Delma Watch Ltd.

Lengnau, population 5,000, lies about 10 miles from Bienne. It's on the main road into town that I find the three-story villa-style building housing Delma Watch. A small fishpond dominates the front yard.

It looks like a house that has been converted into offices but CEO Fred Leibundgut says that's not the case. The company was founded here in 1924 and this building was purpose built back then for offices and watch assembly facilities, the later located in the basement and first floor. The top floor is an apartment rented out to a watchmaker. The surrounding area is primarily residential.

Delma secures contracts to manufacture high-end watches for other companies. Buy a watch from Gucci or Harrods and it might have been produced by Delma.

A dozen employees work here. Parking isn't a problem-there's even covered parking for bicyclists, it's one and half-hours to nearest airport (Zurich) and there's no cafeteria but a small break room.