, Alpina artillery and naval chronographs are highly sought after by collectors. This copy has a civil high-level processing mechanism according to all Swiss standards. The images included show the wonderful quality of the movement, it looks even better in real life.
A button on the crown starts the large central second.
An explanation of how the one-button chronograph works when the button is pressed:
- The central second hand starts moving and counting time from zero, the drive sums up the minutes.
- The central arrow and the drive stop to take readings.
- The central hand and the drive are reset to zero, the chronograph is stopped and waits to restart.
This timepiece is in a rare cosmetic and technical condition, an excellent item for either carrying in a pocket or keeping in a collection. It is recommended that you wind the watch completely before using the chronograph.
About Alpina
Alpina has been a producer of quality timepieces since 1883, when they were initially a manufacturer of ebauche movements in Geneva, as part of the Corporation d’Horlogers Suisse. In 1901, the name Alpina was registered. After their success in Switzerland, Alpina moved their headquarters to Berlin in 1927, and began to develop the ‘Alpina 4’ model, which came out in 1938. As its name indicates, the model combined four important quality characteristics: Anti-magnetic, water resistant, Incabloc shock protection, and a stainless steel case. The Alpina 4 was also equipped with the manual winding Alpina 592 movement, one of the most reliable available at that time. Due to the manufactory’s continuing success with technical sports watches, they continued to be highly successful for many decades.
During WWII, Alpina was prevented from selling in Germany under that name, and in 1942 the company changed their name to “DUGENA – German watchmaker cooperative Alpina”. You may well have heard of Dugena – they can still be found on the market today! The company was finally renamed to Alpina in 1972, but by the the quartz crisis had hit, and in 2000 the company disappeared.
However, in 2002 the Alpina name was acquired by the founders of Frederique Constant of Geneva, who managed to successfully rebuild the company: by 2008, for the 125th anniversary the brand, already more than 200 dealers offered Alpina watches all over the world.
Servicing and Guarantee
This timepiece has been serviced with full disassembly in our Bristol workshop. There is a 6-month guarantee, subject to the usage and care guidelines.
Overview
Body: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (9/20 near perfect)
Watch face: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (9/10 near perfect)
Mechanism: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (9/10 near perfect)
Accuracy: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (9/10 near perfect)
Case and Chain
- Original, circular case with softly rounded edges.
- Solid stainless steel.
- Single lid with serial numbers and brand markings stamped on cover.
- Original, slightly convex shockproof plex glass.
- Vintage style crown with button in centre.
- Optional chain.
Dimensions:
- Width w/o crown 49 mm.
- Height with ring 61 mm.
Dial and Hands
- Original, silvery metal dial.
- Arabic numerals.
- Hour by minute scale 5 – 60 around outer edge.
- “Alpina” signature.
- Seconds subdial at numeral 6 position.
- 30-minute chronograph subdial at numeral 12 position.
- Original ‘tapered’ style blued hands.
- Large, slender centre seconds hand.
Movement
- Swiss-made movement.
- Alpina anchor escapement.
- 17 jewels.
- Manual.
- The chronograph’s complex system of levers and gear wheels is controlled by a classic column wheel.
- Balance with adjustment screws and Breguet hairspring.
- Levers with mirror chamfers and precision-grinding.
- Mirror polished wheels.
- Plates and bridges with the Geneva wave.
Servicing and Guarantee
- Fully serviced with disassembly in our Bristol shop.
- Mechanics in full working order – runs like new.
- Optional chain.
- 6-month warranty.
- Guarantee Terms and Conditions.
Links and Resources:
History of the “Swiss Watchmakers’ Corporation ” Union Horlogere.
Alpina Company History Official Website.
