Recognizing that it must set the example, Switzerland has already reinforced the legal instruments at its disposal. The new law on "the protection of brand names and place of origin", passed on 28 August 1992, introduced more severe punishments. The Swiss customs authorities, for their part, keep a vigilant eye on all imports, exports and merchandise in transit.

Moreover, a law "regulating the use of the name 'Swiss' for watches" sets out the minimum conditions that have to be fulfilled before a watch merits the "Swiss made" label.

This law is based on a concept according to which Swiss quality depends on the amount of work actually carried out on a watch in Switzerland, even if some foreign components are used in it. It therefore requires that the assembly work on the movement (the motor of the watch) and on the watch itself (fitting the movement with the dial, hands and the various parts of the case) should be carried out in Switzerland, along with the final testing of the movement. It also requires that at least 50% of the components of the movement should be manufactured in Switzerland.

Certain regions in Switzerland have their own "place of origin" labels. One of the most renowned is "Genève", which identifies top-quality timepieces made in the city and canton of Geneva. Like "Swiss made", this label is very popular with counterfeiters and therefore benefits from continuous protection within the framework of the FH's anti-counterfeiting programme.

The Swiss watch industry is very active in safeguarding the integrity of "Swiss made" and its other regional labels of quality.

The vigilant consumer can also play an effective supporting role. By choosing reputable sales points and not being tempted by deals that are as dubious as they are outlandish, he or she will help to thwart counterfeiters, protect his or her own interests and contribute to the defence of fair trading.

The FH and its regional representatives will be happy to provide further information on this subject.

A Swiss watch movement

As we have seen, to be Swiss, a watch must use a Swiss movement. According to Section 2 OSM, a movement is considered to be Swiss if:

• it has been assembled in Switzerland;
• it has been inspected by the manufacturer in Switzerland; and
• the components of Swiss manufacture account for at least 50 percent of the total value, without taking into account the cost of assembly.

If the movement fulfills these conditions, but the watch is not assembled in Switzerland, the "Swiss" indication may be affixed to one of the components of the movement. On the outside of the watch, may then only appear the "mouvement suisse" or "Swiss movement" indication. Section 3 § 3 OSM requires that the word "movement" appear in full, and be written in the same type-face, of identical size and colour, as the word "Swiss".

Wristlet

The "Swiss made" indication may only appear on a wristlet if it is of Swiss manufacture and if the watch is also Swiss. A wristlet is considered to be Swiss if it has undergone an essential manufacturing operation in Switzerland and if 50 percent of the production costs originate in Switzerland.

When a Swiss wristlet is attached to a watch manufactured abroad, it may only bear a reference to the word "Swiss" if this designation clearly shows that only the wristlet is of Swiss manufacture (for example, "Swiss wristlet").

The "Swiss case" indication on a watch case betokens that the case is of Swiss manufacture. A case is considered to be Swiss if:

• it has undergone an essential manufacturing operation in Switzerland (stamping, turning, or polishing);
• it has been assembled and inspected in Switzerland; and
• over 50 percent of the manufacturing costs (excluding the value of the material) are due to operations carried out in Switzerland.

When the "Swiss case" indication appears on the outside of the case, and the watch is of foreign manufacture, the origin of the movement or of the watch must also be affixed to the outside of the watch.

This indication is often illegally affixed to the outside of the watch, especially by foreign manufacturers wishing to show that the quartz movement used is of Swiss origin. But, according to the OSM, the use of this indication on the outside of the watch signifies that the watch is Swiss.

This marking indicates that the movement is composed of movement-blanks which have been manufactured in Switzerland, but assembled abroad. This indication may only appear on the movement, and never on the outside of the watch.