Switzerland – La Chaux-de-Fonds / Le Locle, Watchmaking Town Planning

If you buy a “Swiss-made” watch thinking it’s almost entirely produced in Switzerland, you might be mistaken.

The manufacture of components including dials, sapphire glass and cases is flourishing in China, Thailand and Mauritius and many of these end up in watches designated as “Swiss-made”.

Stricter rules came into force this year for watches bearing the coveted label on their dial and for which consumers are prepared to pay a premium.

The key requirement is that 60 percent of the manufacturing costs occur in Switzerland, up from a previous 50 percent threshold that applied only to the movement — the core mechanism.

The new rules were meant to make the label more credible in the eyes of consumers and to shield the industry from Asian competition.

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