Are Swiss watches the best? | Watch Guru
It’s a common belief that Swiss watches are automatically the best. But, my friends, that is a misconception. Let’s discuss why.
Yes, you can’t deny Swiss watches are some of the best created. But, it’s a good idea not to narrow your focus just on Swiss. If you’re interested in luxury timepieces, then Grand Seiko from Japan is a wonderful alternative. So are A. Lange & Söhne and Glashütte from Germany.
Junghans Max Bill Watch
But it’s not only the luxury watches. Take for example this mid range watch, the Junghans Max Bill. It’s the epitome of Bauhaus watch design, matched with world class build quality. Is it Swiss? Nein. It’s German.
Shop the alternative Junghans watch here.
Micro watch brands
Also, with the rise of microbrands over the past few years, you can get outstanding quality watches which are made in China.
Some smaller brands manufactured in China can be miles ahead in terms of build quality than a cheap Swiss Made watch costing less than £100.
And did you know that some parts of watches labelled “Swiss Made” are manufactured in China?
What makes a watch Swiss made?
For a watch to boast the Swiss Made label, the following rules need to be followed:
- The movement is Swiss.
- The movement is cased up in Switzerland.
- 60% of the manufacturing costs must occur in Switzerland (which is mostly the casing and cost of the movement).
- The manufacturer carries out the final inspection in Switzerland
Therefore 40% of the watch’s value can be made elsewhere. So if some of the best watch brands trust manufacturing in China, you can be sure that their build quality can be up to scratch.
Depth Charge Automtic Divers Watch
For instance, this Depth Charge is built like a tank, and features a sapphire crystal, ceramic bezel insert, 200m water resistance, reliable automatic movement - and it’s a ridiculous £179! In contrast, some Swiss watches of the same price won’t have anywhere near the same build quality.
Final Thoughts
The long and short of it is, open up your mind to watches not made in Switzerland as they can match them, even surpass them in terms of build quality!
Joshua Clare-Flagg
As an avid consumer of affordable watches with amazing quality, our Watch Guru Joshua Clare-Flagg from the popular watch blog Watch It All About is giving an insight into his thoughts on the watch world.
