Swiss Watch Exports Rise 9.1% in August 2026

Swiss Watch Exports Increase Across All Material Groups

Every material category recorded an increase in export value during August.

Bimetallic watches delivered particularly strong growth, rising 20.1% in value. Precious-metal watches increased by 6.9%, while steel watches recorded a more moderate 2.8% rise.

The picture was also positive in terms of the number of watches exported. Steel watches increased by 9.0% in volume, while the Other Materials category rose by 20.6%.

Overall, Switzerland exported approximately 95,000 more watches during August 2026 than in the corresponding period a year earlier.

Watches Below CHF 200 and Above CHF 3,000 Lead Growth

Almost every price category recorded an increase during the month.

Watches with an export price below CHF 200 rose by 13.3%, while models priced above CHF 3,000 increased by 10.2%.

The CHF 500 to CHF 3,000 category was the exception, recording a slight decline of 0.9%.

United States Falls 19.4% as Other Major Markets Grow

Most of the major destinations for Swiss watches recorded higher exports in August, but the United States was a notable exception.

Swiss watch exports to the US fell by 19.4% compared with the same month a year earlier.

The United Kingdom, Japan and Germany recorded particularly strong increases against a low comparative base. Exports to the United Kingdom rose by 46.1%, Japan increased by 22.1%, and Germany advanced by 34.0%.

China recorded growth of 15.8%. Hong Kong increased by 1.4%, Singapore by 8.5%, and the United Arab Emirates by 6.1%.

Italy Drops 40.4% While France Surges 113.5%

The picture within Europe was less straightforward despite the generally positive global results.

Italy recorded a 40.4% decline in Swiss watch exports during August. France, by contrast, posted an unusually large increase of 113.5%.

The results from European Union markets should therefore be interpreted cautiously. The exceptional result in France may have produced spillover effects across other markets in the region.

Swiss Watch Exports Return to Positive 12-Month Growth

August's 9.1% increase helped move the 12-month average for Swiss watch exports back into positive territory for the first time in two years.

For the first eight months of 2026, exports were up 1.7% overall and exceeded CHF 17 billion in value.

The August figures show growth across all material groups by value and across almost every price category. At the same time, the 19.4% decline in the United States and contrasting results within Europe show that performance varied considerably between individual markets.