The Future of Swiss Watchmaking Belongs to the Independents

Reflecting on past and future of Swiss watches with Louis Erard’s CEO, Manuel Emch

Annus horribilis

In Switzerland, 2025 will be remembered as the year of the US tariffs on all Swiss goods, among which watches, of course. Swiss-made mechanical watches are the symbol of Switzerland and one of the things for which the Swiss are famous for, worldwide. And that has been the case for a few centuries. 2025 has been a tough year for most luxury brands, across all categories. It almost looks like the luxury textbook needs to be rewritten and updated. Kering changed their CEO, in search of a new direction. LVMH is shuffling people around and some of its brands are under review. Richemont is selling some of its
properties and rethinking its core around jewelry, most probably. The formula of the 2000s, which made luxury brands so dominant and coveted, thanks to large marketing spending, own retail, exclusivity and price hikes, is definitely tarnished. The tariffs just lit a fire that was preparing for a while. It’s not just 2025, even though it was the year of the crisis.

New school
In an industry under pressure, and with new generations less into the same wrist culture and collectors’ craze as Baby Boomers and Gen Xers, it’s mandatory to be efficient, innovative, and explorative in the ways of imagining distribution and marketing. The established formula of large luxury conglomerates struggles to deliver on the promises of global scale and massive appeal for long, which, in the past, was boosted by a concentration of distribution and media outlets. Times have changed, and it seems that younger, more flexible and more risk prone brands, like the Indies, fit better with an audience that appreciates great quality, but with a less intimidating language or culture, when it comes to buying and selling timepieces. Watches must “speak” the product, distribution, pricing and marketing codes of social media and gaming, animés and pop, digital and immersive physical spaces. The old way is broken. It’s time for a new school of thought and action.

Manuel-Emch

Louis Erard
The case of Louis Erard, defined by The Financial Times in January 2026 as the “King of Collabs” could be telling of times that are swiftly changing. Louis Erard was born in 1929, in Le Noirmont, in the Jura valley, which is one of the cradles of Swiss watchmaking. The journey has been rich and varied, but perhaps the most exciting part of the story is in its recent reinvention. Instead of trying to compete with industrial-scale watchmakers, Louis Erard embraced its identity of being a small and independent maison. This freedom allowed them to create without constraints and to shape a present and a future of accessible, independent watchmaking, while staying true to the roots.

“The regulator movement is truly our DNA, our manifesto. It’s unconventional, asymmetric, and a bit rebellious; just the kind of canvas that sparks creativity for us and our collectors. By focusing on the regulator, we have claimed a unique territory in the watch world. Each designer we collaborate with can completely rethink time itself, and that’s where genuine creativity begins,” say Manuel Emch, CEO Delegate Board Member at Louis Erard and owner at Le Büro.

Collabs
Collaborations have become the lifeblood of the Louis Erard brand. The luxury industry often feels predictable, especially to younger eyes and the more exigent wallets and minds belonging to the New Gen-s. Louis Erard always seeks fresh ideas and new energy. Whether it’s working with Alain Silberstein, Vianney

Halter, Konstantin Chaykin, or innovative contemporary artists, the partnerships inject cultural vibrancy into the brand and its products. “Creators don’t play it safe, and neither do we. For us, it’s not a marketing tactic. It’s a creative journey,” says Emch. The brand intentionally recruits strong personalities and gives them both a framework and a canvas. The guiding principles are coherence, proportion, respect for craftsmanship, and accessibility. “Within that frame, anything can happen. If a collaboration doesn’t challenge us, it’s not worth pursuing. The real magic is in the tension between different creative worlds,” confirms Emch. Louis Erard produces limited runs (typically 178 pieces or fewer) and prices them accessibly. This proves that independent watchmaking doesn’t have to hide behind artificial elitism. It’s a different business model, if compared to large maisons. “We take on the development risk, so collectors don’t have to. It’s not the easiest business model, but it’s the most honest and rewarding for us and our customers,” stresses Emch. The secret sauce lies in creating social currency for collectors, maestros and, lastly, for the brand itself. It’s that cool factor and innovative drive that are the only drivers of what Louis Erard does.

Culture and digital
Humor is a vital part of the creative language of the brand. Watchmaking can sometimes take itself too seriously. Louis Erard doesn’t. A watch can be poetic, absurd, and mythical. Time is already heavy enough. Brands need to bring lightness and oxygen into fans’ lives. It’s their lives that contemporary brands need to serve at best. This is the mantra of Indies. This is the secret of Louis Erard. “Integrating the internet culture into mechanical watchmaking is not risky; it’s a reflection of reality, a must. The world has changed, and much of the conversation happens online. If Swiss watchmaking wants to stay relevant, it must learn to speak today’s language. We are not afraid of making mistakes. Our greatest fear is becoming boring or obsolete. The industry must go where its new fans are and communicate in their language and code. Collectors recognize that we don’t play by the old rules. We are serious about our craft and heritage, but we are fearless when it comes to creativity. Our position as an independent, accessible, and culturally attuned brand is intentional. Some call us the ‘gateway to indie horology,’ which is fine by us. Our unique voice keeps fans coming back,” concludes Emch.

The future: innovation and AI

Louis Erard is building a new category: creative, high-quality, yet accessible independent watchmaking. The brand wants to open the door for the next generation of collectors, while maintaining seasoned enthusiasts engaged. They are both a gateway and a destination in the world of indie watches. “The future is about pushing our regulators even further, pursuing more surprising collaborations, and exploring new complications, materials, and cultural crossovers. We are carving out a space where creativity leads, over hierarchy. Five years from now, Louis Erard will still be small and independent, but with an even louder, more distinctive voice in the industry,” closes Emch.

The brand is playing with new materials, new calibers and thinner cases, and AI, obviously. New digital channels are coming, and wholesale partners and the brand’s own web shop will become platforms for fans to discover, buy, learn and exchange information. It’s key to talk to them with an increasingly personalized content, context and tone of voice; and this is exactly what AI does best for any luxury brand, who wants to inspire and delight fans, while simplifying their lives. AI is simply an ally, in the brand’s quest for best quality of products and services.

The Indies’ way
The future of watchmaking can be one of growth and inclusion, if the Swiss are able to rewrite the rules of
engagement. Louis Erard is on the move. 2026 looks like a growth year for the brand, who is partnering
with wholesale sellers that are as passionate as the brand about the Indie culture and way of operating.
Indies are discovering their renaissance, in a world that needs a more casual, fast, human and tech savvy
approach to luxury accessories. The future of Swiss watchmaking belongs to the Indies. Louis Erard is showing the way, taking on all the risk that’s needed for an entire category to remain relevant in a fast- changing world, with shifting consumer desires and needs. Long live the Indies.