A model from Swiss watchmaker Swatch named “WHAT IF…TARIFFS?” with the numbers 3 and 9 reversed on its face, as a play on the 39% import tariffs that U.S. President Donald Trump slapped on Switzerland last month, is pictured on wrist at a Swatch shop in Geneva, Switzerland, September 12, 2025.
Pierre Albouy | Reuters
Watchmaker Swatch has launched a special edition model in a dig at U.S. President Donald Trump’s punitive 39% tariffs against Switzerland.
Dubbed the “WHAT IF…TARIFFS?” model, the watch face switches the position of the three and nine in reference to the 39% U.S. levy imposed on Swiss imports last month.
Retailing for 139 Swiss francs ($174) and launched on Wednesday, the watch is intended as a limited edition product, a company spokesperson told CNBC.
The model, which is only available in Switzerland, was showing as out of stock on the Swiss watchmaker’s website Friday.
The spokesperson added that the model was intended as a “positive provocation” to authorities and a firm nudge to the Swiss government to secure a better deal.
“It’s in the DNA of Swatch to provoke in a positive way,” they said via email.
“We have played with the 39% tariffs imposed on Switzerland by the United States. We hope that this activation will not last long, but that it will be as short as possible.”
“As soon as the United States changes its customs duties towards Switzerland, we will immediately stop selling this watch,” they added.
Trump announced shock 39% levies on Switzerland on Aug. 1, among the highest set by the president globally.
The measures provoked dismay from Swiss authorities and domestic businesses who had expected a rate in line with the 10% to 15% applied to other major trading partners like the European Union and the U.K.
Swiss negotiators have since been trying to secure a better deal, with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick telling CNBC Thursday that the two countries were likely to “get a deal done.”
Swiss watchmakers and the wider luxury industry have been hit especially hard by the duties, given their heavy reliance on U.S. consumers.
The U.S. was the biggest overseas market for Swiss watches in 2024, with exports totaling 4.37 billion Swiss francs ($5.4 billion), according to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry.
The limited edition marks an addition to the company’s “WHAT IF…” collection, which typically features colourful models that retail for around 100 Swiss francs.
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