Biel/Bienne, the Watch City – Watch Brands, Makers and History

How Biel became a watch city

Watchmaking in the Jura, just north of Biel, dates back to the 18th century. According to the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland, Biel itself grew into an industrial centre from the mid-19th century, with watchmaking and precision engineering at its core. Many of the watchmakers who settled in the town at the time came from the French-speaking Jura.

Omega is a well-known example of this development: the brand's history begins in 1848 with Louis Brandt's workshop in La Chaux-de-Fonds, and in 1880 the company moved to Biel. Since then, the history of the town and that of the watch industry have been closely linked.

Watch brands and manufacturers in Biel

Today Biel is home to more than 100 watch companies. The Swatch Group has its headquarters in Biel, as do several of its brands, including Omega and Swatch. Rolex runs a large site in Biel where movements are produced.

The industry association, the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH), is also based in Biel. According to Watchtime, around ten percent of all jobs in the Swiss watch industry are located in the city. Alongside the big names, numerous suppliers, workshops and smaller watch brands carry the region's expertise forward.

Bilingual: Biel and Bienne

Biel/Bienne is the largest bilingual city in Switzerland. German and French are used side by side in daily life, in schools and in the administration, and the official name of the city carries both languages.

For the watch industry this is an advantage: Biel links German-speaking Switzerland with the Romandy and the Jura arc, where many of the industry's suppliers and specialists work. This is also why Zircon Swiss communicates in German, French and English.

Zircon Swiss: a young brand from Biel

Zircon Swiss is a brand of Black Pearl Zircon SA, based in Biel/Bienne and listed in the Swiss commercial register since 1987. Under the Zircon Swiss name, the company makes a single product: the Bow-Watch-Tie, a bow tie with an integrated Swiss watch.

The company is run by Markus, David and Kyrollos Istafanous. Its products are sold directly through the website and through retailers and distributors.

The Bow-Watch-Tie: a bow tie with an integrated Swiss watch

The Bow-Watch-Tie is a bow tie with a Swiss watch at its centre. Inside runs the Swiss Made ETA 978.002 quartz movement, the bezel is made of faceted zirconium dioxide ceramic and a sapphire crystal protects the dial. The silk comes from Como, and each bow tie is made by hand in Switzerland.

The construction is patent pending with the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (CH 722154), and the design is registered under number CH 148284.

Features and collection of the Bow-Watch-Tie

The watch case is made of brass with a 10 µ gold plating. The faceted zirconium dioxide ceramic bezel comes with 1, 3 or 12 facets and is set with zirconia stones; the watch is water-resistant to 3 ATM. The Classic models in Black and White cost CHF 1,900, the Barock models in Brown, Silver and Blue CHF 2,500.

Every Bow-Watch-Tie is delivered in a piano-lacquered wooden case with a certificate of authenticity and comes with a 2-year warranty.

Frequently asked questions