Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Two forces defined the watch industry’s 2025 story: Swiss watch exports fell for a second consecutive year, while Watches and Wonders Geneva grew its audience and showcased a broad range of design directions. The figures describe different things—trade, event attendance and survey intentions—not a single measure of global watch sales.
Swiss watch exports fell for a second year
The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH) reported that Swiss watch exports were worth CHF 25.6 billion in 2025, down 1.7% from 2024. The number of watches exported fell 4.8% to 14.6 million, a reduction of 740,000. Wristwatch exports were CHF 24.4 billion, also down 1.7%. These are Swiss export figures, not retail sales or a measure of the entire global watch market. FH’s 2025 export release
Trade pressures varied by market
The United States accounted for 17% of Swiss watch exports. After disruption associated with tariff announcements and offsetting growth during the year, exports to the US were down 0.5% for 2025. The FH also reported declines in China (-12.1%), Hong Kong (-6.5%) and Japan (-5.8%). It described uncertainty, weak consumer confidence, US trade policy, and record-high gold and Swiss franc prices as pressures on the sector; the figures do not establish that any one factor alone caused the decline. FH export release
The decline was not uniform across export-price segments
FH’s annual report divides watches by export price, not by the eventual price paid by a retail customer. Watches exported above CHF 3,000 declined 1.9%; the CHF 500–3,000 export-price segment was stable; and watches below CHF 500 fell 4.5%. By material, steel watches declined 2.8% in value, while bimetallic watches rose 2.4%—not enough to offset declines in other material categories. FH, World watchmaking industry in 2025
#1 Best Overall
Watches and Wonders Geneva grew—and made room for the public
Watches and Wonders Geneva reported more than 55,000 visitors in 2025, 12% more than in 2024. The organizer counted 6,000 retailer representatives (+5%), 1,600 journalists (+7%) and 23,000 tickets sold for public days (+21%). It also reported 43,000 hotel room nights (+17%) and 12,000 retail meetings (+21%). These are organizer-reported event figures. The official event page lists 60 exhibiting maisons. Watches and Wonders Geneva press release · Official event page
The first four days welcomed industry professionals; the public could attend from April 5 to 7. That format made the Geneva salon more than a trade gathering: it also gave visitors a chance to encounter the participating watchmaking houses and their releases directly. Official event page
The event’s reported design directions
The organizer described a mix of releases rather than naming an official ranking of the year’s defining watches. Its themes included:
- Heritage and iconic collections
- Smaller case sizes and differentiation through dial texture and color
- Women’s jewelry watches
- Skeleton watches
- Technical records and premieres
Those themes show the range on display, but they do not establish which individual launches had the greatest cultural or commercial impact. A model-by-model account requires launch-specific evidence. Watches and Wonders Geneva press release
Rank #3
- Book - a man and his watch: iconic watches and stories from the men who wore them
- Language: english
- Binding: hardcover
Consumer interest remained a separate signal
Deloitte’s 2025 Swiss Watch Industry Study surveyed 111 industry executives and 6,500 consumers across Switzerland and key watch-export markets, adding Mexico that year. Deloitte said 72% of surveyed respondents planned to buy a traditional watch for their own use in the next 12 months. That is stated purchase intent, not completed purchases or a market-wide sales rate. Deloitte Switzerland, Swiss Watch Industry Study 2025
Deloitte identified a strong Swiss franc, weakening global demand, tariffs and rising price sensitivity among industry risks. Its survey findings offer consumer and executive perspectives, while FH export statistics record trade flows; the two sources illuminate different parts of the year rather than measuring the same outcome. Deloitte study · FH export release
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the year’s evidence can—and cannot—say
The strongest supported retrospective is a year of weaker Swiss exports alongside a well-attended Geneva event and a range of visible design directions. The available official event material does not establish a definitive list of the most important 2025 launches, nor does the export data say how many watches consumers bought at retail. Those distinctions matter when judging whether a particular mechanical wristwatch or collection truly defined the year.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
