1. Bienne Mean Time was a thing, and its physical line is in front of the Omega HQ. Also known as Swatch .beat or Internet Time, it was the brand’s attempt to create a universal time that is not dependent on timezones. Launched in 1998, it’s still being used today on the Swatch Group corporate website.
2. The first ever Rolex watches were produced here in Bienne, before Rolex moved its HQ and final assembly to Geneva. Everything was done in Jean Aegler’s workshop, on Bienne’s Jura hills. The building is now used for higher education but has preserved the original Rolex signage.
3. The Federation of the Swiss Watchmaking Industry is here. They’re the ones who define “Swiss Made” regulations and share Swiss watch export figures.
4. The Omega and Swatch boutiques are open 7 days a week. This is unique in Switzerland, where basically every store outside of airports and train stations is closed on Sunday.
5. Cool brands that left Bienne over their history include Heuer, Bulova, Mido, Eberhard and Victorinox.
6. Cool brands that moved to Bienne in their recent history include Hamilton, Certina and Doxa.
7. Rolex is the largest employer in the city, with an estimated 3500 employees.
8. The largest publicly available vintage Rolex collection is at the NMB city museum. It consists of 46 watches, as many movements, and memorabilia.
9. There is a full size replica of the Lunar Module outside Omega HQ. It commemorates the brand’s lunar history and how the Speedmaster played a key role in saving the Apollo 13 crew. The replica is accessible 24/7 and lights up from the inside at night.
10. The reason Bienne is bilingual is due to the French-speaking watchmaking population who joined in the second half of the 19th century. The ability to school their children in French was part of the “deal” to attract workers.
11. You can live in a former Rolex, Omega, Heuer or Bulova production site. They’ve all been converted into apartments.
12. The office with a pirate flag hanging outside of it near the lake is the Swatch Group CEO’s, Nick Hayek.
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