Here at Banks Lyon Jewellers, we are currently in the midst of a very exciting time for our independent family-run business, as not only are we awaiting the outcome of the prestigious Retail Jeweller Awards in the near future, but we have also been taking on several new horological ranges to broaden our stock of luxury wristwatches even further.
You could be forgiven for thinking that the additions to our collection had ceased with the unveiling of our new SEVENFRIDAY watches and Dietrich 1969 watches. However, you’d actually be very wrong, as we’re now pleased to announced that we are also welcoming yet another watch brand into our portfolio; namely the prestigious manufacturer of Swiss timepieces, Alpina.
Who Are Alpina?
The ‘Alpina Swiss Watchmakers Corporation’ was founded by Gottlieb Hauser as a way of uniting a range of leading independent Swiss watchmakers in the 19th century, but it wasn’t until 1901 that the ‘Alpina’ trademark was actually registered in a formal sense. One of the first prominent watchmakers to come out of Switzerland, and also one of the foremost pioneers of the true ‘sports watch’, Alpina watches were purchased in thousands of outlets in the 1920s; a level of influence which was, at the time, unprecedented.
In spite of this success, the widespread introduction of quartz watches was a moment of real crisis for Alpina, causing them to lose much of their previous influence during the 1970s. Drifting without a sense of direction, Alpina inexplicably missed the renaissance of mechanical watches in the 1980s, and for all the world looked set to dwindle into obscurity. However, thanks to the forethought and intervention of Dutch entrepreneur Peter Stas, the phoenix triumphantly rose from the ashes once again in 2002, and the vision of Gottlieb Hauser has been unwaveringly upheld ever since.
The Alpina Vision
The manufacture of precision sports watches is still the focus of the Alpina brand, and they have become renowned for the aptitude, reliability and innovation of their robust wristwatches. Designed to be worn in some of the most unforgiving places in the world, such as the heights of the Alpine summits or the even the depths of the seas, the ‘Alpinist Philosophy’ demands that these timepieces should be the most modern tools that are available upon such demanding exploits, and Alpina have admirably risen to this challenge by producing a full range of in-house calibres that even incorporates a tourbillon; the true zenith of ocular horology.
The Alpina Collection
The Alpina collection is divided into a trio of distinct categories, and here at Banks Lyon we are delighted to be able to bring you them all. We’ll be covering many more Alpina timepieces here on our blog in the future, but here is a brief overview of the different ranges.
The Alpiner
The Alpina Alpiner includes both GMT and automatic chronograph timepieces that are equipped to deal with the harshest tests that nature can present. Supremely engineered to excel in every respect, they represent the proud culmination of the ‘Alpinist Philosophy’.
The Startimer
The Alpina Startimer is the pilot’s branch of Alpina watches, and includes an array of models that have been refined for service within the air. Perfect for practising pilots, these superb watches are nevertheless equally suited for everyday wear, and soar far above most of their competition.
The Seastrong
The Alpina Seastrong family is the ideal place to seek out a high quality wristwatch that is optimised for use around water. Boasting yacht timers and genuine diver’s timepieces, the range ensures that Alpina has conquered both the lofty heights and the deepest recesses of our world.
Each and every one of these stylish timepieces will soon be available from Banks Lyon, and if you’d like to receive any further information about our stunning selection of Alpina watches, please don’t hesitate to contact our professional team today. Call us now on 01524 38 48 58 or email [email protected] and we’ll be pleased to help with your enquiry.
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