There are many incredible watches to look out for in 2017, but one we certainly weren’t expecting was a Swiss cheese watch! It’s fair to say that there are few exports that Switzerland are known for than wrist watches and cheese – so it makes sense to combine the two, right?
Well… for most people, probably not. But someone has done just that! Today were going to check out the “Swiss Mad” Swiss cheese watch.
What is the Swiss Cheese Watch
The Swiss cheese watch was made by H. Moser & Cie – an independent, Swiss watchmaker. The watch is called the “Swiss Mad Watch” and is made from the most famous Swiss materials. The watchcase is made from resin mixed with pasteurised Vacherin Mont d’Or cheese. The watch face features a red background with white time markers – a nod to the Swiss flag. Finally, the watch features a cowhide strap – made, we assume, from a 100% Swiss cow!
Chances are, like us, you are saying “well that all sounds very good, but why on earth would any watchmaker do such a thing.” Well, the reason may surprise you!
Why Make a Swiss Cheese Watch?
The idea which immediately comes to mind is that H. Moser & Cie must absolutely love Swiss cheese. Well, that may be the case (to be clear, we haven’t asked them whether they do or don’t!), but it isn’t why they have developed this watch.
This Swiss cheese watch has been developed as a protest against the new rules on what constitutes a “Swiss Made Watch”. Prior to 2017 for a watch to be considered “Swiss Made” it had to source 50% of its components domestically. This year, watchmakers are required to source 60% of its components domestically. This is an increase but H. Moser & Cie believe that the new rules are still far too lenient.
As H. Moser & Cie’s creations are over 95% Swiss they believe that the label “Swiss Made” provides no guarantee of a watches Swiss-ness. They suggest it creates confusion and encourages abuses of the system. In protest to this decision H. Moser & Cie have made the decision to remove the “Swiss Made” label from all products released from this year onwards.
They have also developed the Swiss cheese watch – which is 100% Swiss! – as a satirical protest. “Our Swiss Mad Watch sends a clear message to the Swiss watchmaking industry, the authorities and watch enthusiasts: the Swiss Made label is meaningless. Worse than this, it gives credibility to the worst abuses in our industry. Our response to this lax and insufficient label is derision. At H. Moser & Cie., we produce watches that are truly Swiss, watches that are steeped in watchmaking tradition and centuries of experience,” said Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser & Cie.
How Much Will One Cost?
The watch was presented at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie so that people could view the incredible original watch. This particular model will cost CHF 1,081,291, which references the signing of the Swiss Federal Charter on August 1st, 1291. The proceeds from the sale of this watch are going to create a fund which will be used to support independent Swiss watchmaking suppliers who are suffering due to difficult economic conditions and outsourcing to Asia. H. Moser & Cie state on their website that independent Swiss watchmaking suppliers are the “very artisans who keep traditional Swiss watchmaking alive and who help it to continually evolve.”
There is also a limited edition Venturer Swiss Mad watch which does not include any dairy products. In this edition the cheese casing is replaced by a white gold case – which means it will not quite be “100% Swiss” as there are no gold mines in Switzerland. Although, as they rightly point out, it would be considered 100% Swiss Made by the current regulations. There will only be 50 of this edition of the Swiss Mad Watch made and they will sell for CHF 21,500 each.
Moser & Cie hope that their protest against the new laws may help to encourage the Swiss government to increase the threshold from 60% to 80% in the future. If you agree with what they are doing but can’t afford to buy a Swiss cheese watch then use their hashtag to show your support – #MakeSwissMadeGreatAgain!
Images: H.Moser & Cie
