A year of the rabbit for watch brands?
China, which weighed on watch exports at end 2022, will be the key to activity in 2023, a year that opens with mixed prospects. Will China’s impact on luxury sales be as great as in 2021?
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What next for the pre-owned market?
Once dismissed as a hang-out for unscrupulous traders touting fakes, in little more than a decade the pre-owned watch market has grown to remarkable proportions and is expected to surpass sales of new watches. Consultancy firm LuxeConsult predicts this reversal in roles for 2033.
Second-hand watches bring first-rate opportunities
The secondary watch market has been one of the year's biggest stories. From takeovers to dedicated sales spaces, from market studies to consumer analyses and brand-hosted events, pre-owned is hot news. And for a simple reason: at 8% growth per year, second-hand is the luxury industry's best-performing segment.
Ulysse Nardin's recycled fishing net straps
Ulysse Nardin blows the whistle on marine pollution by upcycling fishing nets into a new strap that is compatible with several of the brand's collections.
The Swiss watch industry loses a decade
Morgan Stanley anticipates that Swiss watch exports for 2020 will be down by around 20% to CHF 16 billion, thereby returning to 2010 levels. Deloitte is convinced this pillar of the Swiss economy will adapt and bounce back after a year of "accelerated transformation".
Watches and Wonders Geneva 2021 A 100% digital Salon
In the light of uncertainty amid the current health crisis, the Watches and Wonders Geneva Exhibitor Committee has taken the decision not to hold the physical Salon, scheduled April 7 to 13, 2021. An all-digital edition will be proposed on the same dates at watchesandwonders.com with new services and features, where participating brands will be able to present their new watches for 2021 and interact directly with their audiences.
Now's the time for watch industry due diligence
Precious metal and precious stone supply chain due diligence is becoming a matter of urgency for watch brands, whose reputations could be put on the line by mining in high-risk areas. The Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie is there to assist them in this crucial social and environmental transition.
Artisanal gold mining, a blessing in disguise
Small-scale and artisanal mines have a crucial role in improving the lives of local communities but are also a target for organised crime, which makes them a controversial topic at the heart of the gold supply chain. This third and final article in the series looks at the challenges facing the informal mining sector as debated at the recent Basel Gold Day.
