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MANERO Tourbillon 

N o 8 

BY CARL F. BUCHERER

The year 1888 is an extraordinary one. It is a year of change, upheaval 

and transformation. It is also the beginning of a new era in Swiss 

watch history: in Lucerne’s Falkenplatz, Carl Friedrich Bucherer 

and his wife, Luise, open the first store under the name Bucherer. 

Bucherer gets his financial stability and unique sense of aesthetics 

from his father, who had already opened his own toy store in Basel. 

It is not yet clear where the new enterprise will lead, what story it 

will tell and what milestones will be achieved, but the artistic talents 

of Carl Friedrich Bucherer and the bold entrepreneurial spirit of his 

wife, Luise, give them reason to look optimistically into the future. 

Carl Bucherer announces 

the opening of his son’s business 

in the Lucerne daily newspaper. 

Carl Friedrich Bucherer 

opens the first Bucherer 

shop on Falkenplatz. 

Richard Wagner Weg is a 

street named after the German 

composer who lived for six years 

in the Tribschener Landhaus 

(right) on the lake of Lucerne. 

A look at the Bucherer 

cash ledger from the first 

few months after its opening. 

A view of the lake of Lucerne 

from the train station. 

The Chapel Bridge is the city’s most 

recognizable icon. Over 200 meters 

in length, it is the oldest and longest 

covered wooden bridge in Europe. 

The year 1888 is part of a decade that 

promises upheaval and paves the way 

for the “fin de siècle”. The period between 

1885 and 1914 is considered 

by many to be the end of the “world 

of yesterday” and the beginning of the 

modern era. Grandiose ambitions and 

gilded decadence define the mindset of 

the times while technical accomplishments, 

designs and inventions are the 

driving forces of a dynamic epoch. Examples 

of this spirit include the Eiffel 

Tower (1887-1889), a structure that 

was meant to be torn down 20 years 

after its completion but which established 

itself in 1900 at the World’s 

Fair as a permanent icon of the French 

capital. Automobile history is written 

by Bertha Benz as she takes the first 

overland journey in a car with her two 

children. On August 5, 1888, she drives 

with her husband Carl’s motorcar from 

Mannheim to Pforzheim - without him 

knowing. One other journey is etched 

into the collective memory as well: 

On August 17, 1888, the 

Pilatus railway successfully 

makes its first run 

up to Lucerne’s Mount 

Pilatus - the incline is 

48 per cent, making it the 

steepest cog railway in the 

world. In the political arena, 

1888 goes down in German 

history as the “Year of the 

Three Emperors”. Within just 

three months, three generations 

of monarchs reign over 

the German Empire. 

The political landscape in Switzerland 

is also in a state of flux. On October 

21, 1888, the Swiss Labor Convention 

founds the Social Democratic Party of 

Switzerland. On the other side of the 

Atlantic, Benjamin Harrison becomes 

the 23rd president of the United States. 

Sporting history is written by Scotsman 

William McGregor in England when he 

founds the world’s first professional 

soccer league: “The Football League”. 

Literature and art flourish in the 1880s 

like never before. Vincent van Gogh’s 

famous Sunflowers first grace the canvas 

in August of 1888. After opening its 

doors in 1881, the Moulin Rouge intoxicates 

Paris with its opulent decadence. 

Extravagance has also returned to the 

world of fashion. The Polonaise style is 

rediscovered, this time featuring a wavy 

folded overskirt and playful details such 

as ribbons, bows and ruffles. 

125 Years’ Swiss History of Time 

INSIGHT Nº8 

1888 

1888 

A vision becomes reality 

Impressions 

of Lucerne 

12 . 125 Years’ Swiss History of Time 

8. 13 

4 

28 

14 

18 

26 

3 EDITORIAL: 

Sascha Moeri, CEO 

Bucherer Montres S.A. 

18 PREVIEW: 

Q&A with 

Arnold Schwarzenegger 

Impressum 

INSIGHT by Carl F. Bucherer 

Issue 8 | November 2013 

2 – INSIGHT BY CARL F. BUCHERER Nº8 

4 FEATURE STORY: 

Manero Tourbillon 

8 125 YEARS 

SWISS HISTORY OF TIME: 

Book around the World 

14 A VISIT TO: 

Bucherer Paris 

22 CATCHING UP WITH: 

Pirmin Schwegler 

and Murat Yakin 

26 SPONSORSHIP: 

The pace of things in 

Sainte-Croix 

28 COLLECTION: 

Alacria collection 

31 VIEWPOINT: 

Sustainable luxury for 

tomorrow’s world 

Published by 

Carl F. Bucherer 

a brand of Bucherer Montres S.A. 

Langensandstrasse 27 

CH-6002 Luzern 

Tel. +41 41 369 70 70 

Fax +41 41 369 70 72 

insight@carl-f-bucherer.com 

www.carl-f-bucherer.com 

Project management and 

Editorial Team 

Bucherer Montres S.A., Luzern 

Convensis Group, Stuttgart 

Art Direction 

Kerstin Vorwalter, Ulm

EDITORIAL 

Dear Reader, 

It was Democritus who wrote that a life without festivity was like 

a long journey without an inn. Our jubilee book “125 Years – Swiss 

History of Time” certainly has a long journey behind it. We sent 

this historic volume out to destinations all over the world and, 

exactly 125 years to the day after Carl Friedrich Bucherer opened his 

first store in Lucerne, presented it to friends, colleagues and longstanding 

supporters of the brand. One of the best ways to mark the 

jubilee was probably the opening of the new branch of Bucherer in 

Paris. As the biggest watch and jewelry store in the world, it presents 

a choice selection of diamonds, gemstones and outstanding examples 

of watchmaking on over 2000 sq.m of floor space at the Boulevard 

des Capucines. We visited Nathalie Celia, General Manager of 

Bucherer’s new branch, in Paris and talked with her about the store 

concept, about time in general and about her passion for arts and 

crafts. 

A passion for craft and the art of watchmaking is reflected in the 

timepieces in the Alacria line. These exclusive models combine extraordinary 

jewelry-making skills with distinctly feminine elegance to 

create genuine masterpieces. In this issue, we present these fabulous 

wristwatches in all their dazzling variety. One of the greatest 

achievements in the art of watchmaking is the complication known 

as the tourbillon. Making this complex mechanism calls for infinite 

expertise, and only a few watchmakers worldwide possess the skill 

required to create the ‘whirlwind’ at the highest possible level. For 

the first time ever in the history of the company, Carl F. Bucherer 

presents a timepiece with an integrated tourbillon. It gives me 

enormous pleasure that we have been able to launch this extraordinary 

model in Bucherer’s jubilee year. It is another gift to a House 

steeped in tradition. 

An institution with a tradition almost exactly as long as Bucherer’s 

is FC Basel. Murat Yakin, the football team’s manager, has done 

much to make it so popular and successful. We met up to talk to him 

and Pirmin Schwegler, Swiss national team player and captain of 

Eintracht Frankfurt, where we discovered that the two “Friends of 

the Brand” are moved by concerns other than football. 

I wish you inspired and exciting reading. 

Sincerely, 

Sascha Moeri, 

CEO Bucherer Montres S.A. 

INSIGHT BY CARL F. BUCHERER Nº8 – 3

FEATURE STORY 

Manero Tourbillon Limited Edition 

The craft of 

watchmaking 

at its most consummate 

It is like climbing Mount Everest: an impressive 

achievement that calls for courage, 

stamina and unwavering self-belief. A strong 

will and no fear of setbacks help us to overcome 

all the hindrances and obstacles on the 

way to the goal. In view of its complexity 

and mechanical sophistication, the tourbillon 

is considered to be one of the most daunting 

challenges and the supreme discipline in the 

art of watchmaking: a little like conquering 

the world’s highest mountain. For the first 

time ever, Swiss watch manufacturer Carl F. 

Bucherer presents this complication in a 

model from the Manero line. And, with it, 

underscores its expertise and craftsmanship 

at the very highest level. 

The history of the tourbillon stretches back 

all the way to the 18th century, when the 

mechanism was first invented. Its manufacture 

poses enormous technical challenges. 

For this reason, only very few watchmakers 

worldwide are able to produce the complication 

to the highest possible quality standards. 

For all devotees of this tour de force of 

traditional watchmaking, Carl F. Bucherer 

presents the new Manero Tourbillon 

Limited Edition. The tourbillon’s job is to 

compensate for the errors in the rate of a 

mechanical watch caused by gravity. Because 

as a result of the watch’s different positions, 

gravity acts upon the balance and influences 

the speed at which it moves. In order to 

minimize these errors, a rotating cage was 

invented to contain the balance. The arrangement 

allowed the balance and the escapement 

to rotate around themselves. This way, 

they are independent of the position of the 

watch. 

INTEGRATING THE 

SUPREME DISCIPLINE 

For the first time ever, the Manero Tourbillon 

Limited Edition brings together the classic 

elegance of the Manero line with a tour de 

force in the shape of the tourbillon. The 

perforations in the dial at 6 o’clock provide 

4 – INSIGHT BY CARL F. BUCHERER Nº8


FEATURE STORY 

a view of the fascinating mechanism within. 

Delicate, and beautifully constructed, the 

impressive complication is a construction 

of the very finest quality. The Manero 

Tourbillon also comes with a host of other 

special features. The date, for instance, is 

shown by a central hand. In order to ensure 

that the figures are readily legible when 

glancing quickly at the watch, the numerals 

on the date scale change direction at 3 and 9. 

Another unusual feature of the Manero 

Tourbillon Limited Edition is the aboveaverage 

power reserve of 70 hours. The energy 

remaining can be read off on the power 

reserve display at 9 o’clock. The magnificent 

dial is completed by a 24-hour display at 12 

o’clock. 

NEATLY ORGANIZED 

AND ELEGANT 

Despite the numerous functions and displays, 

Carl F. Bucherer spared no effort to 

ensure that the Manero Tourbillon Limited 

Edition offers maximum legibility. It was a 

challenge the designers overcame by making 

the dial as spacious as possible and integrating 

several different levels. The eye-catchingly 

positioned, wedge-shaped hour indices and 

typically bold Carl F. Bucherer script and 

numerals, combined with hour and minute 

hands that taper to a point, give the traditional 

tourbillon a contemporary touch. The 

luxuriously elegant styling is taken up in the 

case, which is made of precious rose gold. 

THE VERDICT: 

EXTRAORDINARILY VALUABLE 

The exclusiveness of the Manero Tourbillon 

Limited Edition is underscored not least by 

the fact, as its name suggests, that it is strictly 

limited: a mere 188 examples of this prestigious 

timepiece will be available worldwide. 

In this new model from the Manero collection, 

Carl F. Bucherer has produced a watch 

destined to send connoisseurs into raptures, 

especially those who attach value to traditional 

watchmaking expertise and maximum 

functionality in a classic and yet impressive 

case. A watch whose design, both inside and 

out, integrates a great deal of strength, 

stamina and attention to detail. As a result, 

the Manero Tourbillon Limited Edition is 

a model that is more than worthy of being 

called an extraordinarily valuable timepiece. 

It is an achievement of the highest order. In 

every sense. 




Richard Wagner Weg is a 

street named after the German 

composer who lived for six years 

in the Tribschener Landhaus 

(right) on the lake of Lucerne. 

the opening of his son’s business 

in the Lucerne daily newspaper. 

Carl Friedrich Bucherer 

opens the first Bucherer 

shop on Falkenplatz. 

A view of the lake of Lucerne 

from the train station. 

The Chapel Bridge is the city’s most 

recognizable icon. Over 200 meters 

in length, it is the oldest and longest 

covered wooden bridge in Europe. 

A look a the Bucherer 

cash ledger from the first 

few months after its opening. 

The year 1888 is part of a decade that 

21, 1888, the Swiss Labor Convention 

founds the Social Democratic Party of 

by many to be the end of the “world Switzerland. On the other side of the 

of yesterday” and the beginning of the Atlantic, Benjamin Harrison becomes 

modern era. Grandiose ambitions and the 23rd president of the United States. 

gilded decadence define the mindset of Sporting history is wri ten by Scotsman 

the times while technical accomplishments, 

designs and inventions are the founds the world’s first professional 

Wi liam McGregor in England when he 

driving forces of a dynamic epoch. Examples 

of this spirit include the Ei fel Literature and art flourish in the 1880s 

soccer league: “The Footba l League”. 

Tower (1887-1889), a structure that like never before. Vincent van Gogh’s 

was meant to be torn down 20 years famous Sunflowers first grace the canvas 

in August of 1888. After opening its 

after its completion but which established 

itself in 1900 at the World’s doors in 1881, the Moulin Rouge intoxicates 

Paris with its opulent decadence. 

Fair as a permanent icon of the French 

capital. Automobile history is wri ten Extravagance has also returned to the 

by Bertha Benz as she takes the first world o fashion. The Polonaise style is 

overland journey in a car wit her two rediscovered, this time featuring a wavy 

children. On August 5, 1888, she drives folded overskirt and playful details such 

wit her husband Carl’s motorcar from as ribbons, bows and ruffles. 

Mannheim to Pforzheim - without him 

knowing. One other journey is etched 

into the collective memory as well: 

On August 17, 1888, the 

Pilatus railway successfu 

ly makes its first run 

up to Lucerne’s Mount 

Pilatus - the incline is 

48 per cent, making it the 

steepest cog railway in the 

world. In the political arena, 

1888 goes down in German 

history as the “Year of the 

Three Emperors”. Within just 

three months, three generations 

of monarchs reign over 

the German Empire. 

125 YEARS SWISS HISTORY OF TIME 

Book around 

the World 

When Carl Friedrich Bucherer opened his 

first watch and jewelry store in Lucerne on 

July 17, 1888, he laid the cornerstone of an 

unusual Swiss history of time. Precisely 125 

years later, on July 17, 2013, this impressive 

history embarked on a journey around the 

world. In countries in every corner of the 

globe, we took great pleasure in presenting 

our jubilee volume, “125 Years – Swiss 

History of Time” to special friends and 

supporters of the brand. The book juxtaposes 

the story of the House of Bucherer with the 

history of watch and jewelry making during 

that period to create a proud legacy that is 

also an incentive: it is a success story that 

yearns to go on being told. 

THE JUBILEE 

It is now 125 years since Carl Friedrich 

Bucherer opened his first watch and jewelry 

store under the Bucherer name at Falkenplatz 

in Lucerne. His two sons, Ernst and 

Carl Eduard Bucherer, likewise pursued their 

father’s vision. In Berlin, they founded a 

jewelry making workshop whose clientele 

included the Kaiser himself. With the launch 

of the first ladies’ watch collection in 1919, 

the two brothers erected yet another milestone 

in the history of the House. From then 

on, the company created timepieces that, in 

their own unique way, have fused jewelry 

making with the watchmaker’s craft to this 

day. This has remained Bucherer’s recipe for 

success down to the present. In the 1970s, 

Jörg G. Bucherer took over at the helm and 

became the third generation of the family to 

oversee the company’s fortunes. 


125 Years‘ Swiss History of Time 

1888 

A vision becomes reality 

1888 

. 9 

125 Years‘ Years’ Swiss History of Time . 9 

Carl Bucherer announces 

The year 1888 is an extraordinary one. It is a year of change, upheav- 

al and transformation. It is also the beginning of a new era in Swiss 

watch history: in Lucerne’s Falkenplatz, Carl Friedrich Bucherer 

and his wife, Luise, open the first store under the name Bucherer. 

Bucherer gets his financial stability and unique sense of aesthetics 

from his father, who had already opened his own toy store in Basel. 

It is not yet clear where the new enterprise wi l lead, what story it 

wi l tell and what milestones wi l be achieved, but the artistic talents 

of Carl Friedrich Bucherer and the bold entrepreneurial spirit of his 

wife, Luise, give them reason to look optimistica ly into the future. 

Impressions 

of Lucerne 

promises upheaval and paves the way 

for the “fin de siècle”. The period between 

1885 and 1914 is considered 

The political landscape in Switzerland 

is also in a state of flux. On October 

125_CFB_CoverEinzeln.indd 1 27.09.13 14:11 



. 13

In 1899, Wilhelmina sees the light of day for the firs time. As the 

daughter of the Heeb embroidery manufacturing family in Appenze 

l, she grows up amids the finest fabrics and lace and develops 

an early fascination for luxurious materials. The Heeb family’s 

embroidery is in demand in many countries and is also made to 

order for Paris’ haute couture set. Wilhelmina develops into a very 

worldly woman who can quickly win people over with her charming 

ways. Carl Eduard Bucherer grows fond of the young woman and 

soon asks her for her hand in marriage. The wedding takes place 

in 1921. Soon after, the young couple moves to Santiago de Chile 

and builds a watch and jewelry business in this heavily immigrantinfluenced 

city. 

The success of Bucherer’s South American business is very much 

a result of Wilhelmina’s efforts as well: Every summer she makes 

the long trip back to Switzerland to purchase new watches and 

jewelry for the Chilean market. She of course uses those summer 

months to visi the family in Switzerland. She stands by her father 

a the embroidery factory and helps her father-in-law Carl Friedrich 

Bucherer in the Lucerne store. As she embarks in fall 1927 from 


Genoa to Buenos Aires, her bags are fi led with Swiss watches and 

jewelry pieces, as always. But the journey aboard the “Principessa 

Mafalda” takes a tragic turn: A prope ler shaft on the ship breaks, 

water infiltrates the machine room and a boiler explodes. Panic 

breaks out on board the ship. Though the sea is calm and a number 

of ships are already en route to save the damaged vessel, the ship 

sinks four hours after the panic breaks out and 314 people go down 

with it. One of them is Wilhelmina. It is the worst maritime tragedy 

in Brazilian coastal history. Wilhelmina Bucherer-Heeb is never 

found. Even the wreck of the “Principessa Mafalda” has never been 

discovered. On the ocean floor, with the ship’s remains, are also 

the remains of Wilhelmina’s procurements for the shop in Santiago. 

Among the valuable watches and jewelry pieces from Switzerland 

that were in the ship’s safe is Wilhelmina’s own watch, one of the 

first Bucherer wristwatches for women in the world: a diamondstudded 

masterpiece in art deco style. 

In memory of Wilhelmina in 2005, Carl F. Bucherer produces 

70 limited-edition women’s watches with a modern art deco interpretation. 

The pioneering woman lives on. 

In 2005, in Wilhelmina‘s memory, 

Carl F. Bucherer created a special 

edition ladies‘ watch limited to 70 

pieces. It is a modern interpretation 

of art deco styles that commemorates 

the life of this pioneering woman. 

Carl Eduard and Wilhelmina 

enjoy life as newly-weds. 

The elegant interior of the 

“Principessa Mafalda”. 

The Heeb family had an embroidery 

factory where they produced fine 

fabrics for various markets including 

the Parisian haute couture set. 

Carl Eduard Bucherer asks for 

Wilhelmina’s hand in ma riage. 

“Principessa Mafalda”. 

in Santiago, Chile. 

The Golden Twenties 

As a tribute to Carl Friedrich Bucherer, 

founder of the company and grandfather of 

Jörg G. Bucherer, the watchmaking brand of 

the same name was repositioned in 2001. 

This move strengthened the company’s 

watchmaking expertise and led to a sharper 

focus on mechanical timepieces. In 2013, we 

celebrate the 125th anniversary of the 

company’s foundation. To mark this very 

special day, Carl F. Bucherer is proud to 

unveil several wonderful jubilee models and 

its unique jubilee book. 

Beautifully decorated 

This brooch timepiece is in the shape of a horse 

and ca riage. The case is made completely of silver 

and set with marcasite stones. 

“A good design for us 

is one based on the functional 

and technical demands of a product 

that fulfills its stated purpose 

and looks beautiful all at the same time.” 

Max Bill 

Numerous functions 

The dial on this chronograph has an unusual pink color. 

The telemeter and tachymeter scales enhance the 

functionality of the piece. 


. 35 


THE BOOK 

Geometric shapes 

The design of this ye low gold watch 

highlights its angles and edges. 

The crown is adorned with a blue sapphire. 

From Bucherer’s beginnings in 1888, the 

book “125 Years – Swiss History of Time” 

has three separate, parallel threads that place 

the company’s history alongside contemporary 

history and the story of watchmaking. 

These interconnections are woven together 

to create a multifaceted image of the House 

of Bucherer and its origins in Switzerland 

and, at the same time, within the context of 

Europe and the rest of the world. 


Sporty watch for men 

This model has a chronograph and a 30-minute counter. 


. 41 

Eventful times 

1920–1930 

It is primarily the political unrest in Berlin in 1922 that leads Carl 

1921 

Eduard and Ernst Bucherer to give up their business in the capital 

and leave Germany all together. Ernst, for his part, also has a 

strong desire to travel. He becomes particularly enchanted by South 

America on his journeys around the globe. The watchmaker travels 

Carl Eduard Bucherer proposes to 

his beloved Wilhelmina. They go on to 

a total of 26 times between Europe and South America, fascinated 

again and again by Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. 

build a successful business together 

In the 1920s, Ernst Bucherer establishes wholesale operations in 

Argentina and Chile with his brother Carl Eduard and Carl’s wife 

Tormented by this fate, Carl Eduard and Ernst return to their parent’s 

shop in Switzerland. The first premises near what would later 

be the Bucherer’s main location on Schwanenplatz 4 have been 

Wilhelmina. These successful years are unfortunately interrupted by 

in use for three years a this point. The family company continues to 

grow in the years that fo low, due in no small par to the experience 

a fateful blow: Wilhelmina Bucherer-Heeb dies in a shipwreck while 

traveling between the continents after procuring watches and jewelry 

in Europe intended for the South American markets. Her passage 

in the fa l of 1927 ends with the sinking of the ship and Wilhelmina 

and the other 313 passengers on board perishing. 

and open-mindedness of the two brothers: In 1927, they open their 

first shop in Interlaken, and in 1928 the Bucherer Boutique is opened 

in Lugano. A this point the company is ski lfu ly combining the arts 

of goldsmithing and watchmaking. The manufacture and sale of 

1927 

Wilhelmina Bucherer-Heeb is 

jewelry and watches go hand-in-hand with watch repair services. 

one of 314 people who go down 

Sti l, the imminent global economic crisis leaves nothing untouched, 

in the tragic shipwreck of the 

not even the Bucherer business… 

1889–1920 

An era of learning and travel 

The first few years of Bucherer’s business in Lucerne are fi led with Berlin together. The shop at 47 Unter den Linden quickly becomes 

momentum and growth. The store on Falkenplatz quickly becomes an establishment with a good reputation, which results in strong 

too sma l; new premises are found in the Kape lgasse and then on growth in their customer base and even a bit of a tention from the 

Kape lplatz. With clever foresight, Carl Friedrich Bucherer decides emperor: The Bucherer brothers soon become suppliers to the royal 

to provide his sons with good educations. Ernst Bucherer spends court. These successful times are marked by the launch of their 

three years at the watchmaking school in St. Imier while Carl 

first collection of ladies’ watches in 1919. The new models become 

Eduard Bucherer goes to London to learn goldsmithing. In 1913, available a the Bucherer stores under the name C. Bucherer. The 

after completing their studies, both brothers get into the family 

watch design emulates the earlier art deco style and perfectly fits 

business. Ernst and Carl Eduard are very close and make a perfect the spirit of the times, while also ski lfu ly combining the outstanding 

craftsmanship of the two brothers. 

team with regard to the craftsmanship of watchmaking. It comes as 

no surprise, then, when they decide to open a goldsmith studio in 

La Grande Dame 

This ladies’ watch is one of Bucherer’s firs timepieces. 

1901 

Enthusiastic fans cheer on the 

FC Luzern soccer team. 

Street scenes 

from the era 

The lakeshore promenade 

covered in snow. 

Over the rooftops 

of Kape lgasse. 

The National Quay 

a tracts visitors for a stro l. 

1903 

The pioneers of FC Luzern. 

Schwanenplatz a the turn 

of the 20th century. 

Colorful commerce 

on the marketplace. 

La Belle Époque 

After the Franco-Prussian 

War, 1871 marks the beginning 

of an era of peace in 

Europe that lasts 43 years, 

until World War I breaks out 

in 1914. The period after 1890 is considered 

one of the most fascinating begin organizing themselves into un- 

ized by the division of labor; workers 

epochs in European history and though ions and political parties. A desire is 

th exact dates are not agreed upon, it awakened among a l strata of society 

is associated with a particular emphasis 

on cultural advancement. Virtua ly nary. The spirit of the times is char- 

to live and experience the extraordi- 

no other era boasts the quantum leaps acterized by a sense of exuberance 

of discovery made by noteworthy artists, 

scientists and contemporaries, felt in the cafés and cabaret establish- 

and freedom that can be most palpably 

many of which take place in Europe’s ments of Paris’ Montmartre district, 

most influential countries: England, in the artist ga leries and studios, and 

France, Austria-Hungary and Germany. on the boulevards of the capital. Recreational 

travel becomes increasingly 

Many new discoveries are made in 

physics in particular. Röntgen discovers 

gamma rays in 1895 and the Curies panded transport system and rising in- 

popular due to the already greatly ex- 

discove radium in 1898. Max Planck’s comes. A tractive destinations include 

quantum theory is released just in time the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris and the 

for the turn of the century, and in 1905 first modern Olympic Games in 1896 in 

Einstein brings us the theory of relativity. 

Sigmund Freud, who had founded also felt in the arts, which manage to 

Athens. The ability to cross borders is 

the study of psychoanalysis in 1890, become a part of everyday life. After 

enriches the world of medicine with a the worldwide public showing in Berlin 

scientific approach to the human soul. in 1895, Jules Chéret and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec 

make advances in Paris 

The emergence of La Be le Époque 

can most e fectively be explained by in color lithography. Their e forts enable 

the cost-e fective printing of styl- 

the second wave of industrialization 

that sweeps the globe at that point in ized posters that become “street art” 

time. For the population, it means immense 

gains for society and increased among the masses”. Significant figures 

and awaken a “passion for co lecting 

prosperity. The positive developments in this artistic wave, from impressionism 

to art nouveau and cubism, include 

help transform social consciousness 

and inspire a gradual sense of dissatisfaction 

with tradition and established Picasso and Gustav Klimt. In the musi- 

Paul Cézanne, Franz von Stuck, Pablo 

institutions. A titudes toward work cal world, Gustav Mahler’s unfinished 

also change as a result. In industry, symphony goes into the history books 

manufacturing processes are rational- after his death in 1911. 

Distinctive shapes 

This piece is densely set with bri liant-cut diamonds 

on the bezel while the detailed shapes of the strap rings 

and clasp give it a unique character. 



. 19 

A noble duo 

Two of the most precious materials in the world are combined 

in this exclusive watch for ladies: platinum and diamonds. 

Impressions 

of Lucerne 

Panorama view over the 

rooftops of the city. 

The Lion Monument in the 

Glacier Garden commemorates 

members of the Swiss 

Guard who were massacred 

in the a tack on Tuileries 

Palace in Paris in 1792. 

Snowmelt and heavy rains cause the 

lake of Lucerne to spi l over its banks. 

Parts of Lucerne are flooded. 

The lively promenade is a 

meeting point for traders and 

folks out for a stro l. 

The boat “Swan” (left) is 

driven by a gas motor. 

The boom in the world economy, political 

stabilization and a blossoming of 

the arts, culture and science make the 

1920s into a “golden age”. It remains 

in the co lective memory as a time of 

progress and exhilaration. Women are 

wearing feather boas and knee-length 

shirt dresses and getting bob haircuts 

while men don sport coats and slick 

their hair back. The charleston vibrant 

a titude to life and the cabarets of that 

time ar evidence of fiery sense of romanticism 

and extravagant luxury. This 

lightness of everyday life contrasts with 

the political realities of the Weimar 

Republic in Germany. Thanks to these 

new freedoms, the flowering arts and 

culture scene experience a rapid revival 

that represents a splendid contradiction 

to Weimar. New forms of mass culture 

emerge based on the American model, 

and the avant-garde establishes itself 

as th epitome of the Weimar culture. 

Societal portraits like O to Dix’s “Metropolis” 

triptych become an important 

genre. Many artists like George Grosz, 

disi lusioned by World War I, hit back 

with provocative paintings against figures 

within Wilhelminian society who 

have begun staking claims within the 

young republic. Others like Käthe Ko l- 

witz are investing their innovative spirit 

and work into the cause of revolutionary 

proletariat art, a seen in her pacifist 

images. 

Architecture and design inspire and 

characterize a new sense of cool sobriety. 

The Weimar-based Bauhaus movement 

becomes the icon of the modern 

aesthetic. In 1930, theater works like 

Carl Zuckmayer’s “Captain of Köpenick” 

become a massive success in the 

New Objectivity movement. In Berlin, 

Bertolt Brecht’s “Threepenny Opera” 

provide socia ly critical entertainment 

in a modern disguise. In the mid-1920s, 

literature also experiences a heyday 

with classics like Thomas Mann’s “The 

Magic Mountain” in 1924 and Hermann 

Hesse’s “Steppenwolf” in 1927. Cafés 

and theaters magically draw almost unmanageable 

hordes of artists, directors, 

literary figures, actors, art dealers and 

painters. This new sense of anonymity 

in the big city makes it easier for 

women to distance themselves from 

society’s traditiona ly assigned roles. 

Female authors like Vicki Baum paint 

a picture of the “new woman” as critical 

and self-confident protagonists who 

deliver the same results in their professional 

lives as male co leagues. Print 

media and cinemas also experience 

astounding growth during the period. 


. 27 


A dynamic life – 

Wilhelmina Bucherer-Heeb 

Around 1910 

Wilhelmina’s first communion. 

Tribute to Mimi 


. 33 


125 YEARS SWISS HISTORY OF TIME 

Successful businessman, media and sports 

director and politician Paul Godfrey receives 

a copy from Ami Freiberg and Sam Freiberg at 

the Classic Creations watch and jewelry store in 

Toronto. Godfrey embodies the values for which 

the Carl F. Bucherer brand stands: independence, 

innovation and indefatigable determination. 

Well-known author and beauty activist 

Kenetia Lee presents the reigning Miss Universe, 

Olivia Culpo, with her copy of the book 

in New York. 

Diego Benaglio, goalkeeper of the Swiss 

national soccer team and Friend of the Brand, 

receives a copy in Zurich from Sebastian Martin, 

Carl F. Bucherer Managing Director. 

Actor, producer, director and Friend of the 

Brand Joe Mantegna receives the jubilee book 

from David Orgell in Beverly Hills, California. 

Pirmin Schwegler, Swiss national soccer 

player and captain of the German league team 

Eintracht Frankfurt, receives the jubilee book 

at the Frankfurt Bucherer boutique from 

Friederike Lockau, General Manager. 

While paying a spontaneous visit to the new 

Bucherer store in Paris, Julien Noilo is presented 

with his personal copy of the jubilee book 

by Nathalie Célia, General Manager, and 

Sandrine Perrot, Director of Sales. 

Mexican entrepreneur Emilio Vega bought 

his first Bucherer watch at the Lucerne store on 

Schwanenplatz. It was the beginning of a love 

story that has continued to this day. 

El Corte Inglés is Spain’s biggest and most 

famous department store chain. Carl F. Bucherer 

is proud to be part of the company’s portfolio 

and presents Rafael Valero with a copy of the 

jubilee book as a token of thanks. 


In Locarno, Robert Ritschel hands a copy 

of the jubilee book to Sofia Milos. The actress, 

who is of Italian/Greek descent, is a great 

fan of Carl F. Bucherer.

In Vienna, Sascha Moeri hands a copy of the 

jubilee book to Christine Fleischer, General Manager 

of the Bucherer store in the Austrian capital. 

Joseph Chu, Executive Director at Prince 

Jewellery & Watch, Macao, is presented with 

the jubilee book by Jerry Tsang, Honorary 

Chairman and CEO Bucherer Hong Kong. 

Noel Chow, Vice President Marketing Bucherer 

Hong Kong Limited, hands a copy of the jubilee 

book to well-known watch expert and founder 

of Watch Report, Phillip Ng L.K. 

Lydion Inc., Carl F. Bucherer’s largest distributor 

in Turkey, presents the jubilee book in front of its 

Antalya boutique. 

In front of one of the world’s tallest buildings – 

the 101 – Sophie Shang, Managing Director 

of Carl F. Bucherer Taiwan, hands over the 

jubilee book to Lee Shun-Lung, General Manager 

at J.G.T. WATCHES in Taipei 101. 

In Tokyo, Ikutaro Kakehashi, founder of Roland 

electronic musical instrument manufacturers, 

is presented with the book by Hans-Peter 

Kappeler, Bucherer Japan. 

Indian star photographer and Friend of the 

Brand Atul Kasbekar accepts the book from 

Mukhtar Mohammed, Carl F. Bucherer Regional 

Market Director, in Mumbai. 


Dining room. Living room. 

Bedroom. Legroom. 

Is it possible that a ight to Europe can be over too soon? In SWISS Business, 

it’s possible. You’ll enjoy Swiss cuisine, great entertainment and then a fully 

at bed. For daily ights to the heart of Europe and beyond, contact your 

travel agent or visit swiss.com

A VISIT TO 

Bucherer Paris 

On April 15, 2013, Bucherer gave itself the most beautiful gift to celebrate its 125th jubilee: 

the family-owned Swiss company opened the world’s largest watch and jewelry store in Paris, 

luxury’s international capital. At the same time, Bucherer laid the cornerstone of a new paradise for 

watch and jewelry shopping on the Boulevard des Capucines. On over 2000 sq.m of floor space, 

lovers of fine watch- and jewelry-making can lose themselves in a choice selection of leading 

watch brands and exquisite diamond jewelry. General Manager Nathalie Celia revealed some of 

the secrets behind the fabulous new premises in one of Paris’ prime locations to INSIGHT by 

Carl F. Bucherer. She also declared her affection for one watch in particular: the Alacria. 

When Nathalie Celia walks into the store, 

it is almost as if she was competing with the 

glittering diamonds on display: her eyes light 

up with the same fiery sparkle. She is also 

fired up by what she does: managing the 

largest Bucherer store of them all, consisting 

of 23 shops, with 120 staff. For Celia, it is a 

privilege to be able to pour all her passion 

into a tradition-steeped Swiss company, and 

she appreciates the “genuine partnership” 

she experiences through the cooperation. 

“We share a myriad of ideas, we listen 

carefully to each other, and we pursue the 

same goal: to build up Bucherer’s reputation,” 

she enthuses. French by birth, she has 

Russian, Majorcan and Ukrainian roots. She 

also considers it to be a very special declaration 

of confidence that Bucherer involved 

her in the entire planning process long 

before the store opened. 

She arrived where she is today thanks to a 

passion for jewelry and watches: a passion 

that has fanned increasingly through the 

exciting stages of her life. She found her 

way into accessories through fashion and 

its “very special values” at the House of 

Christian Lacroix, where she was initially 

responsible for European and international 

markets. When the Louis Vuitton Group 

bought up Christian Lacroix in 1997, 

Celia was offered the job of building up the 

first branch in Moscow. She accepted the 

task without a second’s hesitation and spent 

the next two years building up important 

contacts with, among others, the military, 

the public authorities and the press. In 1999, 

she returned to the French capital. 

Following the birth of her two children, she 

found herself on the tightrope between work 

and her family, but managed to stay grounded 

by studying psychomotor therapy at the 

Hôpital de la Salpêtrière. She says she still 

benefits from the experience, particularly 


when it comes to individual customer relations. 

With an impressive diploma in her 

pocket, she finally returned to the Louis 

Vuitton Group as manager of the perfume 

section in the Champs-Elysées store. She 

was fascinated by the elaborately fashioned 

vials – tiny works of art in themselves – that 

gave the fragrance “le petit plus”. She also 

sees this stage of her career as good training 

for her subsequent position as General Manager 

of a jewelry store. 

Before joining Bucherer in August 2012, she 

was in charge of the accessories and luxury 

goods department at no less impressive an 

address than Printemps. This was where she 

finally discovered her deep affinity with 

watches and jewelry. She is particularly 

fascinated by the skilled handicraft behind 

them. “Watches and jewelry tell an unending 

story,” says Celia, explaining her passion. 

“A group of individuals jointly produce a 

fascinating creation, a unique masterpiece 

that is presented to the customer and then 

goes on telling its story from generation to 

generation. She also enjoys the fact that the 

sector she works in largely involves family 

histories and brings her together with 

customers and connoisseurs who share her 

passion. “It’s wonderful to share part of a 

journey with these people and to be able to 

give them a moment of pleasure.” In this 

respect, she recalls two American ladies who 

came into the store because one of them 

wanted to buy a watch by Carl F. Bucherer. 

It was in memory of her deceased father, 

who had bought his watch during the 

Second World War in Europe. After the sale 

was completed, the ladies remained for another 

hour, recalling stories and memories 

that eventually moved the new customer 

to tears. “We like to offer our customers an 

experience they will remember forever, and 

which they can pass on to their children 

together with the piece of jewelry or watch,” 

is how Celia describes the perfect sale. 

She personally experiences moments of 

real happiness through sport, particularly 

swimming and running. The fact she shares 

her second hobby with a team makes it that 

bit more special. She proudly tells us about 

taking part in the recent La Parisienne run, 

which she shared with 15 women who work 

for the store, each wearing the same 

Bucherer T-shirt. For moments like this, 

which have a bonding effect on everyone 

involved, she would like one thing above all: 

more time. For her, time is an important 

dimension in life, divided into two distinct 

areas. First, there is personal time, which is 

bound up with values and emotions. This 

contrasts with real time, which is regulatory 

and imposes norms. “It is a mix of the two 

that determines our past, present and future.” 

Celia admits that time is a commodity in her 

life that is in short supply. “Occasionally, I’d 

like more time for my team, for my customers, 

and, of course, for my children. It would also 

be nice to think more about how I’d like to 


A VISIT TO 

plan the future and give myself more time to 

be creative. To cut a long story short: I wish I 

had more time to do the things I have to do, 

and do them well.” 

Her quest for excellence is also reflected in 

her sales philosophy, which she continually 

strives to perfect. “We’re never satisfied with 

the way things are today; we always want to 

get better at what we do. It’s a privilege for 

my team and me to work for Bucherer and, 

through our hard work, to give something 

back to the owner, Mr. Bucherer. The fact 

that the customer is king in the prime-location 

store remains undisputed. “We offer our 

customers an extraordinarily high level of 

service, because that’s where our business 

stands or falls,” explains Celia. This is one of 

the reasons why she takes such pleasure in 

surprising her regular customers with special 

events. Selected customers, for instance, may 

find themselves invited to brand-themed 

evenings, to a private visit as part of the 

store’s cooperation with the Grand Palais, or 

even to the Lucerne Music Festival. Another 

highly visible cooperation is the store’s 

involvement in the debutantes’ ball, where 

the ladies wear Bucherer jewelry and the 

men Carl F. Bucherer wristwatches. 

What the store tries to make unforgettable 

for the customer is the purchasing experience 

itself. The unique nature of the store 

concept is reflected immediately in its 

architecture, where the focus is on the company’s 

history and uses the figure “8” as its 

platform: The number, traditionally a lucky 

one in China, is an allusion to the year 1888, 

when Bucherer was founded. The space, too, 

is divided up in such a way as to give customers 

complete freedom. “The architecture 

in the sales space is an extremely successful 

compromise,” says Celia, explaining the store 

concept. “The wide passages allow people to 

feel relaxed as they move and stroll freely, 

while the private sales booths provide an 

intimate sales experience.” This idea reflects 

the contrast between mass consumption and 

an individual sales experience. This is further 

manifested outside the store, in its location 

between the Place Vendôme and the large 

Galeries La Fayette and Printemps department 

stores. 

According to Celia, this also helps her divide 

customers into two groups: tourists and 

international buyers, as well as a “very good, 

very loyal, local clientele that devotes a lot of 

time to buying, is proud to buy at Bucherer, 

and ultimately makes a considered decision.” 

The General Manager finds this a good mix, 

as well as the fact that, inside the boutique, 

each brand has its own world integral to the 

overall concept. “For customers, it’s an 

advantage that they have a wide selection of 

different brands to choose from, which they 

can discover and discuss with a single salesperson,” 

is how Celia explains the added 

value for her clientele. In her experience, a 

jewelry sale is generally more likely to be an 

emotional affair because jewelry is inseparable 

from the more important stages and 

key moments in an individual’s lifetime. In 

the case of a watch sale, by contrast, there is 

usually more emphasis on masculine and 


technical factors, as well as the whole aspect 

of collecting. And, according to Celia, there 

are differences in the way customers handle 

the two types of sale: “Jewelry is something 

people love to show off, while people tend to 

buy watches for themselves.” 

Almost automatically she touches her wrist 

and gently strokes her own watch: an 

Alacria, whose elegance and femininity she 

particularly loves. “It represents the values 

of the House like no other watch in the 

collection and, with its enchanting combinations 

of diamonds, is a reminder of the first 

ladies’ watches from Bucherer,” is how she 

explains her fascination with the line. “With 

this watch on my wrist, I simply feel good.” 

Apart from this, she wears a Patravi EvoTec 

BigDate, which she considers to be a perfect 

reflection of the company’s commitment to 

designing and manufacturing its own movements 

in-house. “Thanks to its size and to 

the diamonds, which make it very feminine, 

it really is a fabulous accessory.” Celia takes 

the greatest pleasure in the unusual nature 

and independence of the Carl F. Bucherer 

brand. “In its collections, the brand succeeds 

in conveying the history of the House’s 

values. Its timepieces stand for family, 

creativity and technical precision, as well as 

manufacturing excellence, innovation and 

independence. Carl F. Bucherer is a genuinely 

worthy name.” 

Nathalie Celia is relaxed and optimistic 

about the future. “Although sales in the 

“WE SHARE A 

MYRIAD OF IDEAS, 

WE LISTEN 

CAREFULLY TO 

EACH OTHER, 

AND WE PURSUE 

THE SAME GOAL: 

TO BUILD UP 

BUCHERER’S 

REPUTATION.” 

luxury segment in France are down 3%, 

watches and jewelry will always be a good 

investment because they retain their value 

and can be handed down from one generation 

to the next.” The fact that the Carl F. 

Bucherer brand now has a presence in the 

French capital poses her with a very enviable 

challenge: to further develop and raise 

awareness of a brand to which she is totally 

devoted. 


PREVIEW 

Preview: Q&A 

with Arnold 

Schwarzenegger 


Something to look forward to: in one of the next issues of INSIGHT by Carl F. Bucherer, readers can enjoy an 

exclusive interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger, not only the world’s most successful bodybuilder but also 

famous as an actor and politician. Born in Austria, he moved to Los Angeles, produced movies in Hollywood, 

and, in 2012, released his autobiography “Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story”. As a tireless and 

successful businessman who co-founded theme restaurant Planet Hollywood, he is a self-confessed watch 

enthusiast and fan of Carl F. Bucherer – his private watch collection contains several of the brand’s models. 

He even infected one of his friends, Sylvester Stallone – who met up with for Q&A with INSIGHT by 

Carl F. Bucherer in issue no. 7, with his enthusiasm for the Lucerne-based watch manufacturer. 

Schwarzenegger discovered the new models for himself during a visit to the Carl F. Bucherer pavilion at this year’s 

BASELWORLD, where Sascha Moeri presented him personally with his favorite model, the Patravi TravelTec. 

To find out more about the “Terminator” and his love of fine watches, be sure not to miss one of our next issues. 


CATCHING UP WITH 

Pirmin Schwegler and Murat Yakin 

Two brand ambassadors 

in a verbal exchange 

“On Saturday afternoon, millions of people 

forget their everyday concerns,” Ottmar 

Hitzfeld, head coach of the Swiss national 

football team, once said. Unlike virtually any 

other international sport, football – or soccer 

– has established itself at all levels of society 

as a sports event that genuinely moves 

people and generates a powerful emotional 

response, whether it’s at the edge of the field, 

on the terraces or in front of the TV. 

Murat Yakin and Pirmin Schwegler also 

hold a firm position in the world of football. 

“INSIGHT by Carl F. Bucherer” met up with 

the two Friends of the Brand to discuss “the 

beautiful game”. “Football is highly emotional 

and brings people together across national 

boundaries,” says 26-year-old Pirmin 

Schwegler. This particular aspect of the sport, 

and of the game itself, fascinates the captain 

of German league team Eintracht Frankfurt. 

“It’s an incredible feeling to be out there on 

the pitch.” And, as Murat Yakin points out, 

“the atmosphere created by the fans does the 

rest.” 

”TACTICS AND STRATEGY 

ALONE ARE NOT ENOUGH.“ 

Murat Yakin 

The two Swiss professionals have played 

for teams in both Switzerland and Germany. 

“I’ve always been well looked after by all the 

teams I’ve played for, and here in Frankfurt 

I feel very much at home. I’m proud to be 

captain of Eintracht Frankfurt,” says Pirmin 

Schwegler. Since his arrival, Frankfurt has 

become a little like home. Apart from the 

Commerzbank Arena, the city in the state 

of Hessen boasts numerous other sights. 

Germany’s big financial center has the 

Roemer (its medieval city hall), St. Paul’s 

Church and the Goethe House. At the same 

time, it deftly mixes the traditional with the 

modern. Apart from this, it is a place where 

many different cultures come together – 


”FOOTBALL IS HIGHLY EMOTIONAL 

AND BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER 

ACROSS NATIONAL BOUNDARIES.“ 


Photo: © Rolf Kosecki/Corbis 


CATCHING UP WITH 

”WHAT I ADMIRE 

MOST ABOUT 

MURAT ARE 

HIS CREATIVITY 

AND STRENGTH 

OF WILL.“ 


a phenomenon that occurs on the football 

pitch, too, as Yakin agrees: “It’s irrelevant 

what nationality or skin color you have: on 

the pitch, all that counts is the team.” Now 

39, and a Swiss national with Turkish roots, 

he considers his mixed cultural background 

to be an enrichment. His ties with both have 

remained close to this day. “I love Turkish 

cuisine, and I’ve always enjoyed eating my 

mother’s food.” That may well be one of the 

reasons why Murat Yakin owns his own 

restaurant in Basel today. As well as the fact 

that Basel is so international, too. Because 

of its location, it is a melting pot for Swiss, 

French and German culture, and thus has a 

very special flair of its own. Apart from Basel 

Cathedral, the Kunsthalle and the idyllic 

banks of the Rhine River, the city has St. 

Jakob-Park – FC Basel’s stadium – which 

attracts locals and visitors from all over the 

world. 

Yakin is manager of FC Basel and led the 

team to the league title last season. He recently 

wrote another chapter in football 

history in London, when FC Basel beat 

Chelsea FC in the Champions League. 

“It’s all about passion, combined with a lot 

of blood, sweat and tears. A manager has to 

grow together with his team,” explains Yakin. 

“Tactics and strategy alone are not enough.” 

Schwegler and Yakin demonstrate that 

football is also about humanity and sticking 

together in their lives outside of the game. 

Both are committed to foundations that look 

after children and young people. The Murat 

Yakin & Stamm Foundation helps children 

and adolescents. “As a kid, I grew up in difficult 

circumstances, as part of a large family 

with eight children. Expenses like a new pair 

of football boots were a real luxury for us. 

That’s the reason I want to give something 

back today.” There are also personal reasons 

for Pirmin Schwegler’s work with the Bern 

Foundation for Children and Young People 

with Cancer. As a child, the Swiss national 

team player was stricken by leukemia. Back 

then, no one believed he would ever be able 

to live his dream of a career in professional 

football. But with typical pluck and indefatigable 

will power, Schwegler stuck at it. 

“I’m deeply grateful, even today, for all the 

support people gave me. And I’m delighted 

to be able to give something back.” 

Society, they both agree, is a little like football: 

respect is a crucial factor. They have 

mutual regard for each other and their 

individual achievements. “What I admire 

most about Murat are his creativity and 

strength of will,” explains Schwegler. “Pirmin 

is an excellent midfield player with a great 

deal of potential and I’d love to coach him 

one of these days. Perhaps I can learn 

something from him. Or maybe he could 

learn something from me,” replies Yakin, 

with a wink. 


”PIRMIN IS AN EXCELLENT MIDFIELD 

PLAYER WITH A GREAT DEAL 

OF POTENTIAL AND I’D LOVE TO 

COACH HIM ONE OF THESE DAYS.“ 

Murat Yakin 


SPONSORSHIP 

The pace of things 

in Sainte-Croix 

Perched high on a terrace in the Jura mountains at the heart of the Vaud, a small village with 

a lot of cachet offers a unique view of the area around Lake Geneva and the Alps: Sainte-Croix 

and the resort of Les Rasses, popular with tourists all year round. 

In summer, the lush Jura meadowlands and 

fir tree forests offer a vast network of walks 

and hikes, and attract countless visitors. 

Sitting up above them is the Les Rasses 

valley station for the chairlift to the Chasseron 

(La Robella), an interesting starting 

point for – or end to – tours of the region. 

Mountain bikers can look forward to 84 

kilometers of trails. Hikers and bikers alike 

appreciate the fact they can drop into the 

many alpine huts, which have been converted 

into small hostelries selling local produce 

and specialties. When the cold weather sets 

in, the region is transformed into a paradise 

for winter sports. Les Rasses, which lies 

above the sea of fog shrouding the lowlands, 

has eight lifts ranging between 1150 and 

1580 meters, and offers perfect skiing for 

beginners. Another 65 kilometers of 

cross-country trails and tracks for snowshoe 

hikers, all prepared daily, stretch from Les 

Rasses to Creux du Van. 

Just a few kilometers from Sainte-Croix is 

another popular spa town, Yverdon-les- 

Bains, which is famed for the special quality 

of its thermal springs. Situated on the shores 

of Lake Neuchâtel, Yverdon looks back on 

a long history, as affirmed by 45 Neolithic 

menhirs and Celtic ruins, as well as a Roman 

camp and the medieval and classical buildings 

in the town center. While the History 

Museum in the castle pays fitting tribute to 

this fascinating past, the Swiss Fashion Museum, 

the Science Fiction Museum and the 

Espace Jules Verne display the achievements 

of the 21st century. Apart from its rich cultural 

heritage, Yverdon-les-Bains can also 

lay claim to an extraordinarily rich natural 

inheritance: the Grande Cariçaie is the most 

extensive lake-shore wetland area in Switzerland, 

with the extraordinary flora and fauna 

around Champ-Pittet Castle awaiting discovery. 

The 40-kilometer-long lakeshore 

between Yverdon-les-Bains and Murten 


offers a wealth of opportunities for relaxing 

at the many lidos and in the unspoiled 

countryside. 

Against the backdrop of this glorious 

panorama, the town of Sainte-Croix produces 

wonderful music boxes and automatons. 

They date all the way back to the discovery 

of the music box by Antoine Favre, 

a Geneva-based watchmaker, in 1796. 

Between 1811 and the end of the 19th 

century, the town established itself as the 

global center for music box production and 

musical automatons. Genuine artisans, singularly 

passionate about their work and 

sometimes known as “dream-makers”, 

fashioned them from wood and metal. Some 

of the more outstanding examples of their 

craft can be admired at the Centre International 

de la Mécanique d’Art (CIMA) in 

Sainte-Croix and at the Musée Baud for 

mechanical musical instruments in 

L’Auberson. 

MUSEUMS, EVENTS 

AND EATING OUT 

Musée CIMA in Sainte Croix 

The museum houses a collection of music 

boxes and other musical instruments that are 

all masterpieces of precision mechanics 

and fine cabinetmaking. 

www.musees.ch 

Musée Baud in L’Auberson 

Many of the items at this museum, which specializes 

in musical automatons, can still be played. 

www.museebaud.ch 

Sainte-Croix Carnival 

Carnival bands from all over Switzerland play and 

perform to the delight of thousands of spectators 

on the streets, in processions and in marquees. 

www.carnaval.ch 

Sainte-Croix summer market 

Mid-August is time for the annual summer market, 

which draws over 100 stallholders to the town center 

and offers a rich choice of regional products. 

www.sainte-croix-les-rasses-tourisme.ch 

Sainte-Croix gourmet hike 

What better way for nature lovers to discover 

the Jura’s hiking trails? The excursion includes 

breaks for mouth-watering specialties at the 

Mont-de-la-Mayaz, Sollier and Casba alpine huts? 

A splendid time is guaranteed for all. 

www.sainte-croix-les-rasses-tourisme.ch 

Restaurant des Cluds 

The Chablais family receive their guests at 

a chalet built in 1938 in an area steeped in 

tradition and local history. 

www.restaurantlescluds.ch/2008/ 

There is one location where the focus 

is exclusively on industrial activity. 

Here, Carl F. Bucherer has for some 

time developed and manufactured its 

own in-house watch movements and 

functional modules. On July 1, 2007, 

Bucherer Montres S.A. acquired THA 

(Téchniques Horlogères Appliquées) in 

Sainte-Croix and integrated it into the 

company under the name of Carl F. Bucherer 

Technologies. The cornerstone was thus laid 

for Lucerne’s independent watch brand to 

fulfill a long-time ambition: that of manufacturing 

movements from start to finish in 

its own workshops. 

In no time at all, the results spoke for themselves: 

the workforce expanded from seven to 

40 employees. Today, most of the staff at 

Carl F. Bucherer Technologies are qualified 

watchmakers, engineers, designers, mechanics, 

supply chain managers, project managers 

and process engineers. Expansion of the 

workshop floor to 2000 sq.m has made space 

for the many newly acquired machines that 

have pushed up the level of vertical integration 

to 70 percent. 

Now, following upgrading of its technical 

equipment and workforce, Carl F. Bucherer 

is geared to take on new challenges. Shortly 

after taking over THA, Bucherer Montres 

S.A. unveiled the CFB A1000, an automatic 

caliber with a peripheral rotor patented by 

Carl F. Bucherer. Other sophisticated modules 

have since been developed on the basis 

of this movement, the latest of which was 

the CFB A1011 caliber unveiled this year. 

As a further development of the in-house 

CFB A1002 caliber, the CFB A1011 shows 

the remaining power reserve with a hand 

and thus references classic elements in watch 

design. It was first used in the Manero 

PowerReserve. 

In the meantime, Carl F. Bucherer Technologies 

S.A. has become a center of excellence 

for research, development and manufacture, 

with wide-ranging expertise, a high level of 

creativity, and a state-of-the-art infrastructure. 

Every process and production stage 

stems from a concept based on the company’s 

own legally protected procedures. 

The aim of this is simple: to develop and 

Win an exclusive 

visit to 

Sainte-Croix! 

CONTEST 

Carl F. Bucherer invites one reader of 

INSIGHT by Carl F. Bucherer on a very 

special kind of trip to Sainte-Croix. 

Apart from a private viewing and tour 

of the Carl F. Bucherer manufacturing 

facility, the winner and one companion 

can look forward to a night at the 

five-star Hôtel Palafitte, which is situated 

– literally – over the lake. 

Don’t miss your chance to win 

this fabulous prize: 

www.carl-f-bucherer.com 

You can also return the enclosed subscription 

coupon for INSIGHT by Carl F. 

Bucherer, which automatically qualifies you 

for the draw. Closing date for entries: 

February 28, 2014. 

Further information about the 

Hôtel Palafitte: www.palafitte.ch 

Employees of Bucherer Montres S.A. are not eligible to 

take part in the competition. The draw takes place under 

the supervision of a notary. The prize cannot be taken in 

cash. No correspondence will be entered into. 

Only one entry per person. 

build mechanisms and additional functions 

that are sensible, useful and attractive. Every 

single timepiece has to satisfy the company’s 

exacting quality requirements. Which means 

ensuring that every single watch and movement 

that leaves the workshops has been 

thoroughly tested. For its owner, it will be 

a perfect combination of aesthetic appeal, 

traditional watchmaking craftsmanship and 

advanced technology. 

In Sainte-Croix, Carl F. Bucherer has chosen 

a location in which watchmaking enjoys a 

very special status. Originally produced by 

workers in their homes, watches here were 

industrially manufactured from the mid- 

18th century onward. It was thus the 

watchmaking industry that put the tiny 

village on the road to major economic 

success all those years ago and helped write 

its economic history. 


COLLECTION 

The Alacria collection 

Hommage to 

femininity 

Joy, passion and a zest for life: the meanings 

of the word Alacria are as multifaceted as 

the dazzling ladies’ watch collection from the 

House of Carl F. Bucherer. As early as 1919, 

founder Carl Friedrich Bucherer launched 

his first in-house ladies’ watch collection. 

With designs inspired by the Art Déco style, 

the dainty jewelry watches exerted a singular 

charm. These historic roots are reflected to 

this day in the Alacria collection, a series of 

exquisite wristwatches that enchant women 

all over the world. 

The finely proportioned aesthetic of the 

Alacria’s case is distilled in a sculptured, 

appealing shape: “The true value of a fine 

watch lies in the attention to detail.” In the 

case of the Alacria, this approach led to the 

creation of a unique and, more importantly, 

new case shape in the world of watchmaking. 

Held securely in place by screws, the case 

with its free-form surfaces and spherically 

domed sapphire glass is incredibly difficult 

to make and calls for high-precision watchmaking 

and jewelry making skills. The concave 

case body creates the most spectacular 

reflections and turns each model into a 

genuine eye-catcher. With gentle, rounded 


contours, the sides of the Alacria are uncompromising: 

the highly sophisticated reflection 

of incident light makes the unconventional 

form even more fabulous to look at. 

Whether finished in simple gold, set with 

diamonds or a gemstone pavé, the variety of 

the Alacria collection is incomparable. The 

elegant Alacria TwoTone is housed in a 

bicolor case made of stainless steel and rose 

gold. The classically arranged dial is divided 

into three sections by two pale, narrow ver- 

tical stripes and one broader, patterned 

stripe, adding a touch of grandeur to the 

face, which is beautifully rounded off by the 

wonderfully finished hour and minute hands 

in rose gold. The Diva Gothic is considered 

to be a masterpiece of the ladies’ line. Set 

with 211 rubies and 169 brilliant diamonds, 

it skilfully combines the magic of love, 

grandeur and Gothic architecture. The 54 

rubies on the bezel have been transformed 

into rectangular, rhombus-like, baguette-cut 

diamonds. The polished surfaces of the gem- 

stones are set downward, while the rounded, 

uncut body of the stones faces upward. It is a 

rare and special process that lends the watch 

an additional touch of uniqueness. Another 

extraordinary design can be found in the 

Alacria Diva WildCat. Both dial and case 

feature an exotic tiger design set with black, 

yellow and orange-colored sapphires: an 

enchanting mix of grace and luxury to 

bedeck the wearer’s wrist. Perhaps the most 

exotic beauty in the Alacria line is the 

Alacria Diva Bamboo. 


COLLECTION 

Eighty-three orange and black baguette-cut 

sapphires represent the slim forms of the 

bamboo on the white gold dial of this 

fabulous timepiece. Enclosing it all is an 

eye-catching case in white gold, which is 

likewise set with 90 orange and black 

baguette-cut sapphires and 239 round black 

sapphires. An orange sapphire also sets off 

the gold crown to perfection. The latest 

addition to the family, the Alacria Royal- 

Rose, radiates a majestic charm. Floral, 

relief-like elements twirl across the delicately 

finished dial. The blossoms, formed 

from 89 sapphires and 26 brilliant diamonds, 

harmonize perfectly with the motherof-pearl 

dial. Over 1300 sparkling white 

brilliant diamonds decorate the Alacria 

Swan. Uniquely brilliant and uniquely 

finished, it is the masterpiece of the Alacria 

collection. At the same time, it is a tribute 

to the Bucherer family and company, as 

well as the city of Lucerne, the city in which 

the Carl F. Bucherer watch brand was 

founded. 

In the Alacria line, Carl F. Bucherer combines 

contemporary elegance with sensuality, 

aiming it at women who are part of a multidimensional 

world and wish to underscore 

their personality with an exclusive jewelry 

watch. It is a line of enormous character, 

unifying style and elegance with freshness 

and joie de vivre. It is a source of pleasure 

now, but has the potential to be a muchloved 

classic. 


VIEWPOINT 

Sustainable 

Luxury for 

tomorrow’s 

world 

Nader Freiha 

Managing Director at MPP 

Middle East Media LLC 

Walking the tightrope between old and new, 

between tradition and the modern world, the 

Arabian Gulf states no longer see themselves 

merely as suppliers of oil, but as one of the 

role models for economic development in 

the future. These countries are not only working 

assiduously to develop a new culture 

and a modern society but also creating 

impressive and visionary spaces that give 

expression to this process of change. 

An exemple of the new freedom is the state 

of Dubai, which, unlike ancient Arabia, does 

not look upon globalization as a danger so 

much as an opportunity. Its progressive 

philosophy no longer puts the state but the 

individual at the center of things. Its dogmatism 

has made way for a more pragmatic 

approach that gives people more room for 

self-realization. This change in perspective 

has garnered international approval and 

worldwide trust, and is manifested in 

numerous investment projects that are 

bringing boom times to the region’s expanding 

markets. 

From a business point of view, the Gulf 

states, whose investments and participating 

interests are turning them into a major 

economic force internationally, can look 

forward to a prolonged period of increasing 

prosperity. In recent years, for example, the 

United Arab Emirates (UAE) in general and 

the Gulf region in particular have benefited 

enormously from their position as a “safe 

haven”. Even today, economic growth continues 

at breakneck pace in the Gulf states, 

above all in the UAE, in the kingdom of 

Saudi Arabia and in the states of Kuwait and 

Qatar. 

These exciting developments have turned the 

Arab world into a magnet for tourists from 

all over the world, who come, certainly, to be 

amazed, but above all to shop. According 

to figures published by Visa Inc., Visa cardholders 

visiting the UAE in 2012 spent 

USD 4.7 billion – that’s 17 percent more than 

in the same period in 2011. And regional 

duty-free shopping, which generated 

“ITS POPULARITY IN THE ARABIAN GULF STATES 

CAN BE ASCRIBED TO THE VALUE 

OF SUSTAINABLE LUXURY” 

24 percent more revenues in 2012 in Abu 

Dhabi alone, is booming as never before. 

This trend is confirmed by the Visa study 

‘Tourism Outlook: UAE’, which in terms 

of purchases sees an average growth rate of 

20 percent. 

Apart from the increase in tourist figures, 

developments in the retail trade have also 

made the Gulf state markets an attractive 

destination for retail traders and international 

luxury brands. In the 13th edition of 

the Global Retail Development Index 

(GRDI), four GCC states make it into the 

Top 20, including the UAE in fifth place, 

followed by Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Oman 

in places 9, 16 and 17, respectively. 

Among the luxury brands that have gained a 

foothold in our market is the fine watchmaking 

brand of Carl F. Bucherer, whose unique 

development I have been following on the 

spot. In this cultural environment, too, 

Carl F. Bucherer has managed to retain its 

exclusiveness and to maintain the successful 

process of internationalization it embarked 

upon over twelve years ago. Among other 

things, its popularity in the Arabian Gulf 

states can be ascribed to the value of 

sustainable luxury: this is something the 

brand has embodied for as long as anyone 

can remember and for which there is a 

strong demand in the new Arab world. 

Looking into the future, prospects remain 

promising for the development of the luxury 

goods industry in general and for Carl F. 

Bucherer in particular. Driven by economic 

power, an expanding trade presence, growing 

confidence and increasing demand from 

consumers, the industry’s sales in this region 

seem set to continue rising and to offer a 

genuine increase in value: particularly for 

brands like Carl F. Bucherer, which build on 

values such as tradition and innovation. The 

unique watches from the Lucerne watch 

manufacturer fit in perfectly with this new 

age of individuality and have a finger on the 

pulse of a world in which people increasingly 

think of themselves – and of tomorow. 


T H R E E T I M E Z O N E S A T A G L A N C E 

PATRAVI TRAVELTEC FOURX 

Selected rose gold, precious 

titanium, extra-hard high-tech 

ceramic and tough natural rubber 

give time a new material form. 

Globetrotters will find that the 

Patravi TravelTec FourX brings 

them the perfect combination of 

luxury and high-tech. It displays 

three time zones at once and jumps 

across time zones at the touch 

of a button. With Carl F. Bucherer’s 

engineering on a miniature scale, 

your journey through time can begin. 

BOUND TO TRADITION – DRIVEN BY INNOVATION 

WWW.CARL-F-BUCHERER.COM

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