The Saastad family history began in 1909 in a small village called Otta, located 300 km north of Oslo. Alf Saastad was born that year and thus the destiny of the Saastad family began its gradual rise to prominence.

Alf was trained by his brother- watchmaker, the highly skilled and qualified Gunvald Saastad. After the First World War in 1927, Alf moved to Porsgrunn, where he began working in a watch store.

In 1936, one hundred years after the founding of Alf Lie by Michel Paulsen, Alf Saastad launched his own company, Alf Saastad AS, specializing in watch repairs.

During the year 1944, the arrival of Øyvind Saastad in the family made his father very proud, as also the continuation of the family tradition was also now already assured.

Øyvind began his training as a watchmaker under the exacting eye of his father, and then received his craft certificate of professional competence in 1969.

‍Heritage preserved
The company slowly expanded and moved its establishment to the present location at Storgaten 98 in Porsgrunn. In 1970, Øyvind assumed the management of the company Alf Saastad AS, and Alf
Saastad passed away in 1974.

Since 1974, Øyvind developed the business in Norway as a watchmaker specializing in the sale and repair of watches. The company has an exceptional following, and has exhibited steady growth, and today, it is one of the major dealers for many brands of prestige.
In 1985, Ø. Saastad AS applied for a Rolex distribution license. A high-quality watchmaking reputation with a solid business profile has made the company, Ø. Saastad AS, one of the most well- respected watchmaking establishments in the region.

All current members of the Saastad Family, Aina, Cathrine, Alf-Andre and Espen contributed to the development of the company in Porsgrunn.

The families Saastad and Lie share the same passion for fine watches. In 1998, Øyvind and Espen went to visit Alf Lie AS. During several meetings, they talked about the future of the Alf Lie business as the two companies had the same tradition of and respect for high-end watchmaking.

During the year 2000, Øyvind Saastad was asked to assume the management of Alf Lie AS due to the previous owner’s advanced age. Øyvind Saastad and
his family believed that Alf Lie AS had historic qualities and advantages which would make the merger of both family businesses a logical next-step, and the Saastad family decided to accept the offer. A few years later, the Alf Lie boutique in Oslo was substantially renovated, resulting in a highly attractive retail setting, still located at Prinsensgate 22 in Oslo.

The vision of the future
Espen was born in 1968 in Porsgrunn. Since the age of 5 years, Espen was regularly exposed to the trade of watchmaking and long explored the possibility of following in the footsteps of his forebears. For several years, he was trained in the company of his father Øyvind in Porsgrunn. Then in 2001, he was certified as watchmaker and expert, with a specialization in the rigorous art of fine watch appraisal.

Today, Espen has become the leader in his family’s long watchmaking tradition, and its bright future. As he himself is a third-generation watchmaker, he assumed the general management of the company Alf Lie in 2007, after having worked in Porsgrunn since 1987.

After two years of exciting research and development devoted to the future of the brand Alf Lie, Espen decides to launch the new model AL01 of the Collection ”Grand Nor” in December 2009.