Watches at the test of the market. The 40-page Special on newsstands on Friday 22 November

The world of hands - and haute horology in particular - experienced a positive year, but one of slowdown compared to 2023, which had seen a strengthening post-Covid rebound from the second half of 2021.

Swiss watch exports - the barometer of the industry - in October amounted to CHF 2.34 billion (EUR 2.51 billion at current exchange rates), 2.2 per cent less than in October 2023. For the entire January-October 2024 period, Swiss exports amounted to CHF 21.53 billion (EUR 23.14 billion), 2.6 per cent lower than in the same period of 2023. In the first ten months of 2024, the top ten destination markets remained stable or grew slightly, excluding some particularly positive performances such as Japan (+11%) and particularly negative ones such as China (-26%) and Hong Kong (-19%).

The Watch Special, on newsstands as a supplement to the newspaper on Friday 22 November, thus offers an overview of a sector grappling with a series of decisive challenges. It starts with the numbers and, first and foremost, with those of Swiss-made watches, which account for 90% of the world haute horlogerie market, and continues with the balance sheets for the first nine months of the large listed high-end groups, Lvmh, Richemont and Kering, and the analyses of consultancy firms such as Bain & Company. Completing the picture (and offering a glimpse into the future) are the business cases: CEOs and creative directors illustrate the milestones of 2024 and plans for 2025 and beyond.

The complexity of the sector is also explained by the evolution of physical distribution, with articles on Italy's leading retailers, and by international trade fairs and auctions, to which the Special dedicates, as always, great attention.

Finally, four pages are devoted to new products, divided into categories - precious, contemporary, complicated and sports watches - from brands that have made watchmaking history and beyond: the dynamism of the world of hands is confirmed by the birth of new maisons in the various segments, including the high-end.