A Day at La Montre Hermès in Bienne, Part I
When you first visit Bienne, some watch brands are impossible to miss. They are so to speak “in your face”, and that is a great part of the
The Watch Customer Experience in Bienne: Small Things Make a Big Difference
As you may know if you’ve been here before, I love buying pre-owned watches. The variety, the serendipity, and the story behind each piece are a lot more
Zooming in on the Captivating Horage Lensman 2
While my sister Jeanne is a photographer, I really know very little, actually close to nothing, about photography. The pictures I take for this blog hopefully get the
The Good Vibes at the Swatch Boutique in Bienne
The Swatch HQ boutique in Bienne is officially a Drive-Thru. You can come with your car, order via an intercom and collect your watch at the window a
Interview: Marc Montagne, Author of “Invest in Watches: the Art of Watch Collecting”
While Marc Montagne has become a close friend over the years, I am first and foremost a fan of his (although please don’t tell him). We met in
A Brief Introduction to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry
The trade organization that regulates Swiss Made-ness and preserves the interests of its member brands across the globe is located in Bienne, a 2 minute walk from the
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
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
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
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
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.
Why Bienne Can Be Considered the Capital of Swiss Watchmaking
Being the capital of Swiss watchmaking is a title that a few cities can legitimately claim. Geneva, of course, including its suburb Plan-les-Ouates, is home to Rolex and