Going to Geneva and Switzerland in general for cheese and chocolate is a very good idea. But going to Geneva for mountains and watches is an even better idea. Back in February, my wife asked if we could go to Geneva for our wedding anniversary. In poker terms, that was an instantaneous call on my part. We immediately looked at plane tickets and hotels, and began to wish time would tick faster. And it did.
You know I am a watch and watchmaking fan. If I could swap my current career for one at a watch manufacture, I would do it in a heartbeat. Before getting on the plane to Geneva, I looked at everything watch-related we could do in Geneva. To my surprise, Geneva already had a plan for people like me.
At the Geneva Tourism Information Centre, you can buy a beautiful, well-crafted book: the Geneva Watchmaking Guide. It was our guiding compass during our stay in Geneva. The guide has a brief history of Geneva and watchmaking, the technical aspects of watches and watchmaking, Geneva’s expertise in the field of watchmaking, and how watchmaking contributes to the economy of the Canton of Geneva, as well as sites to see – the must-sees and other attractions – and information on other watch-related events happening in Geneva during the year, with a short quiz at the end to test your knowledge of watchmaking and Geneva. Overall, a useful guide for both novices and seasoned enthusiasts of watchmaking.
After arriving in Geneva, we went to the Information Centre to buy the guide (30 CHF). With the book in hand, we went to our first stop – a morning coffee at a watch-themed coffee shop. Yes, it was mentioned in the guide.
Coffee Up – Rive Droit
I read of this coffee shop even before I got my hands on the watchmaking guide. Once you walk into this coffee shop, you immediately know you’ve walked into a place owned by people who love watches. Watch posters on walls, a large Audemars Piguet wall clock, various watch-themed coffee table books scattered around the coffee shop for purchase and casual viewing, and a large wall-sized painting of an F.P. Journe watch. One wouldn’t be wrong to describe this coffee shop as a shrine for watch enthusiasts.
We had two cappuccinos and a chicken sandwich with cheese, curry, and nuts. It was delicious, and it marked a wonderful start to our trip.
The Geneva Watchmaking Guide lists many locations, from landmarks and buildings to popular gathering spots, that have ties to watchmaking. Obviously, we tried to see all of them.
Jet d’Eau
The first site on the list is the iconic Jet d’Eau. You may be wondering what connection it has to watchmaking; the guide answers: “In 1886, a hydraulic power plant was built at Coulouvrenière to harness the river’s current and provide energy for the city’s industrial development, including machines operated by the watchmakers established along the Rhône. As a safety measure, the plant was fitted with a pressure-release valve which, at the end of each day, sent a 30-metre jet of water skywards in front of the Bâtiment des Forces Motrices, much to the delight of passers-by.” The current Jet d’Eau was moved to its present location a few years later, once a new system for releasing excess pressure was introduced.
The current Jet d’Eau propels 500 litres of water 140 metres into the air per second at a speed of 200 km/h. It may not look that impressive in photos, but in person it is quite something. I was pleasantly surprised to see people chilling by the Jet d’Eau during the day and later in the evening, literally and figuratively soaking in the water.
Flower Clock and Reformation Wall
The next sites on the list are the Flower Clock and the Reformation Wall.
The first is a giant floral clock at the western corner of the Jardin Anglais. Every minute, the second hand – which, at 2.5 metres, is probably the longest in the world – travels the 15.7-metre circumference of the dial. The exact time is transmitted by satellite. The current hands were donated by Patek Philippe following the clock’s latest refresh in 2017.
Why is the Reformation Wall listed as a must-see attraction in a watchmaking guide? Because John Calvin, the French theologian and one of the four men who initiated the Reformation in Geneva, forbade the wearing of jewellery and ornamentation in 1541, and forced the city’s goldsmiths to turn to watchmaking instead.
Coffee Up – Rive Gauche
Before we continue with other must-see sites for watchmaking nerds, let’s take another sip of coffee.
The coffee shop I mentioned previously has a sister – a more subtle place with fewer watch-related items on display. But that doesn’t mean there are none. Vacheron Constantin actually designed the second coffee shop; it still features watch-themed books here and there, but there are no posters or paintings. Nevertheless, it is still a must-visit.
This is a recently opened establishment, hence its absence from the Geneva Watchmaking Guide. The coffee and pastries were delicious.
Pont de la Machine and Tour de l’Île
Water taps are scattered all around Geneva. Therefore, if you are travelling to Geneva, make sure to bring a refillable water bottle, because it will save you money and make you fall in love with water.
Water is delicious in Geneva. Okay, it wasn’t the best water we drank on our trip, but it was close (I’ll let you know where the best was). But why am I talking about water? Pont de la Machine was the first place where we spotted a water tap.
According to the Watchmaking Guide, Pont de la Machine is the building closest to Geneva’s exact centre; “no other building played a more central role in powering the city’s watchmaking industry. For more than two centuries, the Rhône was Geneva’s main source of energy, supplying hydropower to the many watchmakers in the Saint-Gervais district. The Pont de la Machine is a symbol of a time when the entire city lived and breathed watchmaking.”
We tried to visit the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH) that currently occupies the building, but apparently it was closed to visitors. Nevertheless, we did try their water tap.
Escalade Clock and Tour du Molard
In total, there are 10 sites listed in the guide. There should be more, as we already saw with the recently opened second Coffee Up. Hopefully, the next iteration of the Geneva Watchmaking Guide will update the list.
The other places are Île Rousseau, because the famous writer could have taken the path of a watchmaker due to his family; the Patek Philippe Museum – more on that later; the Horloge de l’Escalade; Saint-Gervais – a neighbourhood famous for hosting thousands of watchmakers in the eighteenth century; and the Tour du Molard.
To mark the 360th anniversary of the victory over the Duke of Savoy in 1602, Longines gifted the Horloge de l’Escalade to the city of Geneva in 1962. “Measuring 4.25 metres wide by 3.5 metres high and weighing 1500 kilos, this monumental clock counts hours, minutes, dates, days, months and moon phases.” Surprisingly, to see this timepiece, you need to know where to look. You can’t simply stumble upon it while touring Geneva.
Regarding the Tour du Molard, unfortunately, the clock tower was under restoration and was missing both clock faces.
But this marks the end of the sites recommended by the Geneva Watchmaking Guide. Rather than bore you with in-depth descriptions of the ones I didn’t mention, I’ll let you Google them or go to Geneva and get your hands on the Guide for yourself.
Breitling kitchen
It is time for another food stop. I’ll let you in on a little secret: almost all of our dining spots are related to watchmaking. You already read about our coffee shops; now come places that serve something more.
The first one is the Breitling Kitchen, another place recommended by the Geneva Watchmaking Guide. Located at the lakeside and right next to the Breitling boutique (obviously), it serves decent food and drinks. We opted for a beer and a mocktail with a set of snacks. Worth a visit? To chill and relax in the evening, and if you are a watch fan.
Geneva Boat Tour
Let’s rewind a bit. After arriving in Geneva and having our morning coffee, we set out to see all the must-see sites listed in the guide. We did that in a relatively short time, with a few stops for water and rest.
After completing the list, we set out to complete our usual travel itinerary – buildings, boats, and cathedrals. Let’s start with the boat trip. As you may already know, if a city has a harbour, a lake, or a river, and if there is a sightseeing cruise, then we will be on it. Geneva was no different. Even though it was a hot afternoon, the fresh breeze from the lake was just enough to cool us down.
Cathédrale Saint-Pierre
We saw Geneva from the lake and the streets, and we also needed to see it from above. You can do that in two ways: first, from a Ferris wheel, but the thought of being stuck in a metal box high above in 34-degree heat just didn’t sit well with me; second, from the towers of Cathédrale Saint-Pierre. The second option sounded much better. Also, a 160-step challenge to get to the top sounded fun. Luckily, we had refilled our water bottle for that challenge.
The view from above was breathtaking, and the cool stone walls were a welcome relief. The mountains in the distance, the Jet d’Eau from above, and all the rooftops with and without brand names. I love it.
Meltd Home Burgers
How can burgers be related to watchmaking? This is something the Geneva Watchmaking Guide will not tell you.
Interestingly enough, the owner of Meltd Home Burgers worked for 12 years at Patek Philippe. Yes, the same Patek Philippe. For 12 years, this wonderful man was a micro-mechanic at one of the most prestigious watchmakers in the world, until he decided to create something of his own. Therefore, if you want to eat a burger made by the same hands that once assembled Patek Philippe watches, then Meltd Home Burgers is a must.
Reading that back, I realise it may sound a bit odd. I am not bothered by it. Those burgers were absolutely delicious. The link to Patek gave them that little extra spice.
MB&F M.A.D. Gallery
Neither the second Coffee Up shop nor the above-mentioned Meltd Home Burgers is listed in the Geneva Watchmaking Guide. Surprisingly enough, you will not find anything in the guide on the MB&F M.A.D. Gallery either. As I mentioned previously, hopefully the next version will list all these places, especially the latter.
The MB&F M.A.D. Gallery is a place of worship for anyone passionate about watchmaking and mechanical art. It was everything: watches both on display and available for a closer look, and all types of time-telling objects. To give you a proper insight into this wonderful gallery, I created a separate post.
I was genuinely thrilled to visit this place in person. I’ve watched countless YouTube videos on all the mechanical objects on display; I’ve read countless articles on the Legacy Machines I was able to touch and put on my wrist, and I left the gallery extremely satisfied.
The one sad aspect? Not winning any of the raffles I entered. Next time.
The watch you see above was once a wallpaper on my phone. I finally got to touch it in person. More photos in this post.
Fondue in Geneva
My wife had never eaten fondue. What better place for her first than Geneva? This was the last dinner of our trip.
Fun fact: we were the only ones at the restaurant. Why? Probably because it was 35 degrees outside, and only a few crazy people would eat hot cheese in this weather. But you know what? It was worth it.
Buildings with brand names
It wouldn’t be a travel review without a gallery of buildings. Geneva had plenty to offer.
This first gallery features the iconic buildings with brand names on the roof, from Rolex to Patek Philippe, from Tudor to UBS. When I see photos or videos of Geneva, these buildings are usually featured.
Yes, you don’t have to point it out; Bucherer is not displayed on a roof.
Architecture of Geneva
I felt good walking around Geneva. I could easily see myself living there. I understand why multiple surveys call Geneva one of the most livable cities in the world. The proximity of mountains and water greatly improves the quality of life for its inhabitants. It didn’t even bother me that most of the architecture in Geneva was old.
It is beautiful.
Swimming in the lake
I’ll end this post with the most unexpected activity during this trip – swimming.
Okay, it wasn’t entirely unexpected; we did pack swimwear. But it was more like hope than expectation to swim in the lake.
We swam on our first and last evening. The water was perfect. After walking some twenty thousand steps each day, a foot massage on the rocky beach was more than welcome.
No wonder people in Geneva seemed happy.
I hope you felt, in this article, how pleased I was with this trip. From watchmaking-related visits to eating burgers made by an ex-Patek Philippe micro-mechanic, Geneva is special. We will visit it again because, even though it might have felt like we did everything there is to do related to watchmaking, there are still a few activities and sites left. Switzerland as a whole has plenty more to offer.
Now, this is not the end. You just read everything about our trip to Geneva.
Head here to see and read more about our visit to the MB&F M.A.D. Gallery.
Head here to see what we saw at the Patek Philippe Museum. I hope you didn’t think I would omit the most famous museum in Geneva (it depends on who you ask).
Head here to see and read about where we went between day one and day three. A little hint: snow-capped mountains.
Kindly,
Olaaf
