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Once upon a time, in 2017 BC (Before COVID), I was fortunate enough to make the pilgrimage to Switzerland. The land where everything’s Swiss Made, even the Coca-Cola, and you’re greeted by Omega clocks upon arrival at the Zurich airport.
We actually started our trip in Rome, where I wore my trusty Oris Sixty-Five for five days straight, but literally within an hour or two after landing in Zurich, I had already somehow purchased a watch. Don’t you just hate it when that happens? That watch was the Certina DS Powermatic 80.
Paradise For Watch Lovers
I call Zurich paradise, not heaven, because it’s a place where you are surrounded by pretty much any watch and any watch brand you can think of, displayed in shop windows as you stroll through town. Heaven would be the ability to own all those watches, vintage and new. But I’ll take paradise, where I can at least see all the beautiful timepieces in real life instead of on a forum or website.
Swans on Lake Zurich 
Ganymede at Lake Zurich
I decided to get my watch purchase out of the way early, settling on the Certina after seeing it in a Christ shop (pronounced Chreest, I believe, but could be wrong) in the mall.
It was love at first sight, and was the perfect companion for the rest of our stay in Switzerland, which included a day trip to Lucerne. I’d done my research beforehand, and a few things drew me to the particular brand and watch:
- Certina wasn’t available in my home country of the USA at the time (and availability is pretty limited to this day)
- The new Powermatic 80 was interesting, due to the modern technology, long power reserve, anti-magnetic properties, free-sprung balance wheel, etc.
- I specifically wanted a black dial, GADA (go anywhere, do anything, for the uninitiated) watch on a bracelet (this was before I owned a Speedmaster)
Buying the Certina early also allowed me to enjoy my vacation instead of drooling over every watch in every single shop window (although that may have happened anyways). Zurich is an excellent city, bustling with activity, but not so much that it feels cramped (a la San Francisco if you’re a West Coaster like me, or NYC on the East Coast). It’s got that city vibe, don’t get me wrong, but it’s also uniquely charming and everything seems cleaner than what I’ve experienced in most cities in my home country of the United States. Old Town Zurich was especially charming.
Day Trip To Lucerne
We also made the trek to Lucerne for a day, taking a bus from Zurich. What a beautiful place. Like Zurich, it’s located by a lake, and watches can be found everywhere. It’s also home to Bucherer, but we weren’t able to fit in a visit that day, unfortunately.
After Arriving in Lucerne and getting off the tourist bus, we were starving, so we stopped to grab some pizza and some Mövenpick ice cream (we were also served this Swiss ice cream on our flight from Rome to Zurich, and it’s so delicious that I still crave it to this day. Sadly, I can’t buy it in the States). We then had the chance to take a cruise on the lake, and learned a little about the history of Switzerland.
We saw Rütli, which we were told is considered to be the birthplace of Switzerland. We were also told that the Lake Lucerne’s water is so clean, that you can safely drink it. I didn’t have the opportunity to sample the lake water, but I can say that Lucerne is one of the most beautiful and charming places I’ve ever visited, and would love to go back some day.
After the trip to Lucerne, we made our way back to Zurich for another day, before travelling back to Rome to fly back to the US. Before leaving Switzerland, I had one last chance to sample some local beer.
Some local beer in Zurich… 
…and then Guinness back home
The Ultimate Vacation Spot For Watch Fanatics
Switzerland is the ultimate place to visit for watch aficionados. Germany and Japan make some great watches, but Zurich is probably the place to go for the highest concentration of drool-worthy watches located all in one place. Plus, it’s just a gorgeous city; even if you’re traveling with somebody special, or a group of friends, they’ll love the place even if they could care less about watches. Lucerne is arguably even more gorgeous. Next time, I think I’ll check out Geneva and maybe Biel/Bienne (home of Omega).
Sadly, I ended up flipping my Certina roughly a year after the trip. I didn’t necessarily want to, but it was one of a few sacrificial watches to fund an Omega Speedmaster Professional. I still have the great memories, though (and the Speedmaster), so not all is lost.