This message has been edited by India Whiskey Charlie on 2026-04-01 18:42:52

I was just in the museum last year.  And have been on the Bahofstrasse many times.  Hoping things change for the better!

Change for the better?

The family build a legacy over centuries. One, most people thought would last another century.

Best, Emmanuel

Beyer is/was THE watch shop! 

Beyer was one of the first Swiss Ulysse Nardin AD after Rolf Schnyder acquired the company. I was privileged to have dinner with both gentlemen about 20 years ago. I last saw Mr Beyer three years ago when I took my younger daughter to Switzerland. He was already frail back then and we visited him at his house. Mr Beyer was very excited that younger generation is interested in horology. He asked about our visits to Schaffhausen and Biel and what is my daughter what is her favorite watch brand. When she said that it is Alain Silberstein, he got very excited, disappeared for a minute and brought my daughter small Silbertein watch as a gift. She is still talking about "nice old Swiss guy" .

This message has been edited by India Whiskey Charlie on 2026-04-02 22:40:08

will leave the Beyer Museum as is, and change nothing there (except improvement).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5BZzSYN6ug

Visited the museum many years ago. Very impressive

I owned many Rolex watches and had no idea what sort of service a Patek sale involved.  They set the gold standard in customer service, that sadly I have not experienced during other purchases elsewhere.

Mr Beyer seemed like the old school where honour, respect and real watchmaking mattered. I have sadly never met him personally but I have visited this shop and it’s museum several times. The service was excellent and the staff had time for a chat. They were clearly knowledgeable. Last time I was wearing my Chronometre Souverain and the salesman who was also trained as a watchmaker spend 30 minutes playing with it and explaining to me why he loved the construction of the movement. I wonder if we will ever see this quality of retail again. Will the pendulum swing back? If so, the Beyer store and museum would be the benchmark.

The Beyer family built something extraordinary over two and a half centuries. Their museum alone is a testament to their passion for horology and their dedication to preserving its history. That storefront on Bahnhofstrasse was more than a shop. It was an institution.

I sincerely hope Patek will honor that legacy and keep the museum intact. The watch world needs these touchstones to the past.

And MrkK, what a beautiful memory with Herr Beyer and your daughter. That generosity of spirit... that is what our community is built on. Thank you for sharing it.

Bill