A tribute by Osvaldo Patrizzi, world expert and President of Antiquorum

The Beyer Watch Museum on the Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich and the Private Collection of Theodor Beyer are a collector’s dream. Theodor Beyer died last July but his memory lives on through the exceptional pieces in these collections.
To those in the know Theodor Beyer was the reference, an example of passion, of love of work well done, and a gentleman in the world of horology. These qualities created a halo of the highest professionalism around Chronometrie Beyer and the Beyer Museum. As with the precision he so much appreciated in the watch pieces he loved, he was also precise, kind and jovial in his affairs; characteristics that were appreciated by both his clients and his suppliers.

A LONG CONNECTION WITH THE WORLD OF HOROLOGY

Although the Beyer family were probably always involved in watchmaking this is only documented from 1760 when Stefan Beyer started a workshop in his house in Feuerthalen. Since about 1800 the Beyer family business has been centred in Zürich and under the management of the respective generations of the Beyer family. In 1927, Julius Beyer (Theodor’s father) moved the company to their present address at 31 Bahnhofstrasse, but it was only after expansion
of the premises, in the 1970s and 80s, that Theodor Beyer was finally able to present his wonderful collection of watches to the public in a museum based in the same building as Chronometrie Beyer.
Since Chronometrie Beyer was the first client of the house of Patek Philippe and his grandparents had met while they both were working for Patek Philippe, the young Theodor Beyer naturally became a very close friend of the Stern family. As with most of us who knew Theodor Beyer, Philippe Stern also confirms that Teddy Beyer was someone special, not just because of his love of watchmaking, but also because of the many other interests in life. He was the epitome of a real gentleman in the true sense of the word, behaving always in a very cultivated manner, somehow managing to be both spirited and humble at the same time.
Theodor Beyer himself studied watchmaking, and was, not surprisingly, first apprenticed to Patek Philippe. His understanding of the interior mechanisms of watches was equally as comprehensive as his understanding of their external aesthetic qualities – knowledge which conferred on him the enviable reputation of ‘Grand Connoisseur’. During our many conversations together he told me of his experiences while working at Patek Philippe where he had had the good fortune to work with both André Bornand and André Zibach, (the famous experts of precision timepieces, who helped perpetuate the lasting tradition of the house of Patek Philippe). He also told me of the personalities he had met, esteemed and much appreciated friends such as André Heiniger and Jacques Duchêne of Rolex.

Listening with admiration to the stories that Theodor Beyer used to share with me, I would become like a child, fascinated by this man, with his simplicity and his gentleness, sharing his memories, memories which allowed me to share his personal experiences and relive his life with him. This helped me to reinforce my own convictions and my interest in our shared world of watchmaking, the art of watchmaking, and the men that built our world. An experience for which I shall be forever grateful to him.

"To those in the know Theodor Beyer was the reference, an example of passion,
of love of work well done, and a gentleman in the world of horology."

During the times that we worked together we shared many watchmaking adventures and I had many opportunities to appreciate his great skill and mastery of our chosen metier, this was often evident in the manner in which he chose the pieces he collected, always carefully seeking the best and most technically discriminating timepieces made by the greatest masters from every epoch. Technical, artistic, cultural and historical aspects were of equal importance to him.

MANY ANECDOTES

There are many amusing stories surrounding the collecting escapades of Theodor Beyer who’s business acumen, sense of humour and infectious laugh, made him a redoubtable rival in the watch auction rooms of the world.
But Theodor Beyer wasn’t just interested in the collecting aspect of his regular journeys around the world, for him it was always the total experience – the opportunity to meet like-minded individuals and discuss and exchange ideas about their chosen metier. Such times were very precious to Theodor Beyer, in fact it was this and the care and consideration of his wife and family that kept him going in his latter years.

THE PRIVATE COLLECTION

As the sixth generation of retailers of horology, Theodor Beyer left to his son, René, the legacy of a world-renowned shop, a jewel of a museum (with an enormous variety of exhibits), and a Private Collection. René Beyer took over control of the company in 1996, having worked with his father since 1985, and is well aware of the responsibility such a heritage brings with it and the importance to invest in and maintain his father’s museum for the benefit of future generations.

The Private Collection of Theodor Beyer represents over 150 individually selected pieces, many purchased for their important place in the history of horology and others for their curiosity value. It is a honor for me, as a friend of the late Theodor Beyer and also as Chairman of Antiquorum, to say that Antiquorum feels greatly privileged to be offering this exceptional collection at auction, a collection that covers the history of horology from 16th century to the year 2000.

Osvaldo Patrizzi