Swiss watch exports continued to fall in 2025
Swiss watch manufacturers sold slightly fewer timepieces abroad last year, with exports to China and Hong Kong suffering a hard fall.
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Swiss watch exports continued to fall in 2025
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Exports to the United States were more or less stable.
Swiss manufacturers exported a total of CHF25.6 billion worth of watches, stated the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS) and the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH).
Th export volume decreased by 1.7% compared to the previous year. Following the record year of 2023, there had already been a decline of 2.8% in 2024, which has now slowed.
“The 2025 financial year for the Swiss watch industry was characterised by great uncertainty and more challenging market conditions,” according to the watch industry association’s press release.
Exports to China have fallen by more than a third within two years. At the same time, the price of gold and the Swiss franc reached record levels, which led to noticeably higher costs for Swiss watches.
At the end of the year, however, there was a counter-trend. In December, Swiss watch exports increased by 3.3% to CHF 2.10 billion compared to the same month last year.
While exports to China (-6.8%) and Hong Kong (-8.0%) continued to decline in the month, more watches were exported to the US (+19.2%), which is now the most important market.
According to the association, the new year 2026 is likely to be stable at best in an environment that continues to be characterised by great uncertainty.
Customs concerns with regard to the US have not been dispelled. And the Chinese market is not expected to recover quickly.
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Translated from German by AI/mga
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