Today, we are trying out something new. And make recommendations for vacation destinations. But not any vacation destination. Only for the die hard watch lover. These are destinations which we are intimately familiar with.
Of course, as some of you have probably been to some…so if you have, let us know which you have been to. Or if you are die hard like us, you have been to all.
Six vacation destinations for the die hard watch lover
Our list starts in Switzerland. Where else, but the mecca of watchmaking. As arrivals from international destinations will either be Zurich or Geneva, the Swiss trips will invariably begin with either city. Geneva is particularly interesting for the watch lover. Our recommendation is if you have one day to transit to the mountains, where the watchmaking happens, to make just two visits. First is the Patek Philippe Museum. This is a must visit as the museum has a magnificent collection of watches, not only from Patek Philippe, but all brands. Insider tip: get your local Patek AD to get you the entry ticket. But don’t worry if you don’t score a free ticket. Entry is only CHF 10 a person. The second side trip is to take a stroll along rue de Rhône, and browse the watch boutiques that line the street. And if you fancy, get a table at the F.P.Journe Restaurant for some delightful French food. But you will need a reservation in advance. Their lunch menu is excellent and reasonably priced for a one Michelin star establishment in Geneva. Then it is time to get serious and head for the mountains.
First stop, Neuchâtel.
Neuchâtel
To reach Neuchâtel, take a SBB train from the Geneva main station at Cornavin. The city is only 1hr30m via the IR non-stop service. Alternatively, it is 1hr30m by train or 2hr by car from Zurich.
Neuchâtel is an excellent base to explore the Swiss Jura, which is home to many of the watchmaking houses. Our recommendation is to stay at the Beaulac, right by the lake in the city, or if you prefer a more luxurious accommodation, the incomparable Palafite is about 6 minutes by car away.
If you choose to stay at Beaulac, the Museum of Art and History is just next to the hotel, or 6 minutes by car or 15 minutes by bicycle. The museum houses the android automatas of Jaquet Droz, which is quite fascinating to see the mechanical marvels.
Ba111od is located within the city of Neuchâtel, and is worth a visit. HYT is also in the city, and worth a visit. Also Haute-Rive is also along the banks of the lake.
From the base in Neuchâtel, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Le Locle, Fleurier and Biel / Biene is within convenient reach.
La Chaux-de-Fonds / Le Locle
La Chaux-de-Fonds is about 30 minutes by car or 50 minutes by train from Neuchátel. Watchmaking began in La Chaux-de-Fonds with Daniel JeanRichard, a native of Les Bressel, a hamlet half way between La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle. He was largely responsible for bringing watchmaking to the Swiss Jura.
Today, the La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle, then two villages, have grown, and almost merge with each other. Girard-Perregaux is perhaps the most prominent manufacturer in the city. And the independent manufacture of Czapek is also in the city, and worth a visit, especially if you own one of their watches. And nearby in Le Locle, we have Ulysse Nardin, Greubel Forsey, Zenith, Jaquet Droz, Chronode, Donzé as well as many others. This is a twin city rich in the history of watchmaking.
A little further up north, we find Rudis Sylva in the village of Les Bois, as well as the massive Bvlgari facility in Saignelégier.
Fleurier
From La Chaux-de-Fonds, Fleurier is just 35 minutes by car or 1 hour by train away. And in here, we find the home of Chopard, Parmigiani Fleurier, Vaucher, Bovet and Atelier Kari Voutilainen. Fleurier is a municipality of Neuchâtel. All the manufactures are within a short distance from each other, including Bovet which is in the nearby village of Môtiers.
Biel / Biene
Also about 30 minutes by train or the same by car, is the city of Biel Biene. Here we have the manufacture of Omega. And if you are in the area, the Omega Museum is a must-visit. Admissions are free, but tickets are mandatory. And while there, Planet Swatch, another Swatch Group museum is housed in the same building, and is worth a visit.
Also in Biel / Biene, we find the manufacture of Armin Strom and the new Urban Jurgensen.
Valée de Joux
The Valée de Joux is another hub of traditional Swiss watchmaking. Located 1 hour by car and 2 hours by train from Geneva, the Valée is home to many watchmakers. The villages where there is high watchmaking activity are in Les Brassus (Audemars Piguet, Breguet), Le Chenit (Blancpain), Le Sentier (Jaeger-LeCoultre), Le Soliat (Philippe Dufour and David Candaux). Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin also have facilities around the Lac de Joux, where the valley is situated. All these villages are within a few kilometers of each other, and making a round trip, even on bicycle is do-able.
An interesting visit is the Espace Horloger in Le Chenit is worth a visit. Also the Audemars Piguet Museum in Les Brassus makes a nice side tour.
Hôtel Bellevue Le Rocharay. Photographed May 2006.
Recommendation for place to stay in valley is either Bellevue Le Rocheray in Le Sentier or Hotel des Horlogers in Les Brassus (right next to Audemars Piguet).
Schaffhausen
Off in a totally different direction, and easy access from Zurich is the center of the German speaking watchmaking part of Switzerland. Schaffhausen is home to IWC and H. Moser and sister company Hautlence. Both are interesting visits, as well as to sight see at the Rhine Falls. Schaffhausen is also accessible by car (3hr15m) or by Swiss Rail (SBB takes 4 hours).
Along the way, you can stop by the atelier of Andreas Strehler in Sirnach.
Bonus: Dresden / Glashütte
As a bonus, we give you number 7. Especially if you have interest in German watchmaking, a tour of Saxony will be a treat. You can reach the city by air from Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich or Geneva. The city of Dresden is remarkably beautiful, with its magnificent architecture along the banks of the river Elbe. This is a historical city with importance to German watchmaking. While there, do visit the Mathematisch Physikalischer Salon at the Zwinger Museum is the order of the day. There you can discover the Saxon tradition and fascination with watches, and the history of Guetkaes and Ferdinand Aldolphe Lange. The rest of the Zwinger also makes an interesting visit for the works of the Old Masters as well as one of the largest china porcelain collections in the world. The Grünes Gewölbe at the Taschenberg Palace, just across the street is also a must visit to view the treasures of August the Strong.
In Dresden, we have Lang & Heyne and Kudoke, but the real heart of German watchmaking is in the city of Glashütte, some 30km away. In this little town, lies A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte Original, Nomos, Tutima, and Moritz Grossmann; amongst other smaller manufacturers. The Deutscheuhren Museum is also in Glashütte and worth a visit.
There are many excellent accommodation options in Dresden. And we do not recommend that you stay in Glashütte.
Concluding notes
We highly recommend planning your itinerary in advance. All the watch manufacturers require that you book your visit before arrival. And then, some may still decline. Though this is a great marketing exercise for the maisons, it is also a disruption to their work flow.
Getting around. Taxis are very expensive in Switzerland and Uber is available. And the SBB train system is fairly convenient. However, we recommend that you consider renting a car from the airport of your arrival. This makes it much easier to get around and to get to restaurants.
Final word of advice: the best time to visit is immediately after Watches & Wonders. The weather is milder as it is entering spring. Swiss weather, especially up in the mountains, can be very cold in the winter. And rather stifling and warm in the summer. The weather in Saxony is not much different either. But in spring, after big show is over, and a big weight has been lifted off the shoulders of the watch manufactures. So they tend to be a bit more relaxed. Don’t visit in the July/August or Christmas season, as most of the manufacturers are closed. Good luck!
