What is a Swiss Watch?

You may have noticed the mention "Swiss Made" engraved on many prestigious timepieces. Two simple words that resonate like a promise of excellence. But do you really know what lies behind this mythical label? What criteria must a watch meet to deserve this designation? And why does Swiss watchmaking enjoy such worldwide reputation?

At Maison Tellus, heirs to a watchmaking tradition dating back to 1790 and founders of a House in 1926, we are the guardians of this centuries-old savoir-faire. Today, we reveal the secrets of a true Swiss watch.

Swiss Watchmaking: A Four-Century Heritage

It all begins in the 16th century, in the streets of Geneva.

In 1541, Jean Calvin, Protestant reformer, forbids the wearing of jewelry and ostentatious ornaments. Geneva's goldsmiths, deprived of their main activity, then turn to an emerging art: watchmaking. This conversion marks the beginning of an adventure that will soon radiate throughout the world.

A century later, in the Vallée de Joux, another phenomenon emerges: mountain farmers, isolated during long winters, train in watchmaking to supplement their income. These self-taught artisans develop unique expertise in manufacturing horological complications—those complex mechanical functions that form the soul of an exceptional timepiece.

The Geographic Cradle of Excellence

Three regions still embody the heart of Swiss watchmaking today:

Geneva: elegance, high-end finishing, prestige
Vallée de Joux: complications, the most sophisticated movements
Le Jura: établissage, this tradition of artisanal specialization where each family masters a precise stage of manufacturing

The Swiss Made Label: Strict and Official Criteria

Contrary to popular belief, the "Swiss Made" label is not simply a marketing mention. It's a legal guarantee, strictly regulated by a Swiss federal ordinance, reinforced in 2017 to protect the authenticity of Helvetic watchmaking.

The 5 Official Criteria of a Swiss Made Watch

For a watch to legitimately bear the "Swiss Made" mention, it must meet five cumulative conditions:

A Swiss movement: the beating heart of the watch must be assembled in Switzerland, inspected in Switzerland, and contain at minimum 60% Swiss value (versus 50% before 2017) and 50% of components manufactured in Switzerland.

Casing in Switzerland: The installation of the movement into the case must be performed on Swiss soil. This crucial step guarantees assembly coherence.

Final inspection in Switzerland: quality verifications—precision, water resistance, finishing—must be performed by the manufacturer in Switzerland.

At least 60% Swiss value on the complete watch: this criterion, reinforced in 2017, excludes raw untransformed materials (like gold or steel) and focuses on the value truly created in Switzerland.

Technical development in Switzerland: the design, prototyping, and technical plans must be realized in Switzerland, guaranteeing that the watch's soul is truly Helvetic.

Why Such Strict Criteria?

This rigor addresses several major challenges:

→ Combat counterfeiting: protect a century-old heritage against imitations
→ Preserve the label's credibility long-term
→ Guarantee consumer satisfaction, who associate "Swiss Made" with superior quality
→ Maintain the worldwide reputation of Swiss watchmaking

At Maison Tellus, all our watches scrupulously respect these criteria. Our quality Swiss movements, our assembly in Switzerland, our rigorous final inspections: every detail embodies our commitment to Swiss Made excellence.

Swiss Craftsmanship: What Makes These Watches Unique

Beyond legal criteria, it's the savoir-faire that makes the difference.

A Swiss watch is first and foremost legendary precision. Helvetic watchmakers work with infinitesimal tolerances: ±2 seconds per day for the most precise mechanical movements. This reliability is no accident: it results from centuries of refinement, rigorous quality controls, and a culture of excellence anchored in every gesture.

Exceptional Artisanship

Assembling a Swiss watch means orchestrating 300 to 600 minuscule parts with surgical precision. Each component is positioned by hand, adjusted, regulated. Watchmakers master centuries-old techniques:

→ Côtes de Genève: those parallel stripes adorning the movement bridges
→ Perlage: those concentric circles dressing the plates
→ Anglage: those hand-polished chamfers on part edges
→ Guillochage: those patterns engraved with millimetric precision on dials

These finishings aren't simply decorative: they testify to the time dedicated, the attention paid to the slightest detail, the master watchmaker's pride.

Noble Materials, Impeccable Finishing

Swiss watchmaking accepts no compromise on materials. 316L or 904L stainless steel, titanium, gold: each metal is chosen for its durability and beauty. Sapphire crystals, like those we use at Tellus in double-face, resist scratches and protect the dial for decades.

Every detail counts. Every finish is the fruit of artisanal savoir-faire.

Why Choose a Swiss Watch?

Investing in a Swiss Made watch is making a reasoned choice.

1. Exceptional Longevity

A well-maintained Swiss watch crosses generations. It doesn't go out of style, doesn't deteriorate: it develops patina, improves with age, becomes a legacy.

2. Worldwide Recognized Prestige

"Swiss Made" is synonymous with excellence in every country worldwide. Wearing a Swiss watch means wearing a piece of watchmaking history.

3. Value That Maintains Itself

Unlike many luxury objects that depreciate, a quality Swiss watch preserves—even increases—its value over time.

4. A Unique Emotional Experience

Beyond technique, a Swiss watch provides a singular emotion. Feeling the weight on the wrist, hearing the discreet tick-tock of the movement, admiring reflections on the dial: it's an incomparable sensory experience.

Tellus: Swiss Made Excellence Since 1926

Founded in 1926, relaunched in 2022 by Claire and Nuno de Ayala, our House perpetuates a watchmaking heritage of more than two centuries. Our watches are 100% Swiss Made, conforming to the strictest criteria. Our quality Swiss movements, our flat double-face sapphire crystals, our refined finishing: everything is designed to honor this Helvetic excellence.

But we don't simply preserve tradition. With our patented Parenthèses® design, we reinvent it. This unique system allows combining a distinctive aesthetic different from other watches on the market with genuine technical innovation, while guaranteeing Swiss Made authenticity. Our Parenthèses® additionally allow you to customize your Tellus according to your momentary desires. Each Tellus thus becomes a unique piece, a personal statement, a watch that truly resembles you.

The Swiss Made label isn't a vague promise: it's a legal guarantee, a quality commitment, the fruit of four centuries of savoir-faire transmitted with passion. Choosing a Swiss watch means offering yourself a piece designed to last, to be transmitted, to tell a story.

Since 1926, Maison Tellus proudly perpetuates this Swiss heritage, combining century-old tradition and contemporary innovation. Each Tellus watch is an invitation to join this history, to wear on the wrist the excellence of a savoir-faire unique in the world.

Be proud, you have a Tellus.