Swiss Watch Exports Rise Globally, But US Market Slips

The Swiss watch industry experienced a mixed bag of results in August, with global exports showing strong growth but the US market declining by nearly 20%.

The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry reported that exports worldwide rose 9.1% in August compared to the same month last year, driven by both higher values and volumes.

However, shipments to the US, the industry's largest single market, fell to 197.5 million Swiss francs ($240 million), accounting for 11% of global exports.

The only major markets showing significant growth were the UK (up 46.1%), France (113.5%), Japan (22.1%), China (15.8%), and Hong Kong (1.4%).