Made in Switzerland

Ok, this topic is NOT on baby making, so don't get too excited.

I've had some weird requests to get some "made in Switzerland" souvenirs just before going back to SG. Somehow, these requests came pretty last minute when I had no more time to shop and look around. I've requests like 'just buy any watch' from Switzerland, getting a winter jacket and another was to get any nice jacket below $200.

So given such a short time frame to get cheap and good deals is really testing my shopping ability given that I'm not a shopping queen. So I couldn't accede to all requests.

Once, we overheard a an officer working in the tourism office telling 2 tourists that "Switzerland is an expensive country". We thought that was rather direct if not, haughty. But it's the truth.

Switzerland isn't a shopping paradise nor is it known to be one even though it has the world's most expensive shopping street - the Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich. You can still get cheap and good deals when certain items are on sale, if you can find your sizes. It's interesting to note items that are in black and white hardly go on sale and sometimes could cost more than other colours as they are the 2 most favoured colours among the Europeans.

Well, I thought it might be a good opportunity to clear some misconceptions on items "Made in Switzerland" since I've discovered some interesting facts whilst hunting for MIS souvenirs.

Q: Are all watches in Switzerland are made in Switzerland?

Well, I can safely say that all milk in Switzerland are from the Swiss cows as the government do not allow the import of milk in order to protect the Swiss farmers. To side track a little, Switzerland is the country that invented milk chocolate (if you happen to read the "Travellers" section of the paper TODAY on 9 Oct).

However, this isn't the case for watches.
Even if they carry the "Swiss Made" or "Made in Switzerland" logos, it doesn't mean they are truly made in Switzerland. A good example is the Swiss Military Watch. It has so many fake versions thou it carries the swiss logo.

Q: Are watches cheaper in Switzerland?

Depends. If you are talking about those high end watches made in Switzerland, maybe. But the price itself can take you from SG to Zurich a couple of times.

Swatch watches are cheaper only if the exchange rate is favourable. And even so, it's just a few dollars' difference.

They have those "pasar malam looking" watches in Switzerland too (some look worse than the pasar malams ones to be honest) and they cost from CHF 19 onwards. It is sold in Switzerland no doubt about it, but it may not be made in Switzerland or the parts may not be from Switzerland.

Extracted from Wikipedia:

Swiss watch

A watch is considered Swiss, according to the Swiss law if:

• its movement is Swiss and,
• its movement is cased up in Switzerland and;
• the manufacturer carries out the final inspection in Switzerland

Swiss watch movement

A watch movement is considered Swiss if:

• the movement has been assembled in Switzerland and,
• the movement has been inspected by the manufacturer in Switzerland and;
• the components of Swiss manufacture account for at least 50 percent of the total value, without taking into account the cost of assembly.

If a watch movement is intended for export and will not be cased-up in Switzerland, but it otherwise meets the criteria to be considered a Swiss movement, the watch may say "Swiss Movement" but it may not say Swiss Made on the watch case or dial.

“It is not generally known that quite a few Swiss companies have watches assembled in China for export to North America, Asia and even Europe, where the brand name is more important that the “Swiss made” label. Such watches may consist of a Chinese case and a Chinese crystal, a Taiwan-made dial and metal bracelet and Japanese hands. If the movement is to be considered Swiss, 51% of its value must be Swiss and at least the last wheel must be added in Switzerland. Swiss watch brands without the “Swiss made” label are usually equipped with a Japanese movement. The “Swiss parts” label means that the movement is assembled in Asia using kits consisting at least partially of Swiss made components.”

You can read this if you're keen to find out more: Swiss Made

Even the famous Swiss souvenir - the cuckoo clocks, do not originate from Switzerland. The Black Forest region in southern Germany is it's birthplace. In fact, many of the cheap quartz clocks that you see in souvenir shops are made in China, South Korea and Japan (ok I don't mind from Japan thou). You can read this for more info which I find it quite interesting:
Swiss Info

So next time when you see the Swiss cross or the "Made in Switzerland" label, it doesn't necessarily mean they originate from the country it has indicated on the label.