THE HISTORY OF BEYER WATCHES & JEWELLERY
Patek Philippe ref. 3514 / Credit: Analog Shift
It is rare to find a business run by generations of the same family. And yet, the watch industry is still widely recognized as a family business, with examples of everything from retailers to watch brands being run by families for centuries. In general, the most recognizable families have been at the helm of watch brands, but there is also a select group of retailers, usually in each country, that have traditionally had a huge impact on the watch industry. It is hard to say which retailer is the greatest, but we can certainly say which one is the oldest; and perhaps the greatest.
Beyer Watches & Jewellery, as it is known today, was founded by Matthäus Beyer in the German city of Donaueschingen, in the Black Forest. However, historical documents note a watchmaker by the name of Beyer in business since 1760. Although the details of his dealings aren’t clear, this marks the official year with which Bayer denotes its foundation; making it the oldest watch retailer in the world.
Patek Philippe Nauitluses / Credit: SwissWatches Magazine
Matthäus Beyer’s grandson, Stephan, moved the firm to the Canton of Zurich in 1822. Stephan’s son finally moved to the city of Zurich where they eventually occupied the historic building on Bahnhofstrasse 31 in 1927. Today, Beyer is known for carrying Rolex and Patek Philippe, relationships that they have cultivated over generations, since the Beyers were friends with Hans Wildorf and the Stern family. This underscores the importance of the relationship between watch brand representatives and retailers, especially at a time when certain retailers were the only point of sale for high-end watches. Beyer’s relationship with Patek is said to go back to the 1880s, when a member of the Beyer family was an apprentice at Patek Philippe.
In 1996, René Beyer took over the company from his father, who was the seventh generation of the family leading the company. Part of his job also includes overseeing the Beyer Clock and Watch Museum, also located on Bahnhofstrasse 31, that houses one of the most important watch collections in the world, from 1400 BC onward.
By: Andres Ibarguen