Swiss watch industry - statistics & facts

It is thought that small clocks which could be worn easily, now known as watches, was first engineered in Germany. Whether or not that is true, Switzerland is better known today as the leader of the watchmaking scene. A true Swiss watch have been said to be some of the most reliable, attractive, well-crafted products. Swiss watchmaking has also withstood the test of time. The tradition has survived the invention of Quartz watches, digital watches, as well as smart watches. Today, Swiss watches can be seen as a luxury item, and many people buy them for their superior quality and status.

Swiss Watch exports worldwide

In 2020 alone, global Swiss watch exports were valued at approximately 16.9 billion Swiss francs. The leading importer of Swiss watches was Hong Kong, which accounted for approximately 12.5 percent of all imports in 2019. This was followed closely by the United States, at 11 percent. In recent years, the majority of Swiss watch exports have been luxury items. Swiss watches valued over three thousand Swiss francs dominate market exports.

The Swiss watch market

As of 2020, there more than 700 individual companies within the Swiss watchmaking industry. The majority of these watchmaking companies are located in Neuenberg, a Swiss canton. Nearly 200 Swiss watch companies operate in that canton alone. Unsurprisingly, Rolex is the brand with the largest market share of Swiss watches in the world. In 2020, Rolex accounted for nearly 25 percent of the entire market. Rolex is a luxury Swiss watch manufacturer located in Geneva, Switzerland.

Leading brands

Swatch is the largest Swiss watchmaking company. In 2019, Swatch held almost 30 percent of the market share of the Swiss watch market worldwide. The majority of Swatch’s revenue was generated by the sale of watches and jewelry. The remaining source of Swatch’s revenue came from the sale of electronic systems. Recently, however, the net income of the Swatch Group has fallen. In 2019, Swatch’s net income was approximately 533 million Swiss francs. This was a considerable decrease from the previous year, which was nearly twice the amount.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by P. Smith, Jan 12, 2022

Key insights

Export value of mechanical Swiss watches worldwide
20.57bn CHF
Leading material of construction in Swiss watch exports
Steel
Number of employees working in Swiss watch production
44,405
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Retail market share of the leading Swiss watch brands worldwide in 2022

Luxury Goods

Market share of the leading luxury watch brands worldwide in 2022

Swiss watch exports value from 2015 to 2022, by country (in billion Swiss francs)

Accessories, Jewelry, & Watches

Swiss watch exports by country from 2015 to 2022

Number of companies in the watchmaking industry in Switzerland from 1980 to 2022

Accessories, Jewelry, & Watches

Companies in the watchmaking industry in Switzerland 1980-2022

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