This is something we get asked a lot. And not just by newcomers to the industry. To some minds, it instantly sticks out like a sore thumb that the Swiss products are regarded as sacrosanct and that the wares of all other nations should fall in line behind the masters. But to others, it just seems like the natural order of things. So engrained it is in their minds that they never feel the need to question it. Swiss means quality. Simple. How could the truth possibly be any more complicated than that? Well, surprise, surprise, it is. The short answer to the question, ‘Why are Swiss watches considered the best?’ is, quite ironically, ‘Timing’. If you never dig beneath the surface of our industry, you could be forgiven for thinking the Swiss invented watchmaking, and all of the major advancements that still underpin our understanding of timekeeping were down to them. It might surprise you to learn that the very first chronometer made was actually the brainchild of an Englishman named John Harrison. In Harrison’s time (the late 1700s), accurate timekeeping was essential for navigating at sea. Unfortunately, the choppy conditions and ever-changing atmospheric conditions played havoc with even…

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