A little history of the Swiss Jamaican connection

A little history of the Swiss Jamaican connection

Around 1932, Rudolf Wäckerlin, a Swiss-born rum merchant living in Jamaica, travelled regularly by train through Switzerland trying to sell rum for his company, Rum Basel - more popularly known under the name Coruba. On one of these many train trips through Switzerland, Mr. Wäckerlin happened to be seated across from a business man named Hans Wilsdorf, who was also travelling through Switzerland trying to sell Rolex watches. Hans Wilsdorf was able to convince Rudolf Wäckerlin to take a couple of his Rolex watches back to Jamaica and try to sell them there.

So said, so done. The Rolex watches were sold, more were ordered and the business began. Although Rolex already belonged to the pioneers in watch-making even at that time, they were not yet so robust and were often brought back to Switzerland for repairs. Due to the growing success of the watch selling business in Jamaica, it was no longer possible to do business with both watches and rum. Consequently a business was opened and bore the name Swiss Stores.

By 1958 Swiss Stores had established itself as the finest jewelry and watch store in Jamaica and continues to hold this position today. In 1958 Swiss Stores opened the first fully air-conditioned store, in the face of strong criticism that a store with a closed storefront would never work. Swiss Stores was and still is a pioneer in its field.

Swiss Stores continues under Swiss management (who incidentally is the Swiss consulate in Jamaica) and the only Rolex retailer in the country. With the new state-of- the-art workshop Swiss Stores is able to continue its long standing tradition of being the only authorized service centre for Rolex, Omega and all other Swiss watch brands.

Contact the Swiss Consulate Jamaica, c/o Swiss Stores Ltd., 107 Harbour Street, P. O. Box 171, Kingston, Jamaica. Email: [email protected]

Websites:

https://www.facebook.com/Swiss-Stores-124924674254659/

https://www.workandjam.com/bl/miscellaneus/jewelry-store/swiss-stores.htm

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/style/my-kingston-8212-peter-bangerter-director-of-swiss-stores-jamaica-limited_129113?profile=1237

Also visit our art gallery:  https://www.experiencejamaique.com/product_gallery

Updated June 2020