Swiss movement watches are synonymous with quality, luxury, and brand heritage. They conjure images of artisans carefully piecing together intricate cogs and wheels, and we think of a Swiss watch as a prestige item to wear on our wrists. With leading brands like Breitling, Omega, Rolex, and TAG Heuer heralding from Switzerland, Swiss watches continue to sit at the pinnacle of watchmaking, remaining the most coveted style worldwide.
Watches have been made in Europe since the Middle Ages, but it wasn’t until the 16th century that Switzerland became the horological epicentre, thanks to an influx of skilled craftsmen into Geneva. Their meticulous skills, passed down through the generations, left consumers mesmerised and allowed Swiss watchmaking to flourish. Over the decades, industrious Swiss watch brands have innovated technologies like the self-winding mechanism and tourbillons (which improve timekeeping accuracy) and have grown collections of iconic designs, spanning everything from formal dress watches to trendy sports watches.
The Swiss watch industry has only had one notable blip on its impeccable career landscape: when it took a little too long to adopt quartz mechanisms in the 1970s and 80s. This allowed more affordable watches from Japan and America to eat up much of their share of the watch market, and it became known as the quartz crisis. Eventually, the Swiss manufacturers pivoted by incorporating quartz movements into their designs and doing what they do best: making innovative, accurate, and stylish watches.
Both the rich watchmaking heritage and the country’s high-end brands ensured that Swiss movement watches became a statement and aspirational piece once again. We buy luxury Swiss watches to mark milestones and wear them as a status symbol that speaks to our financial achievements in life. Other global watch manufacturers cannot easily replicate this gravitas: the Swiss watch industry has a reputation that was centuries in the making.
A timepiece can only be legally described as a Swiss movement watch if the movement was assembled and quality-checked in Switzerland. The components of the movement must contribute to at least 50% of the watch’s production value for the watch to be categorised as a Swiss movement timepiece. Swiss movements are usually crafted from durable materials like stainless steel, titanium, ceramic, and carbon fibre, and there may also be precious metals and stones in high-value pieces.
Having a movement crafted in Switzerland makes the watch highly desirable because Swiss craftsmanship is so highly respected. If a consumer knows that the part of the watch that powers it and keeps time is Swiss-made, they have confidence that the timepiece will be reliable and of the best quality for longevity of use.
What is a Swiss watch movement, and are there different types? A watch’s movement, also known as its calibre, is the mechanism that powers the watch, such as moving the hands and any added complications, like a chronograph, calendar, or lunar cycle.
There are three different types of Swiss watch mechanisms:
A quartz movement is a battery-powered mechanism that features a very small crystal of the mineral quartz. The battery sends an electrical charge to this quartz crystal and this causes it to vibrate at a rate of around 32,768 times per second. In turn, these vibrations oscillate the movement, and this drives functions such as the turning of the hands.
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Highly intricate and requiring skilled artisanship for their production, mechanical movements are composed of tiny, interconnected parts that create elements like the gear train, mainspring, and balance wheel. Rather than being powered by a battery, these parts are driven by a manually-wound spring. The energy contained within this spring is transferred to these parts, which turn in order to bring about movement in the hands and within any complications present. These are generally accepted as being the most sought-after type of Swiss watch mechanism.
An automatic movement is a type of mechanical movement, mainly differing in its ability to self-wind. Rather than manually winding the spring by turning the crown on the side of the case, the spring is wound by the wrist’s natural movement. The engineering of an automatic watch is very similar to a mechanical movement, only it also features a rotor. This is a metal weight attached to the movement that spins freely so that when you move your wrist, it moves and creates the energy that winds the mainspring.
For hundreds of years, Swiss movement watches have reigned supreme, but Japanese models have been giving them a run for their money with their laser-sharp accuracy and futuristic robotic line production.
Swiss movement watches have always been and will remain, a lesson in craftsmanship. Even today, Swiss movement production relies almost entirely on skilled watchmakers, using their years of experience to handcraft the watch mechanism. In contrast, Japanese movements take advantage of the country’s advanced robotics technology.
People tend to choose a Swiss movement over a Japanese one when looking for luxury, artisanship, heritage, and aesthetics. Swiss movement watches are generally designed and presented with a little more flair than their Japanese counterparts, and their long and lauded history sets them apart in terms of reputation.
People who favour a Japanese movement are often drawn to the acute accuracy of these watches, valuing practicality and technological innovation above brand prominence and appearance. While Japanese movement timepieces offer just as must functionality and reliability as a Swiss alternative, it should be noted that Japanese designs tend to be the cheaper option.
If you’re itching to invest in Swiss movement watches, it’s worth spending some time understanding the different terminology pertaining to them. For example, for a watch to be branded as Swiss-made, it must contain a Swiss movement (whether that be quartz, mechanical, or automatic), and this must be assembled, cased, and inspected in Switzerland. A minimum of 60% of a watch’s production costs must be attributable to Swiss-produced parts and Swiss operations for it to be classed as Swiss-made. Such is the kudos of being able to name a watch as Swiss-made brands tend to include the words on the clockface itself.
A Swiss-made watch is a statement piece, and at whichever end of the price spectrum, it is generally more expensive than its non-Swiss counterpart. If you’re looking for meticulous Swiss engineering but at a budget-friendly price point, you could opt for a Swiss movement watch instead. You’ve already learned about the criteria for Swiss movements, but these can be used in watches manufactured anywhere in the world. In other words, you won’t only find a quartz, mechanical, or automatic Swiss movement in a Swiss-made watch.
Another term you may come across on your horology adventures is “Swiss parts”. This term can be used for watches that contain components made in Switzerland, but which haven’t necessarily been assembled there. You’ll find watches from around the world made with Swiss parts, notably those manufactured across America and China. It’s a great choice for manufacturers, as these well-made parts help make their watches reliable, durable, and accurate. Swiss part watches are an excellent way to enjoy the skills of Swiss artisanship without paying the Swiss movement or Swiss-made price tag.
Leading Swiss movement watch brands
You’ll find Swiss movements in a variety of high-end, affordable, and fashion-forward watches.
On the luxury end of the scale, there are Swiss movements within the watches made by:
If you’re looking for Swiss movement watches at a mid- or affordable price point, you can explore designs by:
What is the most accurate Swiss movement watch?
If you’re after accuracy, a Swiss quartz movement watch is your best option.
Which Swiss movement watches are most collectable?
Collectors and enthusiasts who value artisanship and heritage above all else will be happiest with a mechanical movement, with automatics for those who don’t want to wind daily. If you’re looking for an investment piece, go beyond Swiss movement watches and spend a little more on a Swiss-made model.
Are Swiss movement watches expensive?
You can find watches with Swiss movements for under £150, but you will also find Swiss movements within valuable watches worth tens of thousands of pounds. Remember, there are savings to be made by choosing Swiss movement watches assembled outside of Switzerland.
Do Swiss movement watches retain their value?
Thanks to its esteemed reputation, a beautifully made Swiss movement watch may offer better value retention than other types. This is especially true if you choose a luxury, Swiss-made watch from one of the leading brands.
Are Swiss movement watches easy to repair?
A Swiss movement is the height of handcrafted watch engineering; therefore, repairing one takes skill and the right tools. Thanks to the excellent quality of their construction and the availability of Swiss parts, the right jeweller or watchmaker can usually repair a Swiss movement with relative ease.
Should I insure a Swiss movement watch?
Whether you’ve spent a little or a lot on your quartz, mechanical, or automatic Swiss movement watch, if it’s a piece that holds value to you, it is worth insuring. This will keep you financially protected should accidental damage leave your watch in need of repair or if an unfortunate loss or theft warrants a replacement.
TH March offers over 130 years of experience insuring watches. Premiums start from as little as £60 a year, with cover available for watches of any value. You’ll enjoy worldwide accidental damage, loss, and theft; whenever possible, we’ll always send you to your original jeweller or watchmaker. Get a free quote online now and with just a few more simple questions, you could receive cover for a single watch or a collection today.