Swiss Watches

Watches began in Switzerland, as you may already know. Of course, it was not the “native” Swiss who created and perfected watchmaking, but exiles of France. From Daniel Jeanrichard through Adrien Philippe to Georges Léchot, you will find many more French names than Swiss, among the “Swiss” watchmakers. Still, we use the phrase “Swiss made” as a designation, as Switzerland is where the finest watches are still made.

Swiss watches today

Today, the Swiss watch industry is still the most highly respected in the world. Swiss invention has continued through the twentieth century. The first self-winding watch was produced in Grenchen. The first quartz wristwatch was developed in 1967, at the Centre Electronique Horloger (CEH) in Neuchâtel. Still, the Swiss watch industry has had to withstand the onslaught of quartz technology, LCD display and ever-shifting tastes. In the 1990s the Swiss watch industry underwent a renaissance that it is still enjoying today.

Some simple reasons for the perseverance of Swiss watches are unique craftsmanship and innovation in watch movements. Swiss watches have also adapted well to the global marketplace. Swiss watches are more valued and more popular in Asia than they are anywhere else.

Swiss watches tomorrow

Its recent renaissance and its longstanding reputation seem to ensure that the Swiss watch industry will be with us for a long time to come. Today, as always, many of the world’s finest watchmakers gravitate toward the Jura Mountains of Switzerland to practice their craft and continue the longstanding tradition of innovation. There were about 5,000 people employed in the Swiss watch industry as of 2004.

Many of the watch brands featured on Luxury Watches 101 are Swiss watches, as the two phrases are nearly synonymous. Other than Cartier and a few other fashion-based brands (Louis Vuitton, for example), if the name is French the watch is probably Swiss-made.

Just a few examples of this are: