Buying a Swiss Watch in Switzerland

[CHJ001]

I am planning a trip to the Swiss Alps next year and I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience buying Swiss watches in Switzerland. Can you get a better deal there then you can here in the US? If so, would it be better in the big cities like Geneva or Zurich, or in smaller towns like Zermatt or Interlaken?

[Longjean]

Don’t, unless you don’t care about the price and just want to buy a Swiss watch in Switzerland. Trying to haggle over the price will not be appreciated either. You live in one of the least expensive countries in Western civilation for watches.

[stuffler,mike]

Can you get a better deal there then you can here in the US?

The very simple and comprehensive answer is NO.

[Barge]

In July and January most stores including some watch stores have sales. You might find something on sale then. ex. Tissot, Rado,Hamilton, Frederique Constant, maybe Zenith, Chopard. Above that I haven't seen much. Otherwise sadly Switzerland is not good place to buy a watch for a good price. Dealing for a better price is just not something Swiss do. Very high rents and wages also make buying 2nd hand watches expensive. I am often shocked at the prices they want, compared to what I hear and see americans paying. The only benefit to buying in Switzerland is selection, which obviously is better in bigger cities like Zurich and Geneva.

[johnny action]

Forget the watch and go have some cheese fondue. And chocolates.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DenverBuff]

Was just in the Lake Geneva/Montreux area in August.

Great place to window shop - seems to be a watch store every block. Crummy place to buy luxury Swiss. Better deals here.

If you want a horo-souvenir, buy a cheap Swiss Army/Military watch (like I did). They're all over the place. You'll have a nice functional memento of your trip that says SWISS on it, you'll sail through customs and you'll have plenty of Swiss Francs left over for food, booze and, uh, booze.

[sticky]

Don’t, unless you don’t care about the price and just want to buy a Swiss watch in Switzerland. Trying to haggle over the price will not be appreciated either. You live in one of the least expensive countries in Western civilation for watches.

Chances are that when you see what the rest of the world charges for watches you’ll shop at home.

[CHJ001]

Forget the watch and go have some cheese fondue. And chocolates.

You forgot my favorite---rosti!!! Sorry I wanted to show a picture, but couldn't out how to do that.

[RotorBoater]

I am planning a trip to the Swiss Alps next year and I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience buying Swiss watches in Switzerland. Can you get a better deal there then you can here in the US? If so, would it be better in the big cities like Geneva or Zurich, or in smaller towns like Zermatt or Interlaken?

While I was in Interlaken this past may, I admired all of the watches in the windows in the Rolex store, then IWC, and so on. I got to the Hamilton store and thought “I might be able to afford another one of these.” For a 42mm Khaki they were asking 600 something Franks. Everything in Switzerland was pretty expensive. Even breakfast was 20-30 franks just about anywhere I was. Though everything there was a bit pricey it was the most beautiful place I’ve ever been.

[Redmund]

I do not think it can get more better deal than here in US