A Club Member said to me recently "The best thing I did last year was when we went to Armin Strom and saw their watchmakers and craftspeople. It was just so spectacular and it made me really appreciate their watches so much more." He'd joined us our first trip to Biel/Bienne in Switzerland before we the Geneva Watch Days show. This was the first time we'd taken our Members to visit watchmakers in Switzerland and it was a huge success.

There is something quite extraordinary about visiting the place watches are they are made; you can meet the designers, see the inspiration, and of course see the watchmakers putting the watches together.

Why visit a watch Atelier?

When you walk into a Watch Atelier you immediately get a feel for the soul of a brand and have the chance to meet the people behind it. This means that the designers are there, often the CEO will be in their office, and you'll see all the different departments involved in creating and distributing a watch.

In September we visited Urwerk in Geneva's Old Town, and were ushered into a glass-filled conversion of an old Swiss house, full of extra special clocks ticking away in the corners. This perfectly reflected Urwerk's futuristic and technical aesthetic and made it really exciting to try on the watches that have resulted from this vision.

Singer's vibe felt completely different, referencing the sister car conversion company which owns it. The space was super laid back, full of beautiful mid-century furniture, and even the watchmaker's benches were very large and spacious and right in the lounge area that we had our meeting in.

At Armin Strom we saw the picture of a successful and efficient modern manufacture. No space was wasted at this high growth brand. We started in a small conference room for a detailed explanation of their resonance movement, with pictures and models. We toured the workshop, seeing the designers room, with top secret protype designs on the walls, smelt the chemicals in the galvanisation room with chemical tanks, and watches the polishers in the basement of specialist finishing machines. The finishing department took up as much space as the assembly workshop, physically demonstrating the value they place on making sure every component is perfectly made.

What's the difference between an Atelier and a Manufacture?

There isn't a strict difference, but Atelier usually describes smaller workshops that often double as the brand's only showroom. Manufactures are larger facilities producing thousands of watches annually, with brands that sell through retailer networks and their own boutiques. Larger manufactures show you industrial scale production, though visitor access to the machinery rooms is usually restricted. Smaller ateliers let you get closer to the watchmakers and see hand assembly in detail, which is why they're often more rewarding to visit.

Are there any in the UK?

At their fantastic, purpose built HQ "The Wing" near Henley in Oxfordshire, Bremont assemble all their timepieces. A visit is a great chance to see their assembly facilities, learn about the DNA of the brand and see their famous Limited Editions and the new models. At Christopher Ward's HQ in Maidenhead you can try on every watch in the range and see their service technicians at work. It's a great introduction to the brand and it's easy for anyone to make an appointment. There are a small number of people making entire watches in the UK, but they are not open to visitors, for example Roger Smith on the Isle of Mann, Struthers Watchmakers in the North West, and Charles Frodsham in Kent.

Which other countries can I visit watchmakers in?

While there are hundreds of watchmakers in Switzerland, many people don't realise that it's now possible to visit numerous watch Atelier in South-West Germany, chiefly in the town of Glashütte near Dresden. Featuring brands such as Nomos, Union Glashütte, Lange und Heyne, and A. Lange & Söhne, plus a famous museum, it's a place many enthusiasts want to visit. The Watch Collectors' Club hope to take a trip there later in 2026. In Japan it is possible to visit the High Horology workshops of Grand Seiko as well as some of the independent watchmakers like Kurono Tokyo.

How do I visit these Atelier and watch Manufactures?

If you have a good relationship with an Authorised Dealer or a watch brand directly you may get an invitation to visit the Atelier of Manufacture in Switzerland. You can also arrange your own trip to Switzerland or elsewhere and contact all of the places you'd like to go and make an appointment. Another option is to join one of the Experiences from The Watch Collectors' Club. We run these trips to make it very easy for collectors to have an amazing time without having to worry about logistics, relationships or access, while enjoying the company of other enthusiasts from around the world.

Conclusion

A visit to Switzerland gives you more access to brands and the chance to deepen your knowledge and passion for watches. Our next Experience is to Geneva in April for the Watches and Wonders show, and you can find more information here. We'll also be running Experiences in Switzerland to visit Manufactures in June and for the Geneva Watch Days Show in September. We plan to visit Glashütte in Germany in November.