Who are the leading importers of Swiss watches today?
The 21st century got off to a very promising start for the Swiss watch industry thanks, once again, to a buoyant export market (approx. 95% of total output). Its largest market is Hong Kong, followed by the US, Japan, France and Italy. In 2008, the total value of Swiss watch exports stood at CHF 17 billion, compared to CHF 10.2 billion in 2000 and CHF 4.3 billion in 1986. The parlous state of the global economy probably means that the Swiss watch industry will have to expect somewhat slower growth in the coming years.
