The present owners, the Christidis-Mayer family, the third and fourth generations, are defiant towards history’s events, and, like their parents before them, they pursue their ideal in terms of welcome, courtesy, advice, and creativity that were the initial characteristics of the founders of the jewelers’ shop.
They perpetuate the family spirit and acknowledge their heritage by stepping into the family tradition.
THE STORY OF A CLAN
Roman Mayer, the founder of the jewelers’ shop bearing his name, was born in 1859. He was the 9th child of 14 to be born to his parents who ran a large and well reputed hotel in Pforzheim, a small town near Baden-Baden. In those days it was the summer capital of European decision makers, noblemen, investors and artists.
From the 18th century onwards, Pforzheim was known for its flourishing jewelry activity and even though it was a small bourgeois town, tourists would flock there.
The well-off Mayer children were also well educated and were able to mix rich financial and industrial families.
Shortly after the death of his mother, Bonaventura Mayer, but with a comfortable inheritance in hand, Roman emigrated to Switzerland with two of his elder brothers, Rudolf and Albert, and his younger sister Anna who later married the well-known jeweler, Emil Leicht.
Four of the remaining brothers who had stayed in Pforzheim, Friederike, Auguste, Julius and Victor, founded jewelry-manufacturing centers.
This is the birth of a clan, which by the end of the 19th century own 14 jewelers’ shops and large factories in Switzerland and Germany.
The siblings were very close and kept up business relations with each other. They decided to create a free family corporation, but the 1914-1918 war postponed this project.
In spite of this setback, they kept up their business relationship during the 20th century and even though they were intergenerational, they were very efficient.
Albert and Otto, Roman’s sons were members of the CIO and were to be in charge of the setting of several pieces of jewelry that were manufactured by their uncle Victor for the 1936 Olympics Games.
Later on, two of their cousins, Julius’s sons, settle in New York and represent the Roman Mayer brand in the United States.
It is interesting to point out that, even now, two of the branches, Victor in Pforzheim and Roman in Montreux, are still in the hands of the Mayer family, and both are fourth generations down.
THE MONTREUX ADVENTURE
On the 19th century 1888, Roman Mayer opened a jewelry and souvenir shop in the arcades just below the most prestigious hotel of the moment: The Grand Hotel.
The Montreux area was changing fast in that period and the most wild and ambitious projects were being carried out. For instance, the cable car from Territet to Glion was opened in 1883 with Victor Hugo as one of the guest.
In 1888 at Territet, the Roman Mayer brand is immediately successful and the shop is wildly fashionable. Empresses, dukes, princesses and wealthy German, Austrian, French or English visitors book into the hotel for holidays from just a few weeks to several months.
Josephine Mayer’s aura and beauty, good manners and flair for business largely contribute to the success of the business. She finds time to give birth to five children – Albert, Otto, Gustave, Line and Ida – three of which continue in the family business.
From the most noble and wealthy tourist to the simple passerby, all their customers are all treated with respect. Over the decades and from generation to generation this contributes to the notoriety of the company not only in Montreux, but also throughout Switzerland and even abroad, through diverse channels: suppliers and clients.
One of the most famous customers of the Territet jewelry shop is the absolutely charming Sissi, Empress of Austria who holidayed regularly at the resort.
Roman Mayer’s enterprising character combined with the success he was enjoying, encouraged him to open subsidiary stores in Vulpera, St-Moritz, Zermatt, Interlaken, Arosa, Montana, and Lausanne the fashionable resorts of those days. At this stage his sons had joined him in his business ventures.
On June 6th 1906, Roman Mayer obtained Swiss nationality. The children grew up and studied in Switzerland and abroad. They kept up a close relationship with their parents and the flourishing business.
On November 15th 1911, Roman Mayer died at Territet and Albert became the head of the family company. Times were difficult during the war years 14-18 but mother and son keep the shop going. At the end of the war, business perks up but the customers spending habits had changed so in 1922 the decided to open a subsidiary in Montreux, neat the Casino.
He was at the head of the jewelry shop for many years before suddenly dying in 1968, propelling his daughter Joséphine as manager of the shop when she was 21 years old.
Today, his daughter Joséphine and his son-in-law Petros, his grandchildren Alexandre and Stéphanie, all of whom work in the family business, Albert R. Mayer is still as emblematic as he ever was. The third and fourth generations have continued to run the family affairs as guards of the memory and family tradition, adapting all the while to the evolutions of today’s world.
As conversations flow, it is not unusual to hear them say: “I would like to be like him”.