Month after month, the negative figures continue to pour in. In April, Swiss watch exports fell once again, by 11.1% to be precise, compared with April 2015. Since the beginning of the year, the overall decline is edging towards -9.5%.

The history of watches began in 16th-century Europe, where watches evolved from portable spring-driven clocks, which first appeared in the 15th century. A 16th-century portable drum watch with sundial. The 24-hour dial has Roman numerals on the outer band and Hindu–Arabic numerals on the inner one.