Watchmaking exports have evolved into a sawtooth in the first quarter. After an increase in shipments in January and a clear withdrawal in February, they believed in March 1.5% to 2.13 billion francs, thanks in particular to a lively recovery in the United States.
At the end of the first quarter, deliveries abroad thus displays a settlement of 1.1%, at 6.11 billion francs, said Thursday the Federation of the Swiss watch industry (FH). The recovery occurred during the month under review follows a tumble of 8.2% in February and a bounce of 4.1% in January having followed four consecutive months of withdrawal.
In terms of volumes, the decline registered 4.8% compared to March 2024, to a total of almost 1.11 million parts. With the exception of precious metal watches, all categories of materials have undergone a decline.
Displaying the largest value, precious metal watches saw their deliveries grow from 1.9% to 748.4 million francs. Exports of steel timepieces have fleshed up from 5% to 722.3 million, while diving for the group of other metals reached 23.7% to 108.2 million. The category of other materials has taken off from 10.8% to 89.1 million.
The fall continues in China ___
Ventilated according to the price categories, only watches whose export price exceeds 500 francs have recorded an increase, which is 1.9% in value. The other segments have presented more or less pronounced declines, in particular the timepieces worth between 200 and 500 francs, whose shipments tumbled by 17.5%.
According to the region, deliveries have rebounded on the three main markets. Among these, the palm in this area returned to the United States, the country of Uncle Sam, the first outlet for Swiss watches, resuming itself with a flight of 13.7% to 405.2 million francs, following a drop of 6.7% the previous month. Far behind, exports to Japan, also recovered with regard to the fall of 12.7% suffered in February, gained 1.1% to 160.6 million and those for the United Kingdom took off from 10.6% to 149.8 million.
For other Asian countries, the lights remained red in March. Shipments to China continued to fall back, the latter stood at 11.5% to 140.7 million francs, after respective falls of 25 and 29.1% in February and January. It went the same for delivery intended for Hong Kong, the latter contracting from 11.3% to 146.3 million, as in Singapore, to a lesser extent (-1.8% to 137.1 million).
In Europe, exports to Germany increased from 7.3% to 113.5 million francs and those to Italy exploded from 22.6% to 91.2 million. However, they fell 2.4% to 91.1 million in France.
This article was published automatically. Sources: ATS / AWP
