"The tools we use, shape our experience of the world."

Founded in 1918 in Ballaigues, Pignons SA built its reputation as a master supplier of micromechanical parts for Swiss watchmaking. As the parent company of ALPA, Pignons carried its expertise in precision mechanics into a new realm when the Great Depression forced diversification. Cameras, with their finely tuned shutters, were a natural step: watches measure time, cameras preserve it.

Pignons commissioned engineer Jacques Bolsey, creator of the legendary Bolex film camera, to design a still camera. The foundation of the ALPA Reflex. In 1946, ALPA was registered as a trademark, marking the beginning of a new chapter.

From the outset, ALPA cameras stood apart: assembled like timepieces, built for durability and clarity. Devoted to refinement and excellence, ALPA continues to embody the same watchmaker’s mindset today: precision not as a claim, but as a standard.