1940s Heuer Single-Button Chronograph Pocket Watch Retailed By Beyer

Why This Watch Matters This pocket watch is a great representation of Heuer's history as a trusted maker of chronographs and timing instruments – trusted enough for Zurich's famed Beyer to retail in the 1940s. The Full Story Beyer is considered the oldest watch shop in Switzerland and possibly the world. The retailer has been owned and operated by the Beyer family for over eight generations since the store's founding in 1760. Yeah, Beyer dates back to before the American and French Revolutions, that's 16 years before the Declaration of Independence. Beyer's history with Patek Philippe dates back to around 1842 when the store is estimated to have started selling watches branded with the Calatrava cross. The oldest Patek found within the Beyer museum dates to 1899 and is stamped "fabriqué pour Beyer Zürich." The first time Beyer sold a Rolex was in 1932. The retailer's 20th century relationship with Patek Philippe and Rolex are maybe best represented by the collection of Talking Watches