Obituary: René Beyer, Owner of the World’s Oldest Watch Store
René Beyer, the eighth-generation owner of Beyer Chronometrie in Zurich, died suddenly on April 13, 2025, at the age of 61. Beyer was a towering figure in Swiss watchmaking circles, known not only for helming his family’s 260-year-old business, but also for his passionate stewardship of its famed clock and watch museum, his warm ties with independent watchmakers, and his family’s close relationship with Patek Philippe. He is survived by his wife. Beyer’s passing was first reported by Zurich newspaper Inside Paradeplatz. Born in 1963 into the Beyer dynasty that began in Germany in 1760, Beyer grew up surrounded by clocks and watches. Like his father, Theodor “Teddy” René Beyer, he qualified as a watchmaker himself, learning the business from the ground up. Beyer’s role in the family business started in 1986 when his father suffered a heart attack and was forced to step back. A decade later, Beyer had formally taken over as managing director and proprietor of Beyer Chronometrie, becoming the eighth generation to run the venerable retailer, which first opened in Zurich in 1822. Unlike many of its peers that expanded nationally and internationally, the business remained a local operation in Zurich. Like many watch retailers of the old-school, Beyer was synonymous with his store. The store on Bahnhofstrasse, the main shopping street of Zurich A retailer and curator During his nearly three decades at the helm, Beyer carried on his father’s legacy and bol...
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