What Does Swiss Made Mean?

The best common question I get daily. What makes a watch 'Swiss Made' and 'How do I know if the watch is Swiss Made'? Great questions right? How do you truly know if that Swiss Timepiece is 100% made in Switzerland or the parts are made in some other countries and the assembled in Switzerland.

This law is based on a concept according to which Swiss quality depends on the amount of work actually carried out on a watch in Switzerland, even if some foreign components are used in it. It therefore requires that the assembly work on the movement (the motor of the watch) and on the watch itself (fitting the movement with the dial, hands and the various parts of the case) should be carried out in Switzerland, along with the final testing of the movement. It also requires that at least 50% of the components of the movement should be manufactured in Switzerland.


That is a direct quote from the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry FH very own website. Did you notice that companies can use outside vendors and/or their own factories from other countries like... say... China to produce parts. It's true. Many top companies like Breitling, Tag Heuer, Hublot (and others) buy their cases and/or parts from Chinese companies and assemble them in Switzerland. Hate to tell you, your favorite watch in actually a Chinese created and Swiss built watch.

Yes there are watches that are 100% created and assembled in Switzerland, but these are few and more importantly, carry a larger price point. There is the Breitling Chronomat 01 (only that 1 model) and then there is Rolex who builds everything under their roof. Those are two major 'house hold' names that build 100% Swiss.

Here's a breakdown further quoted from the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry FH website. See Below:


The word "use" is understood in a broad sense: it not only covers the application of the above-mentioned designation to the watch, but also, according to Section 3 § 5 OSM: 
- the sale, offering for sale or putting into circulation of watches bearing such an indication; 
- the application of this designation to signs, advertisements, prospectus, invoices, letters or commercial papers. 

Wristlet: The "Swiss made" indication may only appear on a wristlet if it is of Swiss manufacture and if the watch is also Swiss. A wristlet is considered to be Swiss if it has undergone an essential manufacturing operation in Switzerland and if 50 percent of the production costs originate in Switzerland. 

When a Swiss wristlet is attached to a watch manufactured abroad, it may only bear a reference to the word "Swiss" if this designation clearly shows that only the wristlet is of Swiss manufacture (for example, "Swiss wristlet"). 

Case: The "Swiss case" indication on a watch case betokens that the case is of Swiss manufacture. A case is considered to be Swiss if: - it has undergone an essential manufacturing operation in Switzerland (stamping, turning, or polishing); 
- it has been assembled and inspected in Switzerland; and 
- over 50 percent of the manufacturing costs (excluding the value of the material) are due to operations carried out in Switzerland. 

When the "Swiss case" indication appears on the outside of the case, and the watch is of foreign manufacture, the origin of the movement or of the watch must also be affixed to the outside of the watch. 

"Swiss Quartz", "Swiss Movement" indication: This indication is often illegally affixed to the outside of the watch, especially by foreign manufacturers wishing to show that the movement used is of Swiss origin. But, according to the OSM, the use of this indication on the outside of the watch signifies that the watch is Swiss. 

"Swiss parts" indication: This marking indicates that the movement is composed of movement-blanks which have been manufactured in Switzerland, but assembled abroad. This indication may only appear on the movement, and never on the outside of the watch.

[source Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry FH]