Smart watch Apple Watch – a compact computer that can fit on a hand of a user, — an impressive technical achievement and long-awaited project Apple. Lead designer company Johnathan Ive was sure that the output is “Apple” smart watches will lead to the rejection of traditional models and the latest report on the Swiss watch market this clearly confirms.
According to the Federation of the Swiss watch industry, export of local hour production in October 2015 dropped by 12% that became the maximum decrease for the last 6 years. Last month, the export of watches from Switzerland fell by 12% compared with October 2014 – up to 2 billion Swiss francs ($2 billion).
The fall in exports to some extent is associated with a decrease in the demand for Swiss watches in Hong Kong being the largest market for the sector. The export of watches from Switzerland to Hong Kong fell in October to 39% in the US fell by 12%.
The Hong Kong market ahead of the U.S. in terms of sales of Swiss watches 7 years ago, gradually weakened. In August this year, TAG Heuer has closed its store in Hong Kong, and Richemont, which produces Cartier jewelry and IWC watches, reported decline in sales in October due to weak demand for mechanical watches. For the first ten months of 2015, exports of Swiss watches fell by 3.2%.
At the same time, Apple in the fourth quarter of this year placed an order for the production of 4 million Apple Watch. While sales of smart watches the company is expected by the end of 2015 will amount to more than 10 million copies. The following year, the American Corporation plans to ship another 20 million of their smart watches.
In September last year, thematic media published the phrase johnny Ive spoken to them prior to the announcement of the Apple Watch. He said literally: “Switzerland Has a big problem.” Although Swiss watch making workshops then sceptical about the prospects of “smart” competitor from Apple. “A wristwatch is a status symbol, and in this area Apple poses no threat, — said the representative of Victorinox Francois nuñez. — There is no watchmaker, who feared smart hours”.
The same opinion was held at Hublot. Representative of the Swiss company advised the manufacturers who rush to market “smart” hours, continue “to continue to release smartphones, TVs and refrigerators”.
However, the success of the Apple Watch has forced manufacturers to reconsider the views on the smart model. In early November, Swiss luxury watch brand TAG Heuer introduced its first smart watch Connected. Contrary to the reviews online, which proclaimed digital chronograph “Apple Watch killer”, CEO Jean-Claude Biver the same hastened to declare that he did not consider Apple as its rival.
“Carrera Connected is an exclusive, luxury watch, – said a top Manager. – We are not Apple. We are a watch brand. I forbid my colleagues to say that the Apple is our competitor.” Beaver called the target audience of the Apple Watch teenagers who previously didn’t wear watches. After they will test popular Apple product, they will go to the creation of the Swiss watch brand, he said.