Rolex will soon lose one of its closest partners, Beyer Chronometrie. The Zurich retailer, in business for 266 years, is being sold to Patek Philippe following the death last year of René Beyer, the eighth generation of the family-run boutique founded in 1760. Beyer’s ties to Patek date to 1842, making it one of the longest relationships in the watch retail industry. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung was first to report the news.
Widely regarded as the world’s oldest authorized watch and jewelry retailer, Beyer has worked closely with Rolex since 1932. In the 1950s, founder Hans Wilsdorf gifted a yellow-gold Day-Date to René Beyer’s grandfather in recognition of his support. For Beyer’s 250th anniversary in 2010, Rolex created a special platinum Day-Date sold exclusively through the store. René Beyer died unexpectedly in April 2025; neither he nor his sister, Muriel Zahn-Beyer, had heirs.
Rolex could have been a buyer but is unlikely to pursue the deal after acquiring Bucherer, which already operates on Bahnhofstrasse. Chief executive Jean-Frédéric Dufour has said the company does not plan further retail acquisitions.
Patek Philippe will secure a prime location on the famous Bahnhofstrasse when the deal closes in about nine months, acquiring a three-floor boutique — which includes a museum whose collection will remain with the Beyer family.