If you are looking for high quality removals to Switzerland, Hamiltons are specialists in European removals and moving to Switzerland. In the 20 years since the company was founded, we have provided many successful removals to Switzerland and are proud of our track record.
Removals to Switzerland – click here to read more about our removals to Switzerland service.
If you are moving to Switzerland, once you have settled in the country, you may want to stock up on handmade items so you have beautiful gifts for when you visit friends and family back in the UK. The Swiss are known for their high standard of workmanship and attention to detail, so you are bound to find something of interest when you have moved here. You can also see artisans at work at the various museums in and around the country, so you can find out how some items are made.
If you require removals to Switzerland and want to know more about Swiss crafts, here’s our brief guide to the gems you can expect to see. We won’t be able to list all of these here, but see below to discover our pick of the best.
A Guide to Crafts in Switzerland
Lace Making
Lace making is a craft that stems from the 15th and 16th centuries and you can find some beautiful lace gifts from Switzerland such as superb hand-made table cloths and smaller table items, such as doilies and lace-trims for garments.
If you want to find out more about this intricate craft, visit the Lace-Making Museum in Lauterbrunnen, where you can see the lace-makers at work.
Clock Making
Swiss time-pieces have a world-wide reputation for their precision, accuracy and fine craftsmanship. Clock and watch making in Switzerland started in Geneva in the mid 1500’s and there are some wonderful time-pieces to buy from designer brands of watches, small carriage clocks to grandfather clocks.
You can also discover more about horology in Switzerland by visiting the world’s largest clock museum at La Chaux-des-Fonds, which has around 4,500 exhibits of clocks and watches.
One word of note: while it is possible to buy Cuckoo Clocks in Switzerland, they don’t originate from the country and instead were invented in Black Forest area of Germany in the 17th century.
Musical Instruments
The alphorn is considered the Swiss national musical instrument and is made from a single block of wood cut in half lengthways, carved out, and put together again. It is a traditional herdsman instrument and was first used by Celtic tribes in the northern part of the Alps some 2,000 years ago.
The alphorn is still made in Switzerland today using skills that have been passed down through generations. Alphorns are personalised and feature stunning painted works of art on each horn.
Although, you may find it a bit tricky to take to relatives back home (they are 9 ft long!), you can find out more about this instrument by visiting the country’s oldest alphorn manufacture in Bern.
Attention to detail has meant that the Swiss are also known for producing a number of other musical instruments, such as violins. There is even a Swiss school of Violin Making in Brienz.
Wood Carvings
Swiss wood carvings have a reputation for their fine detailing and all sorts of wonderful wooden creations are made in Switzerland, from sculptures to furniture and musical instruments.
The School of Wood Carving is based in Brienz (next to the School of Musical Instrument Making) and contains a museum which houses a fantastic collection of antique wood carvings from the last 200 years. You can browse the exhibits and see the wood carvers at work.
Glass Making
Glass objects have been made in the north of the Alps (now Switzerland) since ancient times. Today you can buy various wonderful hand-blown glass objects made in Switzerland and this can include anything from glass bowls to vases.
The oldest glassmaking factory in Switzerland is based in Hergiswil village, near Lucerne. If you would like to find out more about glass-blowing, you can take a guided tour of the premises to see it at first hand. The factory has been operating since the early 1800’s and receives about 200,000 visitors a year.
Jewellery
An article about Swiss crafts shouldn’t go without mentioning fine jewellery. Jewellery-making in Switzerland took a back seat in the 16th century, thanks to restrictions during the Protestant Reformation, so many jewellery makers decided to turn their hand to watch making.
However, jewellery making is still very much alive in Switzerland. In fact, one of the leading brands of luxury jewellery and watches is Chopard, whose stunning tailor made creations are often seen on the red carpet.
About Hamiltons
For excellent standards in domestic and corporate removals to Switzerland, at competitive rates, contact Hamiltons today.
Removals to Switzerland – click here to read more about our removals to Switzerland service.
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