A exemplary from Swiss watchmaker Swatch named "WHAT IF...TARIFFS?" with the numbers 3 and 9 reversed connected its face, arsenic a play connected the 39% import tariffs that U.S. President Donald Trump slapped connected Switzerland past month, is pictured connected wrist astatine a Swatch store successful Geneva, Switzerland, September 12, 2025.
Pierre Albouy | Reuters
Watchmaker Swatch has launched a peculiar variation exemplary successful a excavation astatine U.S. President Donald Trump's punitive 39% tariffs against Switzerland.
Dubbed the "WHAT IF...TARIFFS?" model, the ticker look switches the presumption of the 3 and 9 successful notation to the 39% U.S. levy imposed connected Swiss imports past month.
Retailing for 139 Swiss francs ($174) and launched connected Wednesday, the ticker is intended arsenic a constricted variation product, a institution spokesperson told CNBC.
The model, which is lone disposable successful Switzerland, was showing arsenic retired of banal connected the Swiss watchmaker's website Friday.
The spokesperson added that the exemplary was intended arsenic a "positive provocation" to authorities and a steadfast nudge to the Swiss authorities to unafraid a amended deal.
"It's successful the DNA of Swatch to provoke successful a affirmative way," they said via email.
"We person played with the 39% tariffs imposed connected Switzerland by the United States. We anticipation that this activation volition not past long, but that it volition beryllium arsenic abbreviated arsenic possible."
"As soon arsenic the United States changes its customs duties towards Switzerland, we volition instantly halt selling this watch," they added.
Trump announced shock 39% levies connected Switzerland connected Aug. 1, among the highest acceptable by the president globally.
The measures provoked dismay from Swiss authorities and home businesses who had expected a complaint successful enactment with the 10% to 15% applied to different large trading partners similar the European Union and the U.K.
Swiss negotiators person since been trying to unafraid a amended deal, with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick telling CNBC Thursday that the 2 countries were apt to "get a woody done."
Swiss watchmakers and the wider luxury manufacture person been deed particularly hard by the duties, fixed their dense reliance connected U.S. consumers.
The U.S. was the biggest overseas marketplace for Swiss watches successful 2024, with exports totaling 4.37 cardinal Swiss francs ($5.4 billion), according to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry.
The constricted variation marks an summation to the company's "WHAT IF..." collection, which typically features colourful models that retail for astir 100 Swiss francs.
English (US) ·