The general was like growing in luxurious hours. A new tariff on Switzerland can cool the timed hobby

Gen. Z – on the side of the generation of the young millennium – luxurious watches as the stairs of the situation, and spread it Tikhak and Instagram And help to reshape an industry dominated by the older university. A The last BCG scanned 54 % of the respondents have been found from Gen Z, who have been spent on luxury hours since 2021, and Sotheby estimated nearly a A third of watches sales In 2023 he went to buyers 30 and below.

But the 39 % new American customs tariffs in Switzerland can make this hobby More expensivePerhaps less for buyers for the first time. the dutyDuring President Donald Trump The latest round of definitionsIt strikes the most important market in the world for Swiss watch exports. From January to June, The United States exceeded Japan and China As a higher destination, with a shipment of $ 3.17 billion (2.56 billion Swiss francs), according to the Swiss Watch Federation.

“Companies cannot realize the tariff realistically, which means that retail prices in the United States will rise sharply,” said Marcus Allenburg, the Swiss administrative partner of the Swiss Goldblum & Partners. luck.

For American buyers, especially the younger, mathematics are clear: prices are rising, Anish Bhat, a Millennium “Watchfluense“With 1.6 million followers Instagram He said luck. While the 39 % tax applies to the cost of the importer, not the full industry analysts, Predispay 12 % -14 % increase in store prices if the cost brands are transferred to consumers.

Joshua Ganji, CEO of Watch European in Boston. luck. “The pre -owned market is the best option for value and immediate availability – there is no import headache and no poster shock.”

Bhatt said that this transformation to the used is already ongoing, because it is very limited in the basic market.

Still, 2024 a report Through Watchfinder & Co. I found that 41 % of Gen Z ranged between 16 and 26 years old on her way to a luxury hour in the previous year – and individuals in this age group are ready to buy a luxury watch said that $ 10,870 would be the starting point for their next purchase. The same report found that GEN Z fans acquired 2.4 hours directly and 1.43 hours already owned in 2023, with more than half of the purchase for themselves.

Altenburg expects the Gen Z and Millennial buyers, who tend to be more sensitive than the largest plural enthusiasts, will be attracted to the gray -owned local sellers to avoid customs tariffs. Ganji said his company “has witnessed a huge increase in buying volume in the past few months, as American buyers are ashamed of international sellers.”

On the other hand, Watchfluencer Bhatt said that younger consumers are still accusing the “social currency” that comes with Rolex, Patek Philippe or Audemars Piguet, even if they pay more.

Bhatt said: “They also understand the situation that gives them.” He said that Cachet for the Swiss -made watch plays daily on social media platforms such as Tiktok and Instagram and influential channels, which enhances the ambitious demand.

Bhatt does not expect the demand for the most desirable brands to fade, but it says that the Swiss -Swiss names that cannot see sales are slow sales. Bhatt said that the additional cost may push Americans to buy while traveling in Europe – where they can sometimes restore value -added tax (value -added tax) – and restore themselves, and perhaps avoid the customs tariffs completely.

He added: “The allocation of the pieces may have turned towards other regions over time,” because they see the increase in demand in Europe or the Middle East and a little decreased in the United States. ”

For the Swiss industry, the risks exceed the prices of stickers. Altenburg has warned that weakness in the United States can pressure employment chains and supply chains in the watchmaking areas, while forcing brands to rethink distribution, pricing and even corporate structures to alleviate the impact of customs tariffs.

Bhatt believes that marketing for young generations will also matter more in the cooling market.

“When the market is high, they only depend on the brand’s value and brand name,” he said. “When the market is low, they need people to understand scarcity, complexity and the difficulty of producing these rare hours.”

Everyone said, perhaps the customs tariff will not kill the charm of Gen Z with luxurious hours – but it can redraw the road map of how and the place of purchasing it.

The social media publications of Vintage Dayonas and Nautiluses are unlikely to disappear. What might change is that for many American young people, the product may be increasingly, and may be sealed by boutique in Paris or Milan.

Submit 2025 Fortune Global 500The final ranking of the largest companies in the world. Explore this year’s list.