Gen Z was growing obsessed with luxury watches. New tariffs on Switzerland could cool the expensive hobby

Gen Z has become one of the largest consumer bases for luxury Swiss-made watches. Now the Trump administration’s 39% tariff on Switzerland may change price-sensitive consumer behavior. But experts tell Fortune top watchmakers like Rolex and Patek Philippe may not see much of a demand shift as young luxury watch buyers crave the social currency that comes with the brands.

Gen Z’s fascination with luxury watches has been one of the more surprising consumer trends of the last few years. But a steep tariff hike on Switzerland could threaten its market: American youth.

Gen Z—alongside younger millennials—have embraced luxury timepieces as status symbols, posting them on TikTok and Instagram and helping reshape an industry long dominated by older collectors. A recent BCG survey found 54% of Gen Z respondents had increased their spending on luxury watches since 2021, and Sotheby’s estimated nearly a third of its watch sales in 2023 went to buyers 30 and under.

But a new 39% U.S. tariff on Switzerland could make this hobby more expensive, and potentially less attainable for first-time buyers. The duty, imposed during President Donald Trump’s latest round of tariffs, hits the world’s most important market for Swiss watch exports. From January to June, the U.S. overtook Japan and China as the top destination, with $3.17 billion ( 2.56 billion Swiss Francs) worth shipped, according to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry.

“Companies cannot realistically absorb the tariff, which means retail prices in the U.S. will rise sharply,” Marcus Altenburg, managing partner at Swiss law firm Goldblum & Partners, told Fortune.

For American buyers, especially younger ones, the math is straightforward: prices are going up, Anish Bhatt, a millennial “watchfluencer” with 1.6 million followers on Instagram told Fortune. While the 39% levy applies to an importer’s cost, not full retail, industry analysts predict a 12%-14% increase in store prices if brands pass on the cost to consumers.

“For many American collectors, the 39% tariff instantly turned new releases from Swiss brands into a luxury few can justify,” Joshua Ganjei, CEO of European Watch Company in Boston, told Fortune. “The pre‑owned market is now the best option for value and immediate availability—no import headaches and no sticker shock.”

That shift to secondhand is already underway, since availability in the primary market is so limited, Bhatt said.

Still, a 2024 report by Watchfinder & Co. found 41% of Gen Z aged 16 to 26 came into possession of a luxury watch the previous year—and individuals in this age bracket who are ready to buy a luxury timepiece said $10,870 would be the starting point for their next purchase. The same report found that Gen Z watch enthusiasts acquired an average of 2.4 first-hand watches and 1.43 pre-owned in 2023, with over half buying for themselves.