2025 has painted a daunting picture for the luxury watch industry. Swiss export growth is flat (-0.1% in H1 2025), raw material prices are soaring to record levels, and Swiss import tariffs from the US are threatening anticipated growth. At the same time, 36% of luxury watch consumers are concerned about the cost of living and inflation, meaning a high-spending audience may well be deterred by rising prices, while aspirational customers could be shut out of the market entirely.
Interbrand has released its annual Best Global Brands ranking and there's very little movement at the top. The top five are Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Samsung in that order, showing that Apple is still... well.... the Apple of many eyes.