Fortunat Mueller-Maerki, born in Switzerland in 1946, died on June 1, 2026. A longtime contributor to the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, he assembled a major horological library that he later donated to the Horological Society of New York. His collecting interests developed alongside a 25-year career at executive search firm Egon Zehnder.
Daily Digest
The Day in Watchmaking
The death of Fortunat Mueller-Maerki on June 1, 2026, brings the preservation of horological knowledge into focus. A longtime contributor to the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, he assembled a major horological library and later donated it to the Horological Society of New York. That collection, and his decision to place it with the society, stand at the centre of his contribution to the watch and clock community. Born in Switzerland in 1946, Mueller-Maerki developed his collecting interests alongside a 25-year career at executive search firm Egon Zehnder. His legacy encompasses both that sustained personal commitment to collecting and the library he ultimately entrusted to a horological institution.