The Swiss voice in the world since 1935
Top stories
Stay in touch with Switzerland

Swiss watchmakers recognised with special edition gold coin

Timemachine gold coins with watchmaking engraving
The watch sector has become on eof Switzerland's most valuable economic industries. Swiss Mint

A special edition gold coin, called “Timemachine”, is being produced to pay homage to Switzerland’s watchmaking industry.

The coin, which features a clock face, cogs of a watch movement and a globe, will celebrate the importance of the industry in Switzerland and the popularity of Swiss watches worldwide.

More

Each coin has a CHF25 ($25) face value, but the 5,000 limited edition copies, to be produced by the Federal MintExternal link, will be sold at a starting price of CHF419.

The watch industry in Switzerland is believed to trace its origins to an influx of French Huguenot refugees in the 16th Century.

From Geneva, watch makers have spread all over Switzerland to produce such iconic brands as Rolex, Swatch, Patek Philippe and Breitling.

Last year, the sector recovered from the coronavirus pandemic to generate CHF22.3 billion in sales. Between the start of 2022 and the end of August, sales worth CHF15.9 billion have been achieved.

The craftsmanship of mechanical watchmaking and art mechanics was added to UNESCO’s List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2020.

Popular Stories

Most Discussed

News

Switzerland and Côte d'Ivoire sign agreement on cultural assets

More

Switzerland and Ivory Coast sign agreement on cultural assets

This content was published on Culture Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider signed an agreement on cultural assets with Ivorian Culture Minister Françoise Remarck in Côte d'Ivoire on Monday. It is the first of its kind to be concluded with a country from the region.

Read more: Switzerland and Ivory Coast sign agreement on cultural assets
Aargau cantonal police capture a king snake in Veltheim AG

More

Kingsnake captured in Swiss garden

This content was published on A snake almost one-and-a-half metres long was discovered on Saturday in a garden in Veltheim, northern Switzerland. It was a red, black and white kingsnake.

Read more: Kingsnake captured in Swiss garden
The federal government is working on a new Swiss identity card with a chip

More

New Swiss biometric ID card planned for 2026

This content was published on A biometric Swiss identity card (ID) is expected to be available in Switzerland by the end of 2026. The Federal Office of Police and its federal and cantonal partners are working on a new ID card that features a chip.

Read more: New Swiss biometric ID card planned for 2026
Opportunities for social mobility remain high in Switzerland

More

Swiss continue to enjoy high social mobility, study shows

This content was published on Opportunities for upward social mobility have remained intact in Switzerland since the 1980s. Social mobility is exceptionally high by international comparison, a study shows.

Read more: Swiss continue to enjoy high social mobility, study shows

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR