Luxury Cartier Watches For Sale

The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry offers a large dummy, or mock-up, of an 11 ½-line ETA 2892-2 movement designed for both demonstration and promotional purposes. Made of shaped and superposed aluminium sheeting, this giant movement features mobile hands, balance wheel and rotor. Its other features are simply outlined by silk-screening.

With its dial and watch hands, the dummy measures 20 cm in diameter and is 2.5 cm thick. It comes with a protective cover or a support in transparent plastic. While faithfully reproduced oversize watch movements have on occasion been available from other sources, few have been willing to pay their steep asking price. By contrast, the FH’s own non working prototype costs only 1140 Swiss francs.

Along with providing basic product information to store and to sales staffs, the dummy may also tempt a few young people to contemplate a career in watchmaking ! Furthermore, with an appropriate logotype and brand name, the movement can also serve as an eye-catching promotional and advertising prop, for instance in a shop window or exhibition showcase. It will even make a really unexpected gift for a customer or a watch enthusiast…

For more information and an order form, please contact the Promotional Activities Department at the FH.

The European Council recently published Regulation CE 241/1999, which amends that concerning border controls for counterfeit goods (CE 3295/94).

The Council Regulation on counterfeiting and piracy is a customs’ instrument, which only addresses commercial relations between the European Union and third countries, but offers no means of fighting against intracommunity trade. In this area, only the national laws of the Member States provide protection against counterfeiting and piracy.

Let us remember that the Regulation, which became effective on July 1st 1995, allows customs authorities, upon the request of the right holder of trademark, design right or copyright, to suspend customs operations, in particular to retain the goods, when these are suspected of being counterfeiting or pirating goods covered by an intellectual property right.

On the basis of the analysis of the system initiated more than three years ago, and of the opinions expressed by the interested parties, the European Commission has proposed certain amendments, which will take effect on July 1st 1999. The new regulation introduces three principal changes:

1) the scope of the Regulation will be extended to patents and to supplementary protection certificates (SPCs) for medicinal and plant protection products; currently, only trademarks, design models and copyrights are covered by the Regulation;

2) the customs authorities will be enabled to act against any good discovered in a free zone or warehouse;

3) the administrative side will be simplified for holders of Community trademarks; thus, the customs protection application may tend to obtain not only the intervention of the customs authorities of the Member State in which it was lodged, but also that of the customs of one or several other Member States.

These innovations deserve praise, inasmuch as they better the efficiency of a Council Regulation, of which the usefulness is recognized by industrial circles and competent authorities. The unfinished quality of this reform can however be regretted, at a time when the Commission is initiating an extensive debate on intellectual property rights infringements, through its Green Paper on counterfeiting and piracy in the internal market. Several suggestions by the relevant industries were not deemed useful by Brussels, though they covered both the causes of the phenomenon and the practical means of fighting it. Let us in particular mention the companies’ proposal to eliminate the ruling which excludes, up to a certain value, the seizure of goods contained in travellers personal luggage.

The amendment is globally positive, because these innovations bring both an extension of the scope, and an increased efficiency of the Council Regulation, which is directly applicable in any Member State.

Dynamism was the watchword for the Swiss watch industry in 1997.Benefiting from a favourable economic and monetary climate, Swiss watch exports exceeded the 8 thousand million franc mark for the first time ever. With all products included, they totalled 8,311 thousand million francs, a 10.1% increase over 1996. These positive figures are mainly due to sustained demand from European and North American markets. They were only marginally affected by the crisis in Asia, which is likely to have more of an impact in 1998.

The only blot on the record was the downturn in export volume for both watches and movements.

Products

In 1997, Switzerland exported 31.6 million finished watches, around 2 million pieces fewer, or 6.3% less, than the previous year, for a value of 7.45 thousand million francs (+11.6%). The average export price increased for the fourth consecutive year, rising from 198 francs in 1996 to 236 francs in 1997. The main reason for this was the drop in exports of wristwatches in the lower and middle price segments (-21.6% plastic, -9.7% aluminum/brass, -5.3% gilt, -11.4% plated).

However, exports of watches in other materials rose, but without compensating for the volume decreases mentioned above. Exports in gold watches continued the trend that started at the beginning of the year, increasing in both units (489,078 pieces, +4.3%) and value (2.1 thousand million francs, +7.3%). Even more popular with consumers, though, was steel; with more than one in four exported watches (28%) made in this material. In 1997, 8.8 million steel watches found overseas buyers (up 26.9% on 1996) for a value of 2.26 thousand million francs (+34.3%), exceeding that of gold for the very first time.

Sales of bimetallic (steel-gold) products remained stable in volume, but rose in value (+7.1%).

Exports also remained more or less stable in terms of technology, with quartz watches accounting for 90.6% of the total. Mechanical timepieces, however,represented almost half of the overall export value (46.7%).

As for other products, 6.2 million movements were exported in 1997, a drop of 18.1% compared to 1996. This downturn in volume was also accompanied by a pronounced downturn in value (111.36 million francs, 13.8% down on 1996).

Exports of cases, on the other hand, enjoyed a healthy upswing, increasing in both units (+6.0%) and value (+9.5%). Exports in other external parts (bracelets, straps, hands, dials, etc.) rose slightly in value, anywhere from 1% to 3%. Clock exports failed to reverse the slowdown that began in the middle of 1996, falling back by 1.8% in value.

Markets

In 1997, the Swiss watch industry’s main 15 markets alone accounted for 84% of the total value of exports. These are listed below (in millions of francs and with the percentage variation compared to 1996).

Hong Kong

The Indian Government launched on the 31th of March, 1999 its new Exim policy which already came into force with the new fiscal year on 1st of April, 1999. The new Exim policy freed import of 894 items of consumers goods, agricultural products and textiles from licensing (SIL) and removed another 414 items from the "restricted" list, allowing these to be imported against Special Import Licence. These licences can be procured in the market by importers at a premium of approximately 15% of the CIF value of imports.

The peak rate of the basic import tariff remains at a high 40% applicable to most consumers goods (watch products), together with various additional taxes and duties.

As far as watch products are concerned, wrist watches costing more than 35,000 Rupies (approx US$ 820.-) can now be imported without licence while imports of wrist watches costing less than 35,000 Rupies are allowed against Special Import Licence. Pocket watches costing less than 5,000 Rupies can be imported with SIL, while pocket watches costing more than 5,000 Rupies have been removed from the SIL list.

With the new Exim policy, the Indian Governement has sought to hasten the integration of the Indian economy in the global economy by removing physical controls on imports at a much faster pace than was dictated by India’s commitments to the WTO and trade partners including Switzerland. In fact most of India’s international commitments (including the Swiss-Indian bilateral agreement notified to the WTO in May 1997) require it to remove licensing curbs on imports by 2003.

This new Exim policy is of course most welcome. However, one should not forget that customs duties and other taxes on imported watch products remain altogether at a high level (approx. 80%) and therefore continue to be an important import barrier.

The Swiss watchmaking industry began 1998 well, despite the crisis which has hit some parts of Asia. Exports to the countries affected by this turbulence contracted by around 12% in the first half of 1998, but these losses were more than offset by the dynamism of four big markets (United States, Italy, France and Spain). Taking all products together, Swiss watchmaking exports were worth 4′030.9 million francs between January and June 1998, up 4.5% on the previous year. This rise followed a first half of 1997 which had already proved exceptional. It was accompanied by an increase in the quantities of watches exported.

The prospects for the second half of the year suggest a degree of stability. Some anxiety remains over a possible resurgence of the Asian crisis.

The products

For the first time in more than two years, the downturn in exported volumes was halted in recent months. Exports of complete watches rose by 4.6% in volume and value. Between January and June 1998, Swiss manufacturers exported 15.6 million watches, i.e. 700,000 more than in the same half of last year. The value was 160 million francs higher than in 1997 at 3,601.4 million francs.
The average price remained stable at 231 francs.

Two factors explain this trend reversal. Firstly, the growth rate of steel watch exports has increased further since the beginning of the year. Swiss manufacturers exported over five million pieces in the past six months, 36.1% more than a year ago. Exports of plastic watches have practically stabilized (- 3.3% between January and June 1998), putting an end to several months of successive falls.

On the other hand, the Asian crisis has affected exports of gold and steel/gold watches. The number of gold timepieces increased (219,511 or + 3.8%) but the value remained broadly similar (958 million francs against 967.5 a year previously, i.e. a fall of 1%). Steel/gold watches lost 3.1% in volume and 11.4% in value. In both cases, many consumers chose less expensive products.

Finally, from the technological standpoint, only quartz watches have benefited from the recent trend. They now represent 92.5% of the total exported volume against 90.6% a year ago. In value terms, the share of mechanical watches fell from 48.3% in 1997 to 43.8% this year.

Other watchmaking sectors also benefited from favourable sentiment, except for clocks which declined by around 20% in value. Movement exports stabilized. Just under 3 million pieces were sold abroad (-0.3%) with a value of slightly over 54 million francs (+1.8%). The value of exported cases was 20.9% up on last year. Exports of other external parts were 7.6% higher.

The Markets

With growth of just under 20% since the beginning of the year, the US market has become the first outlet for Swiss watchmakers ahead of Hong Kong. The fifteen principal markets alone took just under 85% of the total value exported by the Swiss watchmaking industry. These countries are as follows (in million francs with % variations in relation to the first half of 1997).

Hong Kong

Available only to the USA, Marco Bicego highlighted its Curly Confetti collection at BaselWorld. Like many other luxury jewelers doing the same thing, BaselWorld is the time and place to show off the best pieces and inform retailers and enthusiasts.The Curly Confetti collection marries two other Marco Bicego collections – Dune and Confetti. The round, feminine gold spiral twists meet up with the engraved golden pebbles to create pieces which exemplify balance: curves and lines; pebbles and spirals; masculine and feminine; strength and flexibility; versatility and steadfastness.The Marco Bicego Curly Confetti collection features 18k yellow gold and 18k white gold jewelry.Shop By Replica Watches CollectionRelated articles in Fashion Watches newsPre-Greubel Forsey Invention Piece 1 WatchCarl F. Bucherer Presents 2008 Hotel Of The Year Award In Pontresina

In spite of the Asian crisis, the Swiss watch industry enjoyed a remarkable year. According to final figures published by the Customs, exports reached an all-time record of 8.422 thousand million francs, up 1.3% on 1997. This overall result was mainly due to growth in the first seven months of the year, after which the business climate cooled off a bit. While demand from the Far East fell off sharply from the beginning of the year, it was compensated by sales growth in North America and Europe.

The performance of watch companies varied considerably. Some enjoyed improved results while others, more ensconced in the Asian markets, had to confront a very turbulent situation. This contrast looks set to continue throughout 1999.

Products

The drop in volume, which began in 1997, could be stopped in 1998. Swiss watchmakers exported 32.2 million complete watches last year (approximately 700,000 more pieces or 2.2% more than in 1997) worth 7.58 thousand million francs (+1.8%). Exports of steel watches continued to grow strongly. Manufacturers exported over 10 million pieces in 1998 (+20,6%) for 2.82 thousand million francs (+24.6%). Steel is confirming its presence in every price segment and making ever greater inroads into the medium and top ranges.

Watches in precious metals had to face a much less favourable climate as Asian demand for this type of product dropped off sharply. This saw a 2.1% downturn in gold watch exports to 480,000 pieces, representing 2.01 thousand million francs (-4.0%). This downward trend also hit bimetallic watches (gold-steel), with sales dropping 5.1% in quantity and 15.2% in value.

The slump in the Asian market also affected mechanical watch exports, which only accounted for 7.9% of the total, as opposed to 9.3% in 1997. In value terms, they fell to 44.3%, as compared to 46.7% in 1997.

As for other products, Switzerland exported 5.99 million movements, or 3.7% fewer than in 1997, representing a drop in value terms of 1.4% (109.83 million francs). In the components sector, exports grew in value, with the exception of dials and bracelets. Small and large clocks could not stem the erosion of sales that had already begun in 1996 and dropped a further 13.8% in value.

Markets

1998 saw a regional redistribution of Swiss watch exports, with Asia only accounting for 37%, versus 44% the previous year. Moreover, the indirect effects of the crisis (lower oil prices, fewer tourists) brought about a 2.0% drop in demand in the Middle East.

In 1998, the fifteen main markets were as follows (in millions of francs and % change over 1997):

Hong Kong

The classical Jules Audemars watch collection from Audemars Piguet has been enriched with some new models for women. Presented in the feminine 29mm case size in versions with or without a diamond-set bezel, these new Audemars Piguet watches in 18K pink gold or 18K white gold feature silvered or mother of pearl Roman dials adorned with an intricate spiral flinque decorative pattern, and wear straps in soft and shimmering moire satin. The most luxurious variations present cases entirely pave-set with round brilliant diamonds, and mother of pearl dials with a central section in diamond pave. Each model is fitted with a gently curved sapphire crystal.
Each Audemars Piguet Ladies Jules Audemars watch incorporates a slim and finely crafted manually-wound Caliber 3090 movement which is manufactured by Audemars Piguet. Although made up from 148 individual pieces, the Caliber 3090 stands just 2.80mm in height. Power reserve is 48 hours, and balance wheel frequency is 21,600 vibrations per hour. A sapphire exhibition window allows a fine view of the movement’s inner-workings and fine decorative flourishes which include circular-graining on the plate, and Cotes de Geneve patterns on the bridges.Shop By Audemars Piguet CollectionRelated articles in Audemars Piguet newsAudemars Piguet Danae watchAudemars Piguet Jules Audemars Limited Edition Quantieme Perpetuel Watch
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