As you probably all know, 2018 marks the 125th anniversary of our company. In 1893, Karl-Friedrich Gegauf patented his hemstitch sewing machine, thereby laying the foundations for BERNINA.

What you probably don’t know: Hanspeter Ueltschi, owner and Chairman of the Board of Directors of BERNINA, drives a Smart car. Two parking lots next to the entrance to our main building in Steckborn are reserved for his small car. He usually pulls in very swiftly, parking his Smart sideways across the two lots.

How does the golden anniversary connect to our Chairman driving a Smart car? Here’s how: When HP Ueltschi left for a business trip in December, we decided to go rogue, borrow the Smart and covertly give it a golden design update to celebrate the company’s birthday! The previous design was removed and replaced.

I will admit that we were a little nervous when launching the secret mission. After all, the Smart is in almost daily use and its driver has a reputation for applying high aesthetical standards. The morning of the unveiling, I was asked by a colleague if I had already cleared my desk …

How did HP Ueltschi like the gift in golden wrapping? Watch the video to see for yourself! As an exclusive extra, nosy blog readers will get an impression of the offices at the Steckborn headquarters of BERNINA, including a glimpse into our Oval Office …