Adriatica
Encyclopedia
Adria and Adriatica are parent Swiss Watch Brands specialised in making quality watches at affordable prices for the Eastern European Markets.
city of Atria
or (Adria
) that also gave its name at a much earlier period to the Adriatic Sea
. It has not yet been clearly established as from when the company started dedicating the names of their watches to that enchanted area, but it is generally admitted that it was at some time earlier than 1931.
period through the Montilier Watch Co, established in 1852 in Montilier, close to Morat
/ Murten
, at the foot of the Watch Valley
, Switzerland. During and after World War II the brands remained dormant until 1949.
& Basel
, took over the manufacturing and marketing of Adria and Adriatica watches in partnership, designing mainly classical round pink gold-plated ladies’ and some gents' models, with the adjunction of a special model called "Adriatica World Champion".
Both brands, especially Adriatica, flourished in the Scandinavian countries, especially in Finland
. Adriatica watches started being increasingly imported discreetly into Poland
by seafaring people and distributed there and in many of the other, then “communist” countries, building the base of today’s distribution of the brand in the Eastern part of Europe.
Since the beginning exclusively Swiss Made
, Adriatica watches have been since 1998 manufactured in their own watch company, PR & A Watch Sagl, in Dongio
, in the watch making area of Ticino
, the Italian speaking part of Switzerland
.
Adriatica is a full fledged member of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry FH
.
Origin
The name originates from the EtruscanEtruscan civilization
Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to a civilization of ancient Italy in the area corresponding roughly to Tuscany. The ancient Romans called its creators the Tusci or Etrusci...
city of Atria
Atria
Atria may refer to:*Atrium , an anatomical structure of the heart*Atrium , a large open space within a building*Atria or Alpha Trianguli Australis, a star in the constellation Triangulum Australe...
or (Adria
Adria
Adria is a town and comune in the province of Rovigo in the Veneto region of Northern Italy, situated between the mouths of the rivers Adige and Po....
) that also gave its name at a much earlier period to the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
. It has not yet been clearly established as from when the company started dedicating the names of their watches to that enchanted area, but it is generally admitted that it was at some time earlier than 1931.
History
The History of Adria & Adriatica as watch trade marks for Swiss Watches is closely associated with the Belle EpoqueBelle Époque
The Belle Époque or La Belle Époque was a period in European social history that began during the late 19th century and lasted until World War I. Occurring during the era of the French Third Republic and the German Empire, it was a period characterised by optimism and new technological and medical...
period through the Montilier Watch Co, established in 1852 in Montilier, close to Morat
Morat
Morat can refer to:* a type of mead made from honey and mulberries* Rose Morat of New York City, the victim of a high profile muggingIt is also the name given to:* the town of Morat, also known as Murten, in Switzerland...
/ Murten
Murten
Murten is a municipality in the See district of the canton of Fribourg in Switzerland.It is located on the southern shores of Lake Morat. Morat is situated between Bern and Lausanne and is the capital of the Lake District of the canton of Fribourg....
, at the foot of the Watch Valley
Watch Valley
The "Watch Valley" covers all the Swiss Jurassic Arc, from Geneva to Basel, and is the primary location of the Swiss watch-making industry.Beginning initially in 15th century Geneva, the cradle of the European time keeping industry, and spreading north east through the Jura Mountains, the great...
, Switzerland. During and after World War II the brands remained dormant until 1949.
Yesterday
As from 1962, two associated watch companies, established in Biel/BienneBiel/Bienne
Biel/Bienne is a city in the district of the Biel/Bienne administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.It is located on the language boundary and is throughout bilingual. Biel is the German name for the town, Bienne its French counterpart. The town is often referred to in both...
& Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, took over the manufacturing and marketing of Adria and Adriatica watches in partnership, designing mainly classical round pink gold-plated ladies’ and some gents' models, with the adjunction of a special model called "Adriatica World Champion".
Both brands, especially Adriatica, flourished in the Scandinavian countries, especially in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. Adriatica watches started being increasingly imported discreetly into Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
by seafaring people and distributed there and in many of the other, then “communist” countries, building the base of today’s distribution of the brand in the Eastern part of Europe.
Nowadays
Hence, in 1989, foreseeing the opening of trade, today's owning family decided to take over the brands and develop them as manufacturers and distributors.Since the beginning exclusively Swiss Made
Swiss Made
Swiss Made is a label used to indicate that a product was made in Switzerland.-Overview:The wording was formally adopted in the late 19th century and is unique in that most other countries use the phrase "Made in ". The most obvious place where the label is found is on Swiss watches...
, Adriatica watches have been since 1998 manufactured in their own watch company, PR & A Watch Sagl, in Dongio
Dongio
Dongio is a village and former municipality in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland.It was first recorded in year 1188 as Deuci.The municipality also contained the villages Marogno and Motto. It had 532 inhabitants in 1682, which decreased to 391 in 1808...
, in the watch making area of Ticino
Ticino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
, the Italian speaking part of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Adriatica is a full fledged member of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry FH
Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry FH
The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry FH is the Swiss watch industry's leading trade association.-History:...
.