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The true cost of a dream: between the window and the border
In the mind of an enthusiast, purchasing a watch never comes down to price. It’s a postcard. The boutique on the corner of Place Vendôme, the wooded living room of a house in Geneva, the post-purchase café where you discreetly unwrap the box. But one question always comes up: is it better to buy your watch in France or Switzerland?
Behind the romanticism, there are the figures, VAT, tax refunds, the exchange rate, and the pragmatism of availability. Here’s how to untangle the fantasy from the bill, without giving up pleasure.
Prices displayed: almost harmonized labels
The major brands now practice global harmonization of prices. Switzerland remains the natural referent, but French labels are designed to limit international arbitration.
- France: prices including tax with VAT at 20%.
- Switzerland: prices including tax with VAT at 8.1% (as of January 1, 2024).
For an identical model, the price excluding taxes is often comparable between the two countries. What changes are VAT, tax refund fees, and the CHF/EUR exchange rate.
A numerical example to help you get your bearings
Let’s imagine a watch priced at 10,000 CHF in Switzerland. Excluding Swiss VAT, its price is approximately CHF 9,251. A French resident can theoretically recover Swiss VAT via a tax refund operator, but they will have to declare the purchase upon entering France and pay French VAT (20%) on the value of the watch. Depending on the exchange rate and tax refund fees, the savings received quickly evaporate.
Conversely, a non-EU resident purchasing in France will be able to recover part of the VAT (tax refund), often around 12% to 13% of the price including tax after fees. For a French buyer, tax relief in France is not possible for use in France.
Tax refund, customs, legality: what you really need to know
- Entry into France from Switzerland: allowance of €430 (air/sea transport) or €300 (others). Beyond that, French VAT is due. Customs duties on Swiss watches are generally 0% with proof of origin, but residual duties may apply depending on the case.
- Swiss tax refund: accessible if you export the watch outside Switzerland; expect operator fees which reduce the actual reimbursement.
- French tax refund: for non-EU residents only, with validation when leaving the territory.
Simple legal conclusion: for a French resident, buying in Switzerland then returning without declaring is a bad idea. Declare, pay VAT, and sleep easy — your pleasure will be even greater.
Availability: the geography of desire
In Geneva, the epicenter beats to the rhythm of the windows of Rue du Rhône and historic houses. The offer is wide, but so is the competition between international buyers. For high-demand steel icons, the watchmaking capital does not guarantee priority access; sometimes, it complicates the allocation game.
In France, Paris is thriving (Vendôme, Saint-Honoré), but regional retailers can have some nice surprises in store. A local purchasing history, an ongoing relationship and regular exchanges with the advisor often weigh more than the passport address.
Boutique experience: added emotion
Switzerland offers extra soul. See the watch in Geneva, a stone’s throw from the factories, visit the Patek Philippe Museum, feel the cultural density of the Vallée de Joux… The purchase becomes a story. The warranty card stamped “Geneva” has a special scent in a collector’s notebook.
In France, the experience is available in the Parisian style – cozy salons, personalization, neighboring jewelry – or in a more intimate spirit at a historic provincial retailer. In both cases, the service has become more professional: private appointments, fittings on an alternative bracelet, and coordinated after-sales follow-up.
Warranty and service: global by principle, local by comfort
Most houses offer an international guarantee. You can have your watch serviced in France even if you bought it in Switzerland, and vice versa. In practice, for a return to after-sales service under warranty, returning to the original seller can speed up the processing (file, photos, history). Outside of warranty, the official network in France offers quality comparable to that of Geneva.
Second hand: two markets, the same global grid
The second-hand market is sophisticated on both sides of the border. In Geneva, the concentration of independents and wholesalers creates a fascinating depth of stock, but prices reflect the overall market, which is now transparent. In France, certified platforms, “Certified Pre-Owned” retailers and specialized merchants offer guarantees and revisions, with taxation often based on margin.
Importing a second-hand watch purchased in Switzerland to France again involves VAT and formalities. The price difference must therefore be substantial for the operation to be worth the effort.
Exchange rate: the detail that sometimes makes the difference
On a five-digit watch, a small movement in the CHF/EUR exchange rate can have a big impact. Monitor the price, avoid the dynamic conversion offered by some banks (prefer to pay in the local currency), and use a card with reduced fees. Brands adjust their prices periodically, but timing remains a discreet lever.
So, France or Switzerland? The nuanced verdict
- You are a French resident, you are buying new: France is often the simplest route, with no tax surprises, with a high-level boutique experience.
- You dream of Geneva and a purchase “from the cradle”: treat yourself to the Swiss experience, but play it fair at the border; the final difference will be mainly emotional.
- You are a non-EU resident: depending on the tax refund and the exchange rate, France can become very competitive.
- You are looking for a model in high demand: focus on customer relations, not the country. Your advisor in France can weigh more than a queue in Geneva.
- You are hunting for a specific second-hand piece: compare globally, include VAT and transport; choose the seller you trust.
In watchmaking, you buy a story as much as a mechanism. France offers clear comfort and a refined network; Switzerland, and Geneva in particular, add a cultural vibration not found elsewhere. The best place? The one where value meets emotion — provided the correct calculation has been made beforehand. Some will try the adventure of buying the watch in Switzerland and crossing the border without declaration… Be careful, French and Swiss customs are not the type to joke around.
