Swiss Fakes: When Switzerland Was the World's Biggest Watch Counterfeiter
Oct 31, 2026
Switzerland destroys around 1,000,000 fake watches every year… but what if Swiss watchmaking itself was built on centuries of copying?
In this episode of Mr. Watchman, we dive into one of the most uncomfortable secrets in horology: before “Swiss Made” became the ultimate mark of quality, Swiss workshops were flooding the world with counterfeit English and American watches.
From fake London signatures and “Dutch forgeries” to smuggled pocket watches, mass production in the Jura, and the shocking research of Rebecca Struthers, this is the hidden story of how the world’s most trusted watch nation once made its fortune by faking the best.