Watchmaking, luxury goods, cosmetics and fragrances

discover the new world of style

Traditional savoir-faire, openness to innovative technologies and refined marketing skills explain why the GREATER GENEVA BERNE area (GGBa) is the foremost Swiss region for watchmaking, cosmetics and luxury goods.

Watchmaking in the GGBa boasts many world firsts: the first wristwatch, first quartz watch, first water-resistant wristwatch, thinnest wristwatch and smallest or most expensive watch. Numerous prestigious brands were born here: Breguet, Hublot, Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Ulysse Nardin, Jaeger Lecoultre, TAG Heuer, Audemars Piguet as well as Rolex and Omega, the two most famous brands in the world. Throughout the GGBa in fact, an astonishing number of famous watch companies have been running smoothly here for generations.

• Taken as a whole, the sector is western Switzerland’s principal exporter and the country’s third largest, after the chemical and engineering industries.
• Asia is the sector’s principal market, accounting for 44% of sales in 2007, ahead of Europe (34%) and the Americas (20%).

GGBa: distilled watchmaking excellence

Of the 53,000 people involved in the Swiss watchmaking industry, the GGBa is home to 41,000. The three main centers are Neuchâtel (15,000), Berne (11,000) and Geneva (9,000). This last canton generates annual exports of more than SFr 5 billion, primarily from the municipality of Plan-les-Ouates. With such a broad platform of expertise readily available throughout the GGBa, companies requiring specialist precision engineering skills come to the region knowing that what they need is within easy reach of these main watchmaking areas.

the luxury of plentiful talent

The stunning added-value created by Swiss watchmaking has been a catalyst for the development of luxury goods and cosmetics in the GGBa. Almost all the principal players are present, including Bulgari, Gucci, Polo Ralph Lauren, Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Cartier. These leading multinationals have chosen to establish operations in the region to gain access to the extensive industry-specific knowledge that is readily available to create deluxe products.

no small advantage

Vital to the sector is the abundance of small and medium-sized companies within the GGBa; their research expertise, leading-edge technology, sophisticated supplier mechanisms and highly qualified workforces ensure that business remains competitive and functions smoothly at all levels, from the drawing board to production.

Finally, cosmetic products and fragrances, which predominantly have their roots in the GGBa, have a strong place in the international market and successfully compete in the market niches of beauty and skin care.