Am Limmatquai 32 – this was the address at which the Heinicke watch shop first opened its doors when it was founded. In addition to the sale of watches and wall and table clocks, the company also offered weekly setting and winding of home clocks as well as repairs to mechanical clocks.
In the years after 1945, American soldiers discovered Swiss watches and contributed thus to the growing popularity of these timepieces. Spurred on by the exchange rate and the continuing trend, many more Americans travelled to Switzerland in the years that followed to stock up on the coveted watches.
The mid-1970s marked the dawn of a golden age for the wristwatch. However, quartz watches were now beginning to assert themselves over mechanical watches. In terms of accuracy, a mechanical watch was no match for the quartz. “The more accurate watch is the better watch” captured the spirit of the times. With the recession, the value of the dollar slumped. This reduced production costs and consequently the price of a quartz watch – the boom was now unstoppable.
On 1 January 1976, Max Heinicke Junior took over as Managing Director. The company was to be continued as a family business. With the same heart, soul and passion for the work and the customers as his father had. With him, the motto – “We live from satisfied customers” - also remains the guiding principle of the company.
Despite severe crises, as a result of which the Swiss watch industry had to reorganise itself, Swiss watches retained their high status on the world market. Following the success of quartz watches, demand for mechanical watches again rose significantly in 2012. “A watch is a status symbol.”
In 2019, the Brugger family, who have been friends for decades, took over Heinicke Uhren AG. Working closely with the experienced team, the family ensured that the tradition and values of the company were retained, but also introduced many innovations and fresh ideas. It marked the beginning of a new chapter in the company’s history with a modern approach and innovative concepts.
The challenges of 2020 also hit us hard, as they did the entire retail sector worldwide. The Covid outbreak forced us to rethink quickly and shook the retail trade to its core. During this phase, we had the idea of giving our store a makeover. However, it took a few more years before we made the decision to tackle the remodelling.
After around a year of intensive preparation, the long-awaited moment arrived. Together with our architect, we developed numerous ideas, looked into several shop concepts and finally decided on the right design that would realise our vision of a new Heinicke store.
Finally, in spring 2024, it was time to get started. Our store was transformed into a buzzing construction site. The next eight weeks took us through an intense phase of highs and lows. It was a time dominated by various feelings, but most of all the sense of joyful anticipation.
Spring brought a breath of fresh air and the long-awaited opening of our newly remodelled shop. After intense planning and many weeks of construction, we were finally able to open the doors on our new Heinicke store. It was such a joy to proudly present the result and welcome the first visitors to the redesigned premises. With a modern concept and carefully chosen furnishings, we want to offer our customers a special experience. The start of this new chapter was a complete success for us and a wonderful way to embark on a new era.
On 6 September, we were finally able to proudly present our new, modern store. We celebrated this milestone in fitting manner with our partners and 80 guests. In the unique, atmospheric setting of the Frauenbadi, the Women’s River Lido in Zurich, we enjoyed an unforgettable evening of stimulating conversation, festive vibes and culinary highlights. It was an opportunity to toast the successful completion of our project together and to celebrate the future of our store in a very special atmosphere.
Limmatquai 32
8001 Zürich
hello@heinicke-uhren.ch
+41 44 251 66 70
MO-FR 10:00-18:30
SA 10:00-18:00
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