Swiss watchmakers say Gen Z buyers want emotion, not status, as exports slide

Swiss watchmakers are confronting declining exports alongside a generational shift in how younger buyers choose a watch. The industry says Gen Z consumers are seeking excitement and emotion from a purchase rather than status or loyalty to a single brand name.

A booming resale market is giving younger buyers an alternative to buying new directly from a maison, letting them access established brands without paying full retail price. At the same time, competition from Japanese and Chinese watchmakers is intensifying in the mid-price segment, the tier where many first-time luxury buyers enter the category.

Why the Swiss model is under pressure

Resale platforms sit outside the control of the Swiss brands that built their reputations on scarcity and heritage, while Japanese and Chinese manufacturers are competing on price and design innovation in exactly the bracket where Swiss houses have traditionally recruited new customers.

They are rejecting the traditional sales pitch built around status and brand loyalty, and looking instead for products and buying experiences that feel exciting or emotionally engaging. Swiss watchmakers say the sales pitch itself needs to change to win that audience back.

Swiss watch exports turned positive earlier this year, though risks at the top end lingered, and shipments then climbed again in July, with US demand offsetting continued weakness in Asia. Switzerland's exporters have also been contending with US tariffs and a strong franc squeezing margins, and a trade deal between China and Switzerland cutting tariffs on Swiss exports was struck to help ease pressure in one of the industry's largest markets.

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