Vintage watch shops in Switzerland? (Genève/Bazel)

[GoBroncos58]

Hey everybody!

Im moving to Switzerland this summer to finish my graduate school there (in Philosophy of Science for who's interested ), and I've heard there are a lot of great vintage watch shops in cities like Genève and Bazel. Im always rather hesitant (or just very paranoid) to just walk in a shop I don't know and purchase a watch, so I wondered if any of you has some good recommendations? (if helpful: ill be mostly in the Genève and Bern area during my stay).

Thanks in advance! Cheers

 

[sheepdoll]

GoBroncos58

Hey everybody!

Im moving to Switzerland this summer to finish my graduate school there (in Philosophy of Science for who's interested ), and I've heard there are a lot of great vintage watch shops in cities like Genève and Bazel. Im always rather hesitant (or just very paranoid) to just walk in a shop I don't know and purchase a watch, so I wondered if any of you has some good recommendations? (if helpful: ill be mostly in the Genève and Bern area during my stay).

Thanks in advance! Cheers

Lucky you.

On many of the short trips I made, especially the collector tour groups, we would hit the weekend markets and other second hand shops. When you live in a place it is even better as you will learn where such places are and which ones are worth the time checking out. Have the time to not rush in and make a hasty choice. To give some thought to the transactrion

Last year I gave a lecture at the Hocschule der Kunst[SP] on player piano rolls. Did not have much time to look for such places. There was a second hand shop near the airBnB I was staying at. Never really had the time to go in and look around. They had a lot of vintage electronics in the window.

Some of the shops are by appointment. With these one builds up a relationship with the folk around. These places have regulars. A lot of times these are run by immigrants or simply people with a different ethnicity or their descendants.

Remember the Confederation Helvetique is the merger of 4 different cultures over 1000s of years. It is easy to forget the Italianate cantons. The invisible class.

Things are quite close. It is only a 30 minute train ride from Bern to where the watchmaking districts like Biel/Bienne are. While your studies should keep you busy this is a great area to explore. I envy you.

Philosophy of science sounds interesting. I spent part evening in a hotel bar in Neuchâtel chatting with a young person who was applying for a university research position as I recall in political science. They were quite nervice, as one would be waiting to learn the results of the job interview. I wonder if they were accepted?

My favorite subject is in the history of technology. It is amazing how much Philosophy affects technology.

good luck.