The watch world has never been hotter, as demand for pricey Rolex, Omega and Vacheron Constantin timepieces booms, but in Asia the high-end market has cooled after governments clamped down on travel in response to the pandemic. According to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FHS), Swiss watch exports reached an eye-popping US$2.3 billion in July, climbing to the highest point in nearly a decade. Sell-Out Index, which measures global watch and jewellery sales, additionally revealed exports in the US skyrocketed 13.5 per cent in comparison to the same time last year, with the US replacing China as the world’s biggest market for Swiss timepieces.
Nonetheless, demand in Asia is recovering, with Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan holding steady among the top five major markets. Collectors who have long enjoyed a Swiss-made diet of Song Dynasty water clocks and Chinese zodiac dials continue to
