Sometimes, It Feels Wrong to Publicize Bienne
Made in Bienne stemmed from a mix of candid enthusiasm and a sense of injustice. Injustice because when you talk to watch people around the globe, how many will answer Bienne, or Biel, when asked about the world capital of watchmaking? Geneva, primarily,
One Watch at a Time, Bienne Secretly Shines Around the World
What do Martin Luther King, JFK, the Dalai Lama, Meryl Streep and Neil Armstrong have in common? They notoriously spent some of the most important moments in their life with a watch made in Bienne around their wrist. Like millions of people over
At the Source: the One and Only Omega Boutique in Bienne
Friendly, relaxed and fun are usually not words associated with a luxury watch retail environment. Yet, they immediately come to mind whenever I step into the Omega headquarters boutique in Bienne. Don't get me wrong: none of the high endness you would expect
Watch Hunting: A Perpetual Quest
Earlier this week I polled on Instagram about what should be the next blog post and, by a very short margin, "Thoughts on watch hunting (why it never stops)" emerged as the winner. So here we go. The intense sensations in watch hunting
My Journey Writing a Novel About Watch Collecting
Earlier this year, I published an ebook about watch collecting (paper version coming in a few months). While watch-related books are not uncommon, the particularity here is that it’s fiction. The novel is about a watch collector, Herbert, who finds his grail watch
Alfio Pennisi, Luxury Watch Retail Made in Bienne
When walking in front of Jacques Tissot, on Bienne’s pedestrian Rue de Nidau, you could think for a moment you are strolling down the Champs-Elysées or 5th Avenue.
Charles-Louis Muri, 40 Years Selling Watches, from Bienne to the World
25 years ago today, Charles-Louis Muri opened his magnificent vintage watch and clock boutique, in the Bienne Old Town. 15 years before that, he had started his trade on the same street, Rue Basse, just a few meters away. Even if Mr Muri
Celebrating 40 Years of Swatch with the Author of “Stay Tuned To Swatch”
As Swatch's 40th birthday was approaching, I started to think of what to do on this blog. I knew I had to do something. I almost felt pressured to, with people asking me what I was planning. Of course, I didn't mind, on
A Week in the Pocket with the New Hamilton Railroad Watch
I usually don't write watch reviews on this blog for a number of reasons. The main one is that Made in Bienne is first and foremost about what's "behind the watch": the people, the places, the history. Today though, I'm making an exception.
JFK’s Inauguration Watch at the Omega Museum
When writing a new blog post, I always try to look for a catchy title. Not clickbait, of course, but something that briefly summarizes why, in my humble opinion, it’s worth taking a few minutes to read it. That usually implies correlating the
