Business · Trade · 8 hrs ago
Swiss watch exports to France surge amid disputed statistics
Swiss watch exports recorded a sharp rise to France in the first nine months of the year, according to official figures.
The statistics show exports were up 80% from the same period a year earlier, reaching nearly 1.7 billion Swiss francs.
France is a trading hub where watches are stored and sent onward, so many of the watches recorded there are not necessarily sold in France.
At least one major Swiss watchmaker changed its customs declarations, listing France as the destination instead of the country where the customer was, which made France’s export figures look higher.
The change also coincided with steep reported drops in exports to Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Swiss customs authorities object to listing an intermediate stop rather than the goods’ final destination.
They expect the figures may be revised, and France could then fall again in the ranking of Swiss watch export markets.
Swiss watch exports to France rose 80 percent in the first nine months of the year, according to official statistics.
The increase amounted to more than 700 million Swiss francs, bringing exports to nearly 1.7 billion francs.
SRF reported that a change in how at least one major Swiss watchmaker declares destinations caused a statistical distortion.
The company began listing France, a transit hub, instead of the country where the final customer is located.
Swiss customs authorities object to the practice and say the destination, not an intermediate storage location, should be declared.
- Who
- Swiss watchmakers, including at least one major manufacturer, and Swiss customs authorities.
- What
- Official figures show exports to France up 80 percent, but SRF says a change in destination declarations distorted the statistics.
- When
- In the first nine months of 2026, compared with the same period in 2025.
- Where
- Swiss watch exports to France.
- Why
- At least one major manufacturer began declaring France, a transit hub, instead of the final customer’s country.
Swiss watch manufacturer(s) changing declarations
Swiss customs authorities
Declaration practice
Swiss watch manufacturer(s) changing declarations
At least one major manufacturer declared France, an intermediate hub, rather than the final customer’s country.
Swiss customs authorities
Customs authorities say the declared destination should be the goods’ destination, not an intermediate storage location in a third country.
At least one major Swiss watch manufacturer changed its method of declaring export destinations.
Official statistics showed Swiss watch exports to France up 80 percent from the same period a year earlier.
SRF reported that the change in declarations had distorted the export statistics.
- Exports to France
- Nearly 1.7 billion Swiss francs
- Year-on-year change
- Up 80 percent in the first nine months
- Increase in value
- More than 700 million Swiss francs
- Exports to Spain
- Down 38 percent in the first nine months
- Reported cause
- Destination declarations changed to list France as a transit hub