Swiss Watch Sales Dropped Last Year. The US Numbers Tell a Wild Story.

The Headlines Were Scary

Swiss watch exports declined in 2025. The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry published the numbers and the headlines wrote themselves: "Luxury Watch Bubble Bursts," "The End of the Watch Boom." Dramatic stuff.

The reality is more nuanced. And the US market is where it gets genuinely fascinating.

The Big Picture

Global Swiss watch exports dropped around 3 percent. That is meaningful but not catastrophic. China fell hard -- a combination of economic uncertainty and the government's crackdown on conspicuous luxury. Europe was flat. The Middle East grew slightly.

And then there is America.

The US Story

The United States saw a modest decline in volume (the number of watches sold) but an increase in total value. In plain English: Americans bought fewer Swiss watches but spent more per watch. The average price point went up.

This tells us something important. The entry-level and mid-range Swiss market is getting squeezed -- those $500 to $2,000 watches are competing with micro-brands, Japanese watches, and the reality that your phone tells time for free. But the high end -- $5,000 and above -- is thriving.

What It Means for You

If you are buying watches as investments, the blue-chip brands (Rolex, Patek, Audemars Piguet) are holding value. Everything else is negotiable. That is actually good news for buyers: there are deals to be had in the mid-range that did not exist two years ago.

If you are buying watches because you like them (the correct reason), the market correction means more options, better pricing, and less waitlist nonsense at the accessible end of the spectrum.

The Bigger Trend

The watch industry is bifurcating. The top is pulling away from the middle. Entry-level Swiss brands need to rethink their value proposition when a $400 Seiko or $300 Tissot offers comparable quality. The luxury tier, meanwhile, keeps building scarcity and desirability.

The CS Take

A market correction is not a crisis. It is a recalibration. The best brands will use this moment to focus on product instead of hype. The ones that relied on FOMO and artificial scarcity will struggle. For watch lovers, that is a win.