« Home

Three AHCI Masters & Exhibition in Singapore »New 24hour blood pressure monitor wristwatch »TheTimeTv co-linked »WatchingHorology Updates by Email Now Available! »F.P.Journe's Chronometre Souverain Platinum »Jaeger La-Coultre SIHH 2006 Presentation & Dinner »Datograph and Panoretrograph Comparison Photomonta... »Photomontage pre-release teaser! »COMING SOON! Pictorial comparison of Lange Datogra... »IWC Portuguese Perpetual Calendar II Photo Report ... » 

 

FAQ #3 - What does SWISS MADE mean?  4 Comments

Published Tuesday, May 16, 2006 by Harry SK Tan |

 

One of the most controversial issues that will arise in the watch industry in the next 5 to 10 years will be the definition and meaning of "Swiss Made". I think it will become controversial because of the expanding use of outsourced services. In particular the potential outsourcing of manufacturing and assembling of movements from China in the near future.

In my online research I discovered that the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry has published their definition. To read it, click on the photo on the left. Interestingly, the Swiss legislation has a statute that specifically regulating the use of "Swiss" in watches.

A watch is considered to be Swiss if:

  1. its movement is Swiss;
  2. its movement is cased up in Switzerland; and
  3. the manufacturer carries out the final inspection in Switzerland.

A movement is considered to be Swiss if:

  1. it has been assembled in Switzerland;
  2. it has been inspected by the manufacturer in Switzerland; and
  3. the components of Swiss manufacture account for at least 50 percent of the total value, without taking into account the cost of assembly.

Also for the case of a watch, it is considered to be Swiss if:

  1. it has undergone an essential manufacturing operation in Switzerland (stamping, turning, or polishing);
  2. it has been assembled and inspected in Switzerland; and
  3. over 50 percent of the manufacturing costs (excluding the value of the material) are due to operations carried out in Switzerland.

What is interesting and an eye opener is how the requirement for the watch movement and case needs only to reach 50% of total value and the watch is still deemed Swiss.

Theoretically, you can still have a "Swiss" made watch even though almost half of it may not be from Switzerland!

 

 




Welcome to
Watching Horologytm

 

  • This is a personal blog of Harry SK Tan on all things pertaining to Horology - from watch collecting, horolography, news and developments from all over the world particularly Singapore.
  • ©HarrySKTan2005

Horolography - noun, the art of photographing timepieces

Horolographer - Harry SK Tan

  • ___________________

Please leave a comment by clicking on the grey numbers next to the subject headings.

To contact me write to: "ht @ watchinghorology.com"  (leave out the spaces!)

 

___________________

Email Updates!
IF you like to receive my posts, news, notifications etc. on WatchingHorology direct by email - simply REGISTER HERE

- or get a blog feed here:

 Subscribe for Feed


ATOM 0.3

 
WatchingHorology.com on Facebook

___________________

Search WatchingHorology.com

 

___________________

Related Links

My Column at Luxury-Insider
My General Photography Blog

 

___________________

Read
WATCHING
HOROLOGY
in other languages

Chinese

French

German

Italian

Japanese

Korean

Russian

Spanish

 

___________________


 

 

Archives

 
 
 

___________________

Brand Websites