Watch industry

For centuries Switzerland has been a world leader in the watch industry. Swiss watches are considered particularly precise and of high quality. Brands such as Rolex, Omega or Swatch are known all over the world. Watches are among Switzerland's most important export goods, after pharmaceuticals and machines.

Watchmaking began in Geneva in the 16th century. From there it spread to the Jura. The Jura Arc is the chain of hills in the north-west of Switzerland, for example in the cantons of Neuchâtel, Jura, Bern and Solothurn. During the long winter, the farmers there worked at home as watchmakers. To this day the Jura region is the centre of the Swiss watch industry.

Around 700 companies make watches in Switzerland. Many of them are small businesses with highly specialised experts. The «Swiss made» label is a sign of quality. Anyone who buys a watch with this label expects precision and a long life. Other sectors such as textiles or mining, on the other hand, are small in Switzerland.

Memory aid: Jura and watches: in the long Jura winter, the farmers built watches.