The luxury watch industry is impacted by the slowing global economy, changes in consumer behaviour and tariff wars. Despite this challenging environment, Geneva-based luxury goods group Richemont reports solid revenues for the start of the year, with a positive trend for the first quarter ended 30 June 2025. Over the period, the Group’s sales are […]
It’s been several years since the Swiss abandoned the truly affordable, sub-400-euro mechanical watch category. Once a gateway to Swiss mechanical watchmaking at reasonable prices, lower-end Swatch Group brands (Swatch, Tissot or Hamilton) are now priced above that range. This situation, however, has been extremely beneficial to two Japanese giants, a sort of duopoly composed […]
I have known Jérôme Lambert for longer than I want to admit. The man started his watchmaking career right there, at La Grande Maison, or the Watchmaker of Watchmakers. Lambert has already been CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre from 2002 to 2013, and he left his mark on the brand. Strong collections, focus on complications and high-end […]
Worn & Wound needs no introduction in America (and around the world) as one of the best-known watch publications with headquarters in New York. It was founded in 2011 by Blake Malin (CEO), Zach Weiss (Executive Editor) and later James Helms (Chief Commercial Officer), and in addition to the publication, there’s Windup Watch Fair in […]
He’s conquering the Big Apple! That’s something I’m thrilled to announce, as our colleagues from Time+Tide are growing again. Founder Andrew McUtchen and I have known each other for many years, and I’m grateful to call him a friend. In 2014, he founded what was back then a watch magazine, “because”, as he said to […]
If you own mechanical Swiss watches, one of them potentially came to you with a COSC chronometer certificate. But not everyone knows exactly what this certificate means. The COSC is the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres or the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute. COSC certifies Swiss-made movements or watches as chronometers (not to be confused […]
The Horology Club, founded in Hong Kong and boasting around 800 members, is now expanding with the creation of a European chapter. This is an opportunity to have a conversation with the founder of The Horology Club Europe, Frank Smits, about the goals pursued as “watch clubs” are spreading worldwide. While brands are focusing on […]
The slowing global economy and changes in consumer behaviour are hurting the luxury watch industry. Geneva-based luxury goods group Richemont reported a 4% increase in sales for their 2024/25 year, closing at the end of March at EUR 21,399 million. At EUR 3.8 billion, the profit for the year’s continuing operation is down 1%. This […]
The watch trade market has become sprawling. Digital channels have been added to single-brand and multi-brand points of sale: specialised platforms, digital media that have evolved towards an additional retail offering (limited and dedicated series), social networks (Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram) flooded with offers of second-hand (and sometimes new) pieces. A jungle characterised by a common […]
Swiss watchmaking captures all the attention. The most prestigious brands, trusted by the market, are “Swiss Made”, which acts as an absolute guarantee. The only one to dominate the watch landscape, historically, outside of Switzerland, is the great Japanese classic: Seiko. On closer inspection, however, watch-related know-how has developed outside of Switzerland, particularly in Eastern […]