Watch manufacturer H. Moser & Cie will not include a ‘Swiss Made’ label on its new timepieces as it believes the new 60% rule is insufficient.
The brand, whose own production processes are more than 95% Swiss believes that the rule is insufficient and claimed the label will lead to “more confusion rather than adding value”.
It believes there is a gap between end consumers’ perception of the label, who generally take the Swiss Made designation to mean the item is 100% Swiss, and the reality that brands manufacture many components in other countries.
The new rule, coming into affect as of 1 January 2017, states that 60% of the watch components must be of Swiss origin in order to be considered eligible for the Swiss Made label.
“We are strong believers in Swiss values and we fight to defend traditional mechanical watchmaking every day. In our manufacture, we design, develop and produce all of our components from start to finish, including the hairsprings and regulating organs from our sister company, Precision Engineering AG. Anything that we cannot achieve internally is sourced from Swiss suppliers,” explained Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser & Cie.
He added: “With over 95% of our components produced in Switzerland, we far exceed the requirements of the Swiss Made standard, and yet, the same label on our dials is used by those brands barely complying, who benefit from the flexibility of the label to manufacture a large proportion of their components in other countries.
“Today, the Swiss Made label is devalued because it is used by entry-level brands to justify their very existence or price point. Ultimately, our own image is undermined by this. In fact, we need no justification from this label, because our products speak for themselves”.
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