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A
new record
The
results for 2001 are still better than the record figure reported in 2000,
which was regarded as an exceptional year. Over the twelve month period,
Swiss manufacturers exported horological products worth 10.654
billion francs. This 3.5 % increase on 2000 was slightly up on the forecasts
made at the end of last summer. However, the Swiss watch industry is not
immune to the general economic downturn. The downward trend gathered pace
in the closing months of the year. The total value of watch exports in
December was down 13.7 %.
The
Swiss watch industry is being affected by the economic cycle rather belatedly
at a time when the world's major economies seem to have bottomed out.
The recovery expected in the second half of 2002 will therefore
reach the Swiss watch industry somewhat later. The next six months are
likely to remain difficult but watch exports should recover towards the
end of the year. We therefore believe that, in the best scenario, results
at the end of 2002 will be broadly comparable to those reported in 2001
|
Products
|
Units(pcs.)
|
Change in % 2001/2000
|
Value in CHF
|
Change in % 2001/2000
|
| Finished watches |
26,391,370
|
-11.6
|
9,675,292,296
|
3.7
|
| Movements |
5,390,450
|
-13.9
|
129,553,046
|
2.8
|
| Cases |
3,794,992
|
-30.9
|
47,277,776
|
-0.8
|
| Detached parts |
-
|
-
|
702,411,930
|
-0.3
|
| Clocks |
-
|
-
|
98,974,292
|
6.8
|
| Total |
-
|
-
|
10,653,509,340
|
3.5
|
Products
The number of finished watches
exported from Switzerland in 2001 was down by around 3.5 million units,
including a fall of some 450,000 in December. Despite this 11.6 % downturn
year on year in volume terms, the value of timepiece exports was 3.7 %
higher at 9.675 billion francs.
Growth is assured by precious metal watches
which achieved substantial values and the strongest growth rates (gold
: + 15.2 %; platinum: + 64.0 %). Steel watches account for more than four
out of ten pieces and remained stable in sales terms, while the number
of units was 7.5 % lower.
Cheaper watches
are experiencing greater difficulties and sales are down: for example,
- 23.3 % in value terms for aluminium watches. These still accounted for
one in five watches at the end of 2000, but one year later the proportion
had fallen to one in six.The average price of exported watches confirms
this trend with a 17.4 % increase from 312 to 367 francs between 2000
and 2001. This evolution reflects a concentration on upmarket products
on the one hand and an increase in the real
price on the other.
Turning to the other products exported by Swiss
manufacturers, the number of movements is down by nearly 14%, but their
value has risen by 2.8 % to 129.6 million francs. Exports of wristlets
have shown a strong performance with a value increase of 15.1 %, equivalent
to sales of 188.0 million francs. Large volume items (alarm clocks, domestic
and other clocks) also achieved satisfactory growth with + 67.6 % in the
number of pieces and + 29.5 % in value.
|
Finished watches by materials
|
Units(pcs.)
|
Change in % 2001/2000
|
Value in CHF
|
Change in % 2001/2000
|
| Gold |
570,457
|
9.9
|
2,874,697,414
|
14.9
|
| Platinum |
11,799
|
3.7
|
188,132,475
|
64.0
|
| Silver |
53,037
|
-28.4
|
41,039,264
|
-22.3
|
| Gold-plated |
701,799
|
-9.1
|
158,435,156
|
-13.0
|
| Steel |
11,308,143
|
-7.5
|
4,004,655,181
|
0.3
|
| Gold/steel |
806,215
|
-7.3
|
1,489,832,550
|
0.8
|
| Others metals |
4,317,259
|
-24.3
|
320,207,137
|
-23.3
|
| Others |
8,622,661
|
-11.1
|
598,293,119
|
2.2
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| Total |
26,391.370
|
-11.6
|
9,675,292,296
|
3.7
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Markets
In the year 2001, the trend on the 15
principal markets was a follows (total value in million francs and % change
on 2000):
| |
Country |
Export Value
(in million francs) |
(%) change on 2000 |
|
1
|
United States |
1,585.7
|
- 14.1 %
|
|
2
|
Hong Kong |
1,508.1
|
+ 6.0 %
|
|
3
|
Japan |
1,052.3
|
+ 13.3 %
|
|
4
|
Italy |
840.0
|
- 4.9 %
|
|
5
|
Germany |
783.2
|
+ 9.4 %
|
|
6
|
France |
720.3
|
+ 10.3 %
|
|
7
|
Great Britain |
509.8
|
+ 18.7 %
|
|
8
|
Singapore |
438.4
|
+ 3.8 %
|
|
9
|
Spain |
342.3
|
+ 3.9 %
|
|
10
|
Taiwan |
195.6
|
+ 5.3 %
|
|
11
|
United Arb Emirates |
189.2
|
+4.8%
|
|
12
|
Thailand |
177.6
|
-7.8%
|
|
13
|
Saudi Arabia |
172.8
|
+21.7%
|
|
14
|
Austria |
126.5
|
+16.4%
|
|
15
|
Netherlands |
116.5
|
+1.7%
|
In the last two months of 2001, Hong Kong held
first place in the ranking, but the United States nevertheless remains
the leading market for the Swiss watchmaking industry. However, the American
market is adversely affected by the economic situation and has been falling
since the month of March. For the year 2001 as a whole, this fall in value
represents - 14.1 %.
On the Asian continent, the growth proved highly
satisfactory. Only Thailand is down 7.8 % on 2000, but the trend still
shows an increase of + 24.5 % in relation to 1999.
In terms of watch exports, Europe has been less
affected by the economic downturn. Significant growth was reported on
the important German, French and British markets.
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