INSIDER VIEW: Things can only get better

There was a time, not so long ago, when things were looking rather glum. The watch industry was still reeling from the announcement of 39% tariffs on Swiss imports by President Trump, a punitive figure that was proving a genuinely existential threat for dozens, if not hundreds, of businesses.

But after some first class schmoozing and hobnobbing from Rolex’s CEO Jean-Frederic Dufour (including hosting the President in the Rolex corporate box at the US open), the news came just last month in November that the rate would be reduced to 15%, aligning with the rate recently agreed between the States and the European Union. The collective sigh of relief could be heard on the moon.

I’m not delusional enough to take any credit for this. It’s true that the launch of Watch Insider has coincided with this good news, but I’m happy to put this down to a fortunate coincidence.

Facetiousness aside, I feel delighted to be launching the magazine of record for the UK watch industry at a time when there is real cause for optimism and hope. Independent British watch brands are enjoying a sustained period of success on the global stage (as I discuss with Alistair Audsley of the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers in this edition), and the UK is still the highest spending country per capita on Swiss watches in Europe. We’re world leading when it comes to watch obsession.

It doesn’t mean that our salad days are around the corner. Times are still hard, economically, and likely to get harder in light of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ doom-laden Budget. In fact, the UK and Europe have been stagnating ever since the financial crash of 2008 in many ways. Throw into the mix Brexit, Covid lockdowns, and the aforementioned tariffs, and its a wonder that the industry is still on its feet.

And that’s what encourages me. Anyone can thrive in good times. A rising tide lifts all the boats, as they say. But for the UK watch industry to have survived and thrived against the backdrop of almost two decades of economic stagnation, tells me that it’s robust, resilient, and future proof.

I believe that this largely stems from the quality of individuals that work in the sector. Spending time with Lizzie McAuley of Baker Brothers and Simon Wolf of WOLF (both interviews inside) left me feeling inspired. These are hard-working, smart, and dedicated people, which are adjectives I could apply to the vast majority of those working in the trade. Good ideas don’t happen by accident. It takes high performance individuals to come up with great ideas and then to execute them. 

And, in a nutshell, the remit of Watch Insider is to champion and celebrate these incredible people, and to provide them with the sort of news, analysis, and opinions that will help them in their jobs. That’s why we’ll be obsessing over data, interviewing the biggest names in the business, broaching the subjects that no other publication goes near, and doing it all in a way that’s clear, concise and digestible. 

So, here’s to the start of something special. The UK’s industry publication has landed. About the people, for the people. 

This article first appeared in the December 2025 edition of Watch Insider.