Swiss watch exports are showing resilience in 2026, with June exports rising 11.2% year-on-year and reinforcing the industry’s ability to navigate geopolitical uncertainty, shifting consumer behaviour and changing global trade dynamics.
According to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH), overall export performance in the first half of 2026 remained broadly stable, declining only 0.7% in value compared with the same period in 2025, while export volumes increased by 2.3%. The outlook for the year remains cautiously stable, despite uncertainty around tariffs, global economic conditions and geopolitical tensions.
For Switzerland, this resilience is closely tied to international demand. Swiss watchmakers export approximately 95% of their production to almost 200 markets, making the geographical distribution of luxury consumption increasingly important. Asia remains at the centre of that equation: the region accounted for 46% of Swiss watch exports in 2025, making it by far the industry’s largest regional market.
Greater China continues to face structural challenges. Exports to mainland China declined by 5% in the first half of 2026, while Hong Kong increased by 3.3%. At the same time, other Asian markets are showing greater resilience. South Korea recorded 6.5% growth, while Singapore increased by 2.2%. Japan declined by 1.6%.
Swiss watch exports to South Korea grew 2.4% in 2025 and have accelerated further in 2026. The country combines a sophisticated domestic luxury consumer base with strong cultural influence across Asia, creating opportunities that extend beyond traditional measures of market size.
While Taiwan's Swiss watch exports remained broadly stable in 2025, the market has demonstrated resilience over recent years and has previously recorded periods of strong growth. In the first half of 2025, for example, Swiss watch exports to Taiwan increased 3.6%, reaching CHF 214 million. For Swiss brands, the opportunity is therefore not simply to identify the largest markets, but to understand how different Asian economies are developing distinct luxury-consumption patterns.
This is where the next phase of Asia’s luxury story becomes more nuanced. South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore and other markets across Southeast Asia cannot simply be treated as alternatives to China. Each has a different consumer profile, retail ecosystem, tourism dynamic and relationship with Swiss luxury.
Growth has been strongest in accessible mechanical watches, with exports of watches priced below CHF 500 increasing significantly in volume. At the same time, demand for high-end timepieces remains resilient, with watches priced above CHF 3,000 growing 14.2% in value in June.
Question for Swiss brands- which Asian markets are developing the strongest combination of consumer demand, luxury infrastructure, cultural influence and long-term growth potential—and what is driving that behaviour?
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