Comments from Gabriel Tortella

“Theodor Beyer had a passionate interest in watchmaking. Wherever his travels took him, he would make time to visit local retail outlets and workshops. He was readily available to share his knowledge with fellow enthusiasts throughout the world. ‘Try getting in touch with Beyer's of Zurich' became a standard reply to anyone with esoteric questions about the craft. Enquirers would always receive patient and thoughtful assistance. I first had the pleasure of meeting him in the late seventies. We discovered that we had much in common and our professional relationship soon developed into personal friendship. As an Italian, I enjoyed watching the relish with which he devoured the pastas that I prepared for him. But above all, I remember Theodor Beyer as a man of honour. It will be some time before the watchmaking industry sees his like again. In addition to his encyclopaedic knowledge of horology, he was a man of flair and feeling. To the world of watchmaking, he was much more than the owner of a watch-shop; he had become a professorial father-figure for us all. The sale of his private collection provides an exceptional opportunity for fellow collectors to follow in his footsteps by acquiring some of the outstanding time-pieces that are being made available.”