Tariffs Test Swiss Watchmakers' U.S. Playbook

Plus: US Open Becomes A Watch Sponsorship Showcase

September 10, 2025

ClickZ Watches

Here's what's happening this week in the world of watch marketing:
- Tariff pressure triggers supply chain recalculations.
- Hublot signs Mahomes to court U.S. sports fans.
- Casio Casiotron Sky and Sea, a seductive 2025 reissue

Peak isn’t won with a last-minute conversion push. Fospha data proves that the strongest brands plan full-funnel, measure what platforms miss, forecast into channels with headroom, and track daily performance with confidence.

The Peak Playbook 2025 distills five lessons from Fospha data, including how Footasylum unlocked +32% blended revenue YoY last BFCM, so you can enter Peak ready to win.
Swipe through for the highlights.

📌WEEKLY MUST-KNOWS

At Geneva Watch Days, watchmakers confronted steep U.S. tariff risks as Shinola publicly urged Swiss brands to manufacture in Detroit to mitigate exposure. Any tariff escalation could force price moves, margin compression, and accelerated U.S. localization.

Hublot tapped NFL star Patrick Mahomes to expand reach and cultural relevance with U.S. sports audiences. Expect athlete-led storytelling and event-driven activations around the football calendar to lift brand salience. Performance marketers should watch for ROI frameworks that tie ambassador content to high-intent traffic and conversion.

Jacob & Co. introduced the Caviar Tourbillon, a gem-set timepiece inspired by a tin of caviar, featuring an exclusive Caliber JCAA43 and 424 invisibly set stones. The piece blurs the lines between high jewelry and horology, offering a fresh narrative for ultra-luxury collectors. Watch retailers and content teams can leverage the story-rich design for differentiated positioning.

⚡QUICK READS

US Open Becomes A Watch Sponsorship Showcase: Players sported six-figure pieces from Jacob & Co., Audemars Piguet, Rolex and more, underscoring sports visibility as a high-ROI stage for luxury conversions.(More)

The Best Watches Of August 2025: InsideHook’s roundup spans sub-$500 daily wear to six-figure pieces, reinforcing content-led merchandising that ladders to multiple AOV tiers before fall shows.(More)

Casio Casiotron Sky And Sea, A Seductive 2025 Reissue: A 50th-anniversary reissue with Bluetooth, solar, and radio sync shows nostalgia-plus-tech lifting collectability and secondary pricing for digital heritage pieces.(More)

ClickZ is a ClickZ Media publication in the DTC eCommerce division