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What makes Swiss Watches so special?

The art of choosing the right watch is known to the one who knows the hardship inculcated in it.

25th June 2018

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What makes Swiss Watches so special?

Time is something so intricately woven in human history and science but still is often left unseen. The need for an instrument to measure time and act accordingly was realized in the early days of the primitive human civilizations. Starting from sundials to super accurate atomic clocks, there have been revolutionary advancements in the chronograph technology. There are a lot of watchmakers from different nations who dominate this sector but no one is treated and regarded with the same regality as that of ‘Swiss Made’ watches. In a recent analytical research, it was found that Swiss Watches make up of 1.7% of the total number of watches sold but a whopping 58% of their value. So, what makes Swiss made Watches so special?


Swiss watches are hand-made, which requires hours of workforce, assembling and precisely interlocking thousands of little high quality parts to create a single watch which is truly labyrinthine but a magnificent work of art . Each watch is created to perfection from scratch. This however, requires extreme supervision and implementation of the strict legally defined circumstances; it is only then that the companies can use a ‘ Fabrique en Suisse’ tag on their watches. The watches constitute of surgical steel for superior corrosion resistant qualities and a synthetic sapphire crystal (which can cost up to $95 ) for the front glass. Putting these chronographs with sharp items like keys and knives is not a reason for worry. The working movements can constitute about half of the retail price tag’s value as the material is not hollow but solid and the weight difference can be felt just by holding the watch, this prevents bending or deforming of the shape in the long run. Well, these features explain the hefty price tag, but what about the Luxury item image? As the price rocketed to thousands of dollars, only the elites with ample amount of financial aid were able to afford Swiss watches, making them an indicator of person’s wealth and luxury followed behind it.

The bad news is that time flies , the good news is that you’re the pilot

Rolex is the undisputed Global Leader in this sector as Forbes ranked Rolex 64th on its list of Most Powerful Global Brands of 2016. It is the largest single luxury watch brand, producing about 2,000 watches per day. Unlike other brands , the name ‘Rolex’ does not have a proper meaning , Hans Wilsdorf (one of the founders) thought that the name "Rolex" was onomatopoeic, sounding like a watch being wound. The company was set up in England but soon moved to Geneva, Switzerland to avoid large wartime taxes and import duties as World War I was in full swing back then. The company secured a large number of patents via perpetual innovations. The first waterproof watch was made by Rolex, then came one which automatically changed the date and time followed by another one that could show two different time zones. It is also the first wristwatch maker to receive a chronograph certification for its first-class watches.




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Luxury

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