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Visit to OMEGA Museum Part A: Trip to Bienne

  1. Privateday7 quotes Miss Universe Jul 14, 2013

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    Visiting Omega Museum is an incredible experience for Omega watch enthusiast. I was lucky that during last summer 2013 vacation to Europe with my family I could manage to take one day detour to visit the museum in Bienne. This article is my ‘picture notes’ of that visit. I hope it could be enjoyed by fellow respectable forum members.

    Since there are many interesting watches in the museum (all estimated at ~ 500 pieces), it is difficult for me to select which watches should be included and which should be just left out. So rather I will put almost all of them in this article but break it into 8 parts (Thanks Steve/Cicindela for the advice):

    Part A Trip to Bienne
    Part B Movements and Early days http://omegaforums.net/threads/visit-to-omega-museum-part-b-movements-and-early-days.6453/
    Part C Olympics and sports http://omegaforums.net/threads/visit-to-omega-museum-part-c-olympics-and-sports-time-keeping.6484/
    Part D Space and Flight http://omegaforums.net/threads/visit-to-omega-museum-part-d-space-and-flight.6533/
    Part E Art, official and famous figure http://omegaforums.net/threads/visit-to-omega-museum-part-e-art-official-and-movies.6573/
    Part F Constellation http://omegaforums.net/threads/visit-to-omega-museum-part-f-constellation-line.6585/
    Part G Seamaster and Deep Exploration http://omegaforums.net/threads/visit-to-omega-museum-part-g-seamaster-and-race-to-the-depth.6615/
    Part H Technical breakthrough and modern collection http://omegaforums.net/threads/visi...ical-breakthrough-and-modern-collection.6791/


    I apologize if picture quality is mediocre. I only use Olympus point and shoot camera and HTC tablet camera. It is also a challenge to take picture inside glass cases where the watches kept. Please do make comment and additional information on watch pictures that will make it a richer information album.
     
    The SIgnalman likes this.
  2. Privateday7 quotes Miss Universe Jul 14, 2013

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    Arriving at Bienne station
    Tuesday July, 2nd 2013.
    Bienne is located in Jura hill in the upper west part of Switzerland near canton Geneve, which famous for its watchmaking skill. I took trip to Bienne from Lucern via train which takes 1 hour 40 minutes. Train is the best way to get to Bienne from Swiss gateway: Zurich or Geneve airport.


    Bienne station sign
    A1 Bienne rail sign.jpg

    ICN tilting train
    A2 ICR tilting train.jpg



    The route is from Zurich to Geneve. From Lucern I went to Olten to get to this train to Bienne
    A3 Train Route.jpg

    Bienne Station Building
    A4 Train station bahnhoff.jpg


    Tourist Information Booth in front of Train station. I got my city map there.
    A5 Tourist Info booth.jpg

    The staff in Tourist info booth was kind and nice. She gave me this Bienne city map. Note Omega museum location in Rue Jacob stampffli
    A6 Bienne Map.jpg
     
  3. Privateday7 quotes Miss Universe Jul 14, 2013

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    Walking to Museum

    We could take bus to go to Museum. However I choose to walk, which take about 30 minutes from Train Station. It was a perfect way to immerse with the town atmosphere.

    A6A walking map.jpg

    Strolling along Bahnhoff strasse to Zentral platz at 09:30 in the morning
    A7 Bahnhoff strasse.jpg

    a beautiful intersection garden in early summer....
    A8 Bahnhoff strasse intersection garden.jpg

    ....perfect time for breakfast coffee in a sidewalk cafe
    A9 Bahnhoff strasse cafe.jpg

    Omega boutique at Bahnhoff strasse
    A10 Omega boutique at bahnhoffstrasse.jpg

    Arriving at Zentral platz. Center for taking bus around the town.
    A11 Zentralplatz.jpg

    Omega clock with its history in Zentral platz
    A12 Omega clock in centralplatz.jpg
     
  4. Privateday7 quotes Miss Universe Jul 14, 2013

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    Walking to Museum (continued)

    From Zentral platz, I took turn to Oberer Quai and walk along the river side
    A13 start Oberer Quai.jpg

    A14 mid Oberer Quai.jpg

    at intersection we could see Rolex factory in Bienne. This is movement factory, which used to be owned by Aegler/ Borer and then purchased by Rolex.
    A15 Rolex factory from Oberer Quai intersection.jpg

    A little further we will meet Wenger watch factory
    A16 Wenger watch factory.jpg

    It is their plating factory.....
    A17 Wenger plating station.jpg
    Next we will see Zodiac watch office.
    A18 Zodiac watch HQ.jpg

    At the end of Oberer Quai there is a very nice municipal park. I took detour to see the beautiful garden inside....perfect early summer treat
    A19 Municipal park.jpg
    A20 munipark 1.jpg
    A21 Munipark 2.jpg
    A22 munipark3.jpg

    Walking out from the municipal park we will see a small dam across the street. This small dam played important role when Louis Brandt pick his factory location in Rue Jakob stampfli, Bienne. It was basically energy source of his factory at that time.
    A23 Small dam.jpg

    From there we enter Rue Jakob stampfli........
    A24 Rue Jakob stampfli.jpg


    ....and see Omega Head quarter at the right side
    A25 Omega HQ.jpg
     
  5. Privateday7 quotes Miss Universe Jul 14, 2013

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    Arriving at the Museum

    Museum Building is located at the left side of Rue Jakob stampfli while Omega HQ is in the right side.
    The museum is at 2nd floor. The first floor is mainly used for Omega Employee cafeteria.
    A26 Omega museum building.jpg
    Museum Sign
    A27 Omega museum signage.jpg

    Lunar mobile as welcoming monument in the first floor
    A28 Lunar mobile.jpg

    A29 Lunar mobile 2.jpg


    The staircase to 2nd floor with 3 Omega logo in its walls
    A30 staircase 3 gen logo.jpg

    Once in the 2nd floor, Louis Brandt corner took our attention
    A31 louis brandt working bench.jpg

    Picture of Louis Brandt and his simple tools in creating the watch
    A32 LB picture and tools.jpg

    10 millionth chronometer
    A33 10 mil chronometer.jpg

    After greeted by the receptionist, we will be provided with guidance tools for enjoying the museum: Floor map and audio guide via Ipod
    A35 Museum Map quality.jpg

    A36 Audio Guide.jpg

    Interesting Olympic version wall clock in reception room
    A37 wall clock.jpg
     
  6. Privateday7 quotes Miss Universe Jul 14, 2013

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    Meet the people

    The current Museum manager and curator Mr. Petros Protopapas and his staff were kind enough giving guidance and help during the visit. Mr. Petros wore a very handsome tropical dial Speedy pro 105.003.
    A38 with Omega museum manager and his staff.jpg

    A39 with omega museum staff.jpg
     
  7. webvan Jul 28, 2013

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    Great intro, thanks! I just went to the Omega museum myself this Thursday but I drove there from my vacation spot (450km return trip...) so missed the whole Bienne experience unfortunately.

    I took about 300 pictures so if you have any that didn't come out right for your report.

    EDIT - Oh I see you've posted the other parts, maybe you could edit your first message to add links to these parts for direct access from here?

    Here are a couple of overview pictures I took from one of the open windows of the museum, left to right :

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  8. Privateday7 quotes Miss Universe Jul 28, 2013

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    Webvan,
    Great that you went there,too.
    I see that your picture quality is better than mine. So it would be great if bad quality pictures from my report could be replaced by yours.
    If you agree, let's do it over PM so we can do it more effectively. :thumbsup:
     
  9. webvan Jul 29, 2013

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    Sure, just saw your PM so I'll answer there to get things organized. Are you still able to edit your first message to add the links to the other parts of the report?