In memoriam: Mourning for René Beyer

In memoriam: Mourning for René Beyer

The so-called watch king of Zurich, René Theodor Beyer, died on April 13th at the age of only 61 after a serious illness.

Since 1986, he has been part of the management of the oldest and probably best-known watch shop in Switzerland, which has always been family-owned since its founding in 1760.

At that time, at the age of 23, he took over management of the business together with his mother after his father, Theodor R. Beyer, suffered a second heart attack. In 1996, his sister Muriel Zahn-Beyer joined the management team, and from 2003 onward, Beyer Chronometrie AG was run alone as the eighth generation, supported by the Board of Directors consisting of him, his sister Muriel Zahn-Beyer, his mother Annette Beyer (most recently as an honorary member), and a lawyer.

René Beyer was a passionate watch dealer, connoisseur, and enthusiast. "No one else had René Beyer's refinement when he spoke about watchmaking as an art," once said Jean-Claude Biver, a watch icon and close friend of the now deceased.

Beyer Chronometrie AG's business operations are continuing as normal, the company announced. "Muriel Zahn-Beyer, René Beyer's sister, has been managing director for almost a year."

He continued: "With René Beyer, we are not only losing our boss, but also a warm-hearted person who always stood by us with his generosity, his incomparable sense of humor, and his open ear, and who inspired us with his zest for life. His humanity will leave a great void."