LA CAVE GLYCINE
La Cave Glycine takes visitors on a walk down memory lane, recounting the brand’s rich history while introducing exciting new pieces.
16 August 2023 2 min. reading
Glycine chose its hometown of Bienne in Switzerland as the site for its latest showroom, La Cave Glycine. The high-end Swiss watchmaking company teamed up with ICONIA to create a unique space that showcases the brand’s history, while introducing new models to consumers. The space is located in the city center and can only be accessed by walking through heavy wooden to an arched basement.
The underground showroom was designed as an exhibition space, with a museum feel. Screens and showcases guide visitors seamlessly through the brand's colorful history. A long counter stands proudly at the center of the room, with built-in display cabinets. Each display cabinet holds technical and historical information about the watches it contains. On one side of the room, visitors can discover historical timepieces, and on the other side, newer collections that are for sale. A large wall showcase is dedicated to highlighting the various Airman watches, of which the historical anecdote is featured on the welcome wall.
The design scheme is anchored to Glycine's history, and synonym of Swiss excellence and precision. The selected materials echo the brand's aviation and military background. A large backwall was constructed in the spirit of old military planes, out of unpolished steel metal plates with riveted joints. Another nod to the aviation industry is the large model plane hanging from the ceiling. The main counter is made from StoneLeaf, a material composed of natural stone, adhesive, fiberglass and resin, which paired with the wooden floor gives a premium feel to the space.
A special attention was given to detail, from the display case stickers to each laser cut brass letter and engraved image. Such particular heed was given to these elements as an ode to Glycine’s founder, Eugène Meylan who found success thanks to the finesse of his craft, when creating extremely precise and small movements for women’s watches.
