# Establishments in the watchmaking industry (1995–2008)

A map of a former edition of the Atlas of Switzerland, the national atlas published by ETH Zurich. It opens only in the desktop atlas (version 4) for Windows and macOS, not in the web atlas; see the links below.

- Map: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/establishments-in-the-watchmaking-industry-19952008/
- Short title: Watchmaking industry: establishments (1995–2008)
- Map id: 798
- Categories: Economy and Energy › Industry › Industrial sectors until 2008
- Keywords: Economy, Industry, Labour, Labour force
- Published: 2020-11-04
- Last revised: 2022-02-10
- Content language: English
- Other languages: [Deutsch](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/de/thema/arbeitsstaetten-in-der-uhrenindustrie-19952008.md), [Français](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/fr/theme/etablissements-dans-lhorlogerie-19952008.md), [Italiano](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/it/tema/unita-locali-nellindustria-orologiera-19952008.md)

## Description

*Origins and development*
The Swiss watchmaking industry can trace its roots back to the mid-16th century and the Reformation in Geneva. When Jean Calvin forbade the wearing of jewellery, goldsmiths and jewellers working in the region turned their attention and talents to watchmaking.
Thanks to a series of innovations during the 20th century, Swiss watchmakers dominated the global industry. The first wristwatch was produced in 1926. This was followed by more technically advanced inventions, such as the quartz wristwatch and the waterproof wristwatch.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the emergence of electronic wristwatches and stiff competition from Japan plunged the Swiss watchmaking industry into a crisis. However, after major restructuring, the sector was soon back on its feet. Exports rose from CHF 4.3 billion in 1986 to CHF 21.7 billion in 2019.

*Production and export*
In 2018, the watchmaking industry was Switzerland’s third largest exporter, behind the machine and electrical engineering industry (33.5 billion), and the chemical and pharmaceutical industry (104.4 billion). Switzerland is the largest exporter of watches in the world in terms of value, followed by Hong Kong and China. Around 58,000 people in Switzerland were employed in this sector which generates 1.5% of the country’s gross domestic product.

*Major players*
There are around 700 watchmaking firms in Switzerland, most of which are based in Geneva and the Jura Arc. Among the companies which employ over 1,000 people are Swatch Group, Rolex Cartier, Omega and LVMH Swiss Manufactures SA.

## Sources

- FSO (2018): [Statistik der Unternehmensstruktur](https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/industrie-dienstleistungen/erhebungen/statent.html)
- EDA (2017): [Watchmaking industry](https://www.eda.admin.ch/aboutswitzerland/de/home/wirtschaft/taetigkeitsgebiete/uhrenindustrie.html)

## Data sources

- Atlas der Schweiz: Administrative Einheiten 1:1 Mio. (Gemeinden, Bezirke, Kantone)
- Atlas of Switzerland (2010): [Basiskarte 1:500.000](http://www.atlasderschweiz.ch/)
- Atlas of Switzerland: [Administrative Einheiten 1:500.000 (Gemeinden, Bezirke, Kantone)](http://www.atlasderschweiz.ch/)
- ETH Zurich: [Atlas of Switzerland](https://www.atlasderschweiz.ch/)
- FSO: [Eidgenössische Betriebszählung 1995–2008](https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/dienstleistungen/geostat/geodaten-bundesstatistik/arbeitsstaetten-beschaeftigung/eidg-betriebszaehlung-1995-2008.html)
- swisstopo [J160089] (2010): [Gemeindegrenzen GG25](https://shop.swisstopo.admin.ch/de/products/landscape/boundaries3D)
- swisstopo [J160089] (2010): [Landeskarte 1:500.000](https://shop.swisstopo.admin.ch/de/products/maps/national/lk500)

## Data owners

- [Atlas of Switzerland (AoS)](http://www.atlasderschweiz.ch/)
- [Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO)](https://www.bfs.admin.ch/)
- [Swiss Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo)](http://www.swisstopo.admin.ch/)

## Citation

The terms of use ask to name the Atlas of Switzerland and the data owners, and to keep the source references in exports, screenshots and embeds. Cite the map as:

> Atlas of Switzerland (2022): Establishments in the watchmaking industry (1995–2008). ETH Zürich. Map data © AoS, FSO, swisstopo. https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/establishments-in-the-watchmaking-industry-19952008/

## Links

- Map page, with the description and sources and a button that opens the map in the desktop atlas: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/establishments-in-the-watchmaking-industry-19952008/
- Open the map in the desktop atlas (version 4), where it is installed: adsglobe://map/798
- Download of the desktop atlas (version 4) for Windows and macOS: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/ads4-download/

## Related maps

- [Jobs in the watchmaking industry (1995–2008)](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/jobs-in-the-watchmaking-industry-19952008.md) (id 797, former edition, desktop atlas only)

For the use and citation of maps and data, see the [terms of use](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/terms-of-use/).