With sales of timepieces falling by 20 per cent in the first few months of this year, watchmakers are remaining confident by looking to their archives either to relaunch or emphasise classic, sober designs that are long…
Neutrality and a stable currency help reinforce Switzerland’s image as a haven of tranquillity within Europe. The same could be said for the country’s high-end watchmakers, who at this year’s Salon International de la Haute…
Due to scheduling conflict, the watch season started a bit earlier in Geneva. The Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) is a grand tour of blue-chip brands and this year saw an august upstart in the form of…
Each year there are two must-attend watch fairs in Switzerland. The vast Baselworld is still some months away but at the smaller, perfectly formed SIHH the talk was of slimming and self-reliance.
There was a sense of optimism at this year’s Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie as Swiss watchmakers predicted a return to sunnier economic climes and unveiled a host of high-end timepieces to underline their bul…
Once a year, the top watchmakers gather in Basel to reveal their newest creations – and the world comes to buy. Monocle was there to discover the leading
trends and take the pulse of the market.
Baselworld watch fair is where manufacturers unveil the new timepieces that often take years to craft. There are no quick sales either; brands eager
to retain exclusivity don’t sell to any old oligarch.
The German region of Saxony has shaken off the shackles of communist rule to establish itself as a manufacturing centre for top-of-the-range, quality brands – from cars to clocks to clothing. But can Dresden become as…
La Chaux-de-Fonds is the traditional heart of the Swiss watch industry. In 2005 the country exported watches worth €7.7bn, accounting for 9 per cent of the nation’s total exports. Switzerland dominates the luxury end of the…