o.k. That makes me feel better. I confirms some of the thoughts I had. Considering that the watch was made during one of the most economically depressed times in german history, I'm o.k. with a cheap case. This was what Valdimir posted with this watch.
I didn't want to post it just incase he was completely wrong or worse...knowingly misrepresenting the watch.
This is a ALPINA wristwatch. It was made in the 1930s.
Alpina, Union Horlogere SA, Bienne, Geneve, Besancon, Berlin
1883: The Union Horlogere (UH) or Vereinigte Uhrmacher Alpina (VUA) was founded by Gottlieb Hauser as 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.
1896: Registration of the image of a Straub calibre as trade mark. The movement is signed Alpina, Association Horlogere Suisse. Samples for German speeking regions got the SUG trademark shown on the upper left, according to the translation Schweizerische Uhrmacher-Genossenschaft.
1905: The U.S. companies Gruen and Hamilton joined the association.
1909: Alpina Union Horlogere founded the Pracisions-Uhrenfabrik Alpina in Glashutte.
1917: Due to political reasons near the end of WWI separation into the Union Horlogere SA in Biel/Switzerland and the Alpina Deutsche Uhrmacher-Genossenschaft GmbH (ADUG) in Berlin/Germany.
1929-1937: Alpina Gruen Gilde SA, a joint venture of both companies to coordinate production and distribution.
1946: The German branch was reorganized and restarted in Darmstadt as DUGENA, Deutsche Uhrmacher-Genossenschaft Alpina.
1949: Registration of Alpina as brand of the manufacturer Straub & Co, Bienne. The company Alpina Union Horlogere continued, and distributed the Straub watches.
The kind of the cooperation of Straub with Alpina, and the beginning of Straub are fuzzy: Straub is known as member of UH, and definitely most movements of newer Alpina watches were made by Straub.
Although Alpina watches came from several sources, they had externally a uniform appearance. The name Alpina was restricted to watches of higher to highest grade, while moderate to medium qualities came with the A surrounded by circle and triangle. Further, brands like Festa, Siegerin, Terval were used for special types of watches or special markets.
the case of the watch is made of the chromium - plated brass
stainless steel back
15 jewels
cal. PUW 500 (Pforzheimer Uhren-Werke, Germany)
nylon strap
Overall dimensions are:
length - 34mm
width with crown - 23mm
thickness - 9mm
watch crystal - 22x17mm
The watch is fully serviced, running well and keeps correct time.
I am a Gruen collector so this fits in perfectly with my Gruen collection.
Any other info would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Kyle
