Overview

• The tariff increase from 10% to 39% took effect at 0400 GMT on August 7 following a failed emergency negotiation in Washington
• DuBois et fils accelerated shipments before the deadline, subsequently blocking U.S. website orders, with plans to raise the price of models such as the DBF008 from $10,800 to $14,500
• Swiss watchmakers across the sector have paused U.S. sales, seeking alternative markets to soften the blow of the levy
• Currency shifts combined with the tariff are estimated to increase U.S. retail costs for Swiss timepieces by roughly 65%
• The U.S. accounted for 17% of Switzerland’s CHF 26 billion in watch exports last year, a trade hit that analysts warn could subtract up to 0.6 percentage points from Swiss GDP growth