Swatch and Raymond Weil respond to US tariff with limited-edition watches

Time is money for Swiss watchmakers — and some are cashing in on US President Donald Trump’s steep tariff on goods from Switzerland, launching limited-edition watches that display the 39% duty on their dials.

Swatch launched a model on Wednesday that reverses the position of the 3 and 9 on the dial — a reference to the tariff rate Trump imposed on Swiss imports starting August 1.

“Hopefully, just a limited edition,” the company’s website reads under a photo of the watch, which is available exclusively in Switzerland.

A Swatch spokesperson described the launch as “a positive provocation, a nod to the current situation.”

“As soon as the United States changes its customs duties on Switzerland, we will immediately stop selling this watch,” he added.

The watch is already listed as temporarily out of stock on Swatch’s website, and the spokesperson said the brand hopes the offer “won’t last long — in fact, as short as possible.”

Luxury watchmaker Raymond Weil also unveiled a limited-edition version of one of its classic models featuring the “39%” figure on the dial.

It produced just 39 pieces — all of which have already sold out.

“In Swiss watchmaking, adversity doesn’t stop the hands of time,” said the brand in a statement, adding that it believes “challenges are best faced with creativity.”

Instead of increasing prices to reflect the import tax, Raymond Weil responded with humor. “By saying that instead of adding 39 percent to the price, we’re going to lower it by 39 percent,” chief executive Elie Bernheim told AFP.

The 39% tariff is expected to significantly impact Swiss watchmakers, as the United States was their top export market last year.

Zurich, Sept. 11, 2025 (AFP)