It was in 1871 that Bernhard H. Mayer, a skilled metal engraver set up shop in the idyllic Black Forest town of Pforzheim, Germany. Over the next 150 years, Mayer and his descendants would grow from these humble beginnings in numismatics to establish the family name as a premier brand in luxury horology. We bring you the highlights…
It is a journey full of historical significance – such as when the company was commissioned to produce gold medals for the 1936 Berlin Olympics, or when the family’s factories were destroyed in World War II – and culminating in its eventual renaissance as a watchmaker par excellence.
Led today by the founder’s great-grandson, the Mayer enterprise of the 21st century is, in many ways, worlds apart from the one established by the family’s patriarch. Yet, despite – or perhaps because of – the experiences of the past, one thing remains front and centre: an unwavering devotion to history and heritage.
The Mayer family has always lived true to the family spirit – serving their business partners, customers and employees by fulfilling their needs, in all humility. Brand chairman and a fourth-generation Mayer, also named Bernhard H. Mayer, remarks that the brand believes in these values — now, more than ever, and they strive to make their products an expression of the family spirit.
Looking back and asking himself what made his ancestors continue relentlessly working, striving and struggling against all odds, he remembers something his father once said when he asked his father what kept him going. His father replied that it was to pass on the heritage to the next generation.
A large part of that heritage is the Mayers’ deep love for horology; they, in fact, had long been involved in the production of watch components. Indeed, the family’s patriarch Bernhard Sr. had had a penchant for pocket watches, and used to collect, personalise and engrave these status symbols of yesteryears.
Nevertheless, it was only in the 1980s that the family found inspiration in the coin watches pioneered by Corum, and moved to channel its century-long passion and proficiency in medallic art into watchmaking.
That decision, together with the eventual forging of a strategic distribution alliance with the QI Group, heralded a new dawn for the family and saw the Bernhard H. Mayer name recognised for its singular take on the classic, hand-assembled wristwatch. There is a certain uniqueness in their watches with their combination of traditional Swiss watchmaking and numismatic art, as Mayer explains.
He points out that the Bernhard H. Mayer brand is one of very few that combines the art of traditional coin designing and minting with state-of-the-art horology. This adds a touch of history and tradition to modern watchmaking, setting them apart from most of the other fine watch brands.
While tradition, history, and the idea of preserving 150 years of heritage remain in focus, the Bernhard H. Mayer brand, headquartered since 2006 in horology’s de facto capital of Biel, Switzerland, has over the past few years set new benchmarks in modern watchmaking.
And nowhere is this marriage of legacy and modern ingenuity more clearly seen than in the exquisitely crafted limited-edition wristwatches conceptualised by celebrated designer Rodolphe Cattin for the brand’s sesquicentennial.
The handsome Cattin masterworks, which are available in two elegant finishes – stainless steel and brushed/polished stainless steel plated with Rose Gold PVD – are matchless in their refined beauty.
But what truly set these aesthetic treasures apart are two commemorative coins – in 925 Sterling Silver for the stainless steel watch, and 18K Rose Gold for its twin – set on the dials, which depict the iconic Mayer factory in Pforzheim.
Mayer confesses that he is an admirer of Cattin and vividly remembers his meetings with him. Cattin focuses not merely on the design, but adheres to the golden rule: form follows function.
The two had passionate discussions on how to document the numismatic origins of the Mayer family spirit and tradition. And finally agreed that there had to be a reference to medallic art and Bernhard H. Mayer’s long history while maintaining the highest technical and design quality.
The magnificent twin creations, like many of the brand’s timepieces, perfectly encapsulate its debt to the past. Yet the design, Mayer notes, is also firmly contemporary and acknowledges the demands of the modern customer.
Mayer expounds that they always strive to create products that reflect the dynamic personality and lifestyle of a mostly young generation of watch aficionados. At the same time, the marque adheres to quality standards that make their watches last for a lifetime and can even be proudly passed on to the next generation.
This eye on the future stems from the family’s commitment to their brand and product, and also of each generation’s sense of being one link in a long chain – a quality that Mayer says is the family’s strength.
The Mayer brand, its chairman adds, is focused on sustainability, and as it celebrates a century-and-a-half of excellence, the company is already looking to a future where personality and character will drive demand more than ever.
He believes that in many ways, the revolution has begun. The watch is such a personal product and there is already a move to recognise that wearers want to be associated with their watches. In the future, there will be more focus on individualisation and personalisation, and that is also because customers have become more discerning. People are so well informed, and he thinks that this is what will drive future trends.
