Beyer Watches and Jewelry – A Legacy of Time in Zurich
Founded in 1760, Beyer Watches & Jewelry is the oldest watch store in the world — a family-run business now in its 8th generation. Located on the prestigious Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich since 1877, the store offers a curated selection of luxury timepieces and fine jewelry, representing centuries of horological expertise and craftsmanship.
More than just a shop, Beyer is also home to the renowned Watch Museum Beyer Zurich, one of the most important collections of timekeeping instruments worldwide. The museum invites visitors on a captivating journey through 3,500 years of horology — from ancient Egyptian sundials and water clocks to intricate mechanical masterpieces and cutting-edge quartz watches.
With over 250 historical objects on permanent display, the museum showcases the evolution of how humans have measured time — blending science, art, and engineering. Rare pocket watches, marine chronometers, ornate automatons, and miniature curiosities are just a few of the treasures that await discovery.
For this article, we are proud to present a specially curated selection of museum pieces with an equestrian theme — highlighting how horology has intersected with the world of horses and riding through time. This exclusive material was kindly provided by the museum, and the article was created in close collaboration with the Watch Museum Beyer Zurich.
Whether you're a collector, a connoisseur, or simply curious, Beyer offers a unique blend of history, innovation, and tradition — all under one roof in the heart of Zurich.
This is a remarkable example of a late 18th-century combined pocket watch and pedometer, specially designed for attachment to a horse’s saddle. Made by Ralph Gout of London and inscribed “By the King’s Letters Patent,” it reflects both the ingenuity and craftsmanship of the period. Housed in a chased and engraved gilt outer case with a spring-mounted suspension, the watch is designed to move with the motion of the horse, activating the pedometer mechanism through the jerking movement of the inner case.
The white enamel dial features an eccentric chapter ring with Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic five-minute divisions, complemented by elegant gold hands and a sweep seconds hand. Three subsidiary dials display step counts: 1–10, 10–100, and 100–1,000, with the entire mechanism calibrated to register up to 10,000 paces. As the horse moves, each step causes the case to shift within its housing, pulling on the internal chain mechanism that drives the pedometer function.
This rare instrument not only tells time but also tracks distance traveled, offering insight into both horological innovation and equestrian travel during the Georgian period.
Gold pocket watch with "Gotthard Post" enamel miniature by Rudolf Koller, 1985, Patek Philippe, Geneva.
After the completion of the mountain pass road in 1836, the Gotthard Pass – which until then could only be crossed on foot – became closely associated with the image of the Gotthard horse-drawn mail coaches. The rugged journey from Flüelen (Uri) to Bellinzona (Ticino) in a 10-passenger coach drawn by five horses took 15 adventurous hours. The trip cost over 20 Swiss francs – about the equivalent of half a month's salary for a postilion. The image of the Gotthard mail coach is one of the most famous paintings in Switzerland and was created by Rudolf Koller in 1873 as a gift for Alfred Escher.
Ironically, Escher was the main initiator of the Gotthard Railway, which eventually marked the end of the mail coaches over the Gotthard Pass. This pocket watch is completely unique and was gifted to Beyer by Patek Philippe in 1985 to commemorate Beyer's 225th anniversary. The spring cover is decorated with a finely detailed enamel miniature replicating Koller’s original painting, executed by enameller G. Menni. The first Beyer clock and watch shop in Zurich was founded by Theodor Beyer and Caroline Beyer-Danioth. By coincidence, Caroline’s two younger brothers were the last postilions of the Gotthard mail coach.
Renaissance turret clock with automaton "Männleinlaufen", circa 1580, Nuremberg, Germany.
When the hour strikes, the painted bronze warriors move in a circle – cavalry below, the opposing infantry armed with rifles above them, with heads visible through the embrasures in between. The main dial on the front shows the time; the strike control dial is located on the back. The case is made of fire-gilded bronze. The movement is made of iron and features a fusee and gut cord mechanism, verge escapement, and a circular balance.
Fine gold hunter-case pocket watch in 18K gold, in original box, with original letter from Patek Philippe, dated November 24, 1936.
Four-part, solid “Renaissance” case: the bezel decorated with floral and foliage motifs, the back adorned with an image of Saint George, the inside with a depiction of a boat in a storm. Golden hinged dust cover engraved with the name of the first owner and the date 1896.
Silver dial decorated with blue Roman numerals on white enamel cartouches, outer ring with minute track in white enamel. Blued steel “Louis XV” hands.
17-ligne movement, in gold-plated brass, 18 jewels, straight-line lever escapement "à moustaches", temperature-compensated bimetallic balance, Breguet hairspring with Patek Philippe precision regulator, patented on January 13, 1891. Signed on the dial and the dust cover.
Case back in relief depicting a knight on horseback with a dragon, relief engraving with enamel cartouches.
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