The Launch of Apple Watch Knocks Swiss Watch Exports

SOurce: www.afr.com

Swiss Watch exports fell by 9% between the months of April and May. Are traditional Swiss watches and Apple Watch two rival products? I have always argued that both are completely different product categories and, at first, both should be calm. In fact, long ago I wrote an article that I recommend reading in which spoke of the efforts of many people to buy a SmartWatch with a traditional clock and praise the more resembled this.

However, the data we receive from the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry show a somewhat different reality, which is that the Swiss watch exports have just fallen for the first time since 2009. This news would not be significant in itself if not we look at the dates on which this decline has occurred, which are the months of April and May. Exactly, the months that Apple Watch hit the market.

Specifically, Swiss watch exports have experienced a significant drop of 9 points, which has not happened for 6 years and that would obviously be very naive to think that has not been caused by any external factor to the industry itself. “Exports of low-end watches to the United States could also experience negative since the launch of Apple Watch impact,” said Bloomberg analyst Patrik Schwendimann.

But it is not only exports to the United States, as the report notes that has also experienced a decline of 34% in Hong Kong, a place where Chinese consumers often tend to buy high-end watches. Interestingly, Hong Kong is also one of the territories in which the Apple Watch landed on 24 April.

Hong Kong, Swiss paradise for the Chinese public high class watches, experienced a decrease of 34%

Certainly, it appears that Apple Watch is somehow affecting the evolution of the market for Swiss watches, even though Apple designer Marc Newson has insisted that he did not see how both categories would compete. As we read in Cult of Mac, with the arrival of Apple Watch stores and new countries including Europe are next Friday June 26, things could get even more difficult for the watch industry. What do you think? Will the Apple Watch steal much of the market to traditional manufacturers?

Via cultofmac