n April 1970 the quartz wristwatch arrived in Switzerland. No fewer than 21 models were unveiled simultaneously, all powered by the Beta 21 movement from the Centre Electronique Horloger.

Initially, the revolution appeared to be purely technological, as the prices of these watches were comparable to luxury products. However, within a few short years, the cost of electronic modules plummeted, triggering a race to the bottom in which Japan and Hong Kong were the clear front-runners.

1970: Avant-garde technology, traditional message: Eberhard & Co. introduces its version of the pioneering Beta 21 quartz watch, highlighting its “phenomenal” precision to justify the above-average price. By 1975, this reasoning would no longer hold true.

The Swiss watch industry veered from the triumphs of 1974 – its most successful year – to the collapse of 1979, when exports dropped by 25% compared to the previous year. The impact of this commercial earthquake on specialised publications was less pronounced than that of the Great Depression in the early 1930s. Between 1974 and 1979, Europa Star saw a mere 15% reduction in the number of pages, a sign that the advertising market remained relatively robust. After all, watchmakers continued to launch a steady stream of new products, which needed to be presented to a public inevitably bewildered by the frenetic pace of change.

1972: “The most accurate watch is no longer a watch.” The first “solid state” timepiece, boasting a digital LED display and no moving mechanical parts, bore little resemblance to traditional watches, necessitating a detailed explanation of its features.

The electronic timepiece soon transitioned from analogue to LED, then LCD displays, before returning to traditional hands. In Switzerland, the traditional mechanical watch industry also underwent a transformation. Outperformed by quartz in terms of precision, the inexpensive “Roskopf” product was gradually discontinued, despite having once accounted for up to 50% of exports. The Swiss industry intensified its focus on high-end offerings, a trend that would prove irreversible in the years and decades to come.

1974: Switzerland’s leading mechanical movement manufacturer counters the rapid rise of quartz with a campaign declaring 1975 as “the year of the automatic watch” and inviting professionals to visit its booth at the Basel Fair.

1974: Two major innovations in one ad: LCD technology emerges as a viable alternative to LED displays and Hong Kong begins mass-producing digital quartz watches, setting the stage for the British colony’s eventual global dominance in terms of units produced.

1975: American watch brand Timex, the market leader, enters the digital quartz sector with SSQ (Solid State Quartz). Its advertising now takes the public’s familiarity with electronic watches for granted, dwelling instead on the unique pedestal box.

1977: Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak, launched five years prior, symbolises the Swiss industry’s rejuvenation by combining luxury with sporty styling, foreshadowing what would be a wholesale shift towards medium-high and high-end production.

1977: Ultra-thin timepieces have long been a Swiss speciality. Newcomer Jean Lassale takes this to the extreme with a record-breaking design in mechanical calibres that will remain unmatched for decades. However, the massive advertising campaign fails to achieve the desired outcome, and the company goes bankrupt after just six years.

1979: Fashion brands expand into watchmaking. Following in the footsteps of Roberta di Camerino, Gucci and Dior, Hermès enters the scene with the Arceau. The increasingly compact quartz movements make it possible to produce a ladies’ version.