Swiss watch exports suffer largest decline in 6 years following Apple Watch launch

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 84
    Getting too comfortable with the status quo, has been Apple's opportunity to be disruptive.

    BTW, "Swiss watch exports suffer largest decline in 6 years..." means there has been a similar or greater decline before the Apple Watch. I believe many smartwatch customer weren't watch wearers before, and most of them probably fall in the age group of 18-40. This article is crafted to massage the ego of Apple enthusiasts rather than shed true light. The watch market has been falling since a decade and a half ago.
  • Reply 22 of 84
    tundraboytundraboy Posts: 1,914member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SockRolid View Post

     

     

    Time to ramp up that Emmental export quota.

    And Toblerone and cuckoo clocks too.




    I think the Toblerones sold here in the US are locally made.  And aren't cuckoo clocks more German than Swiss? 

  • Reply 23 of 84
    “We’ve learned and struggled for a few centuries here figuring out how to make a decent watch,” he said. “PC guys are not going to just figure this out. They’re not going to just walk in.”

    Ed Colligan's Doppelganger in Zurich.

    In Truth, Louis XIV gave the Swiss the watch industry by sending dragoons hunt down Protestants... who just left for Switzerland. As usual the Swiss rewrite history as suits their tiny mountain island.
  • Reply 24 of 84
    tundraboy wrote: »

    I think the Toblerone's sold here in the US are locally made.  And aren't cuckoo clocks more German than Swiss? 
    Since when does America make a difference between European countries? Looks German, speaks German. Must be Germany ;)
  • Reply 25 of 84
    1- Never heard of the famous "careera". A watch for careerists?
    2- the guy who owns four watches with his gf... Why? A Chinese guy owns four gold watches with his dog, though.
    3- I have one, never touch my mechanical one anymore. Actually saddens me, but hey. Too many benefits.
    4- Tag Heuer is not a luxury brand. Even Rolex barely fits in that super-exclusive world. Why is it we now call "luxury" what merely is "bourgeois"?
  • Reply 26 of 84

    I wonder how the Tag Heuer Connected is selling at $1500 for a rubber bracelet... :)

  • Reply 27 of 84
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post



    "My Rolex will work at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Your 'looser' smartwatch can only be submerged to the bottom of your bathtub. My Rolex wins."



    Repeat this to ease the pain.

    for those who wear watches what you said might be relevant. AFAIK, the majority of the population don't wear one these days.

    I gave up on wrist watches around 1975. They kept stopping in me.

    I do wear a half hunter when dressing up though.

    If Apple made a watch in a half or full hunter case then I might be tempted.

  • Reply 28 of 84
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,644member
    USD/SFR:
    April 24* -- $0.96/SFR
    Today -- $1.01/SFR

    USD/HKD:
    April 24* -- $0.12/SFR
    Today -- $0.13/SFR

    Barely any appreciation. (I think you may be conflating it with its appreciation against the EUR).

    *Date of AppleWatch intro.

    Not the USA dollar the Chinese currency. It's more that though.

    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-11-19/swiss-watch-exports-fall-12-in-october-on-hong-kong-slump
  • Reply 29 of 84
    haggarhaggar Posts: 1,568member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by RadarTheKat View Post





    There will come a day, when the functionality of a smart watch is too compelling to swap out for a mechanical watch, even for an evening out on the town. When you've become adjusted to your car unlocking and powering up (air con adjusting, maybe the car even unparking itself and coming to pick you up at the door) by reacting to your control via your smart watch, then the watch on your wrist is going to be less about fashion and more an integral part of your existence. So you won't be swapping it out. Maybe you'll swap out something else, but it won't be your watch, any more then you swap between multiple differently styled wedding rings.

     

    ? Ring. Coming soon. Add AppleCare and you will be covered all 2 years of your marriage. When it is no longer supported, you can recycle or trade up to a new spouse. ;) 

  • Reply 30 of 84
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

    but,but,but,but, no body wants an Apple Watch.....

    but,but,but,but people want a Swiss watch only....

    but,but,but

    but,but

    BUTT.

     

    Its hilarious that the hate for the AppleWatch has started to disappear.

    Now they are targeting the iPad Pro.

    Losers.

     

    Face it. Apple is smart.




    Fatal mistake when you think your needs and wants are all that matter but that’s how the haters operate.

  • Reply 31 of 84
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,442member

    Actually, the watch in the photo is rather nice looking. Can't make out what type it is. Probably can't afford it, but I would wear it.

  • Reply 32 of 84
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,442member
    Guy in the airport yesterday said his phone battery was dead and asked me for the time. I had a good chuckle afterwards. Sometimes you just want to know what time it is.
  • Reply 33 of 84
    sockrolidsockrolid Posts: 2,789member

    Originally Posted by tundraboy View Post

     

    I think the Toblerones sold here in the US are locally made.  And aren't cuckoo clocks more German than Swiss? 


     

    Oh well.  There go two more Swiss stereotypes.  :-(

  • Reply 34 of 84
    tenlytenly Posts: 710member
    melgross wrote: »
    I have no doubt that the Apple Watch is causing some drop in Swiss watch sales. But to attribute all, or even most of it to Apple's product is wrong. There are a number of reasons why those watch sales have been falling.

    A major one is the Swiss Frank has gone up in value so that Swiss products are more expensive around the world. In Hong Kong, one of their biggest markets, expensive watch sales are down mostly because of that, but also due to the slowing Chinese economy. The same thing is true most everywhere else. Apple's watches are going to affect the lower priced Swiss watch models, not the higher priced ones.

    I talk to people who, like I do, have some expensive watches. A number of them will be buying the next gen model Apple Watch next year, as I will. It's not always going to be that a person will have an Apple Watch or a mechanical one. People who can afford these things will have both.
    Sounds like a load of bull to me. If what you're saying is true, then all Swiss made products would be down a comparable percentage...but if the watch segment is down 6% and the rest of the economy is only down 2% then it is absolutely because of the Apple Watch!!!
  • Reply 35 of 84
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by tenly View Post





    Sounds like a load of bull to me. If what you're saying is true, then all Swiss made products would be down a comparable percentage...but if the watch segment is down 6% and the rest of the economy is only down 2% then it is absolutely because of the Apple Watch!!!



    To say it's due to the Apple Watch is just as flawed of an argument as saying it isn't due to the Apple Watch. Reality is this article is click bait because we don't have any real numbers to back up either. It also goes on the ridiculous premise that consumers are going to buy one or the other. 

     

    Also why only Swiss watches? Why not all watches or watches ranging from the 400-1000 price range? I highly doubt Apple is only selling high end limited edition Apple watches. 

     

    Also in spite of what Apple said before the launch of the Apple Watch, if this was the case and Apple Watch sales were greater than expected then Apple would be releasing numbers. Companies don't hide blockbuster sale numbers. This article is 100% speculation. 

  • Reply 36 of 84
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AtlApple View Post

     

    I highly doubt Apple is only selling high end limited edition Apple watches. 

     


     

    I actually wonder if they are selling many at all.

     

    Do you remember what Tim Cook said when he announced the Edition? He said it would be sold in "very limited" quantities. Well it's been 6 months. So they either haven't sold that many, or Tim's Definition of "limited" is in the millions. Im curious to see if we will see some Editions "sold out" after the Christmas holiday. Surely they will never go on sale, and surely if they are truly "limited", they will run out during the Christmas rush, assuming anyone is actually buying them in large numbers?

  • Reply 37 of 84
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    atlapple wrote: »

    To say it's due to the Apple Watch is just as flawed of an argument as saying it isn't due to the Apple Watch. Reality is this article is click bait because we don't have any real numbers to back up either. It also goes on the ridiculous premise that consumers are going to buy one or the other. 

    Also why only Swiss watches? Why not all watches or watches ranging from the 400-1000 price range? I highly doubt Apple is only selling high end limited edition Apple watches. 

    Also in spite of what Apple said before the launch of the Apple Watch, if this was the case and Apple Watch sales were greater than expected then Apple would be releasing numbers. Companies don't hide blockbuster sale numbers. This article is 100% speculation. 

    Oh God it won't die. They said they wouldn't be releasing numbers. That's it.

    I saw a fandroid constantly bring this up, even though no other tech company is releasing numbers either. It's become an Apple only obligation for the haters.
  • Reply 38 of 84
    I think the slump has more to do with the Chinese state crackdown on bribery. Fine Swiss watches are a status symbol, and buying someone off with one was a relatively simple matter of hopping over to HK and smuggling it back.

    This has caused the HK slump and rippled back to Switzerland.
  • Reply 39 of 84
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post



    #SwissLivesMatter

     

    ROFL

  • Reply 40 of 84
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,644member
    tenly wrote: »
    Sounds like a load of bull to me. If what you're saying is true, then all Swiss made products would be down a comparable percentage...but if the watch segment is down 6% and the rest of the economy is only down 2% then it is absolutely because of the Apple Watch!!!

    Bull yourself. What you're saying makes no sense. We're talking about luxury products that, for the most part, aren't all THAT expensive, but are expensive enough. I hate to need to remind you, because you should know, not all Swiss products are luxury brands. They make plenty of cheap things as well.

    So live in your made up dream world if you need to, but I prefer living in the real one.
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