A boutique belonging to Swiss watchmaker Breitling was vandalised in Marseille during the riots shaking France. Its chief executive, Georges Kern, confirmed this in an interview with the Tamedia group published on Saturday 24 October 2026. The cost of the damage cannot yet be estimated, and the CEO fears a drop in Christmas sales.
Breitling in Marseille: what Georges Kern says
The head of Breitling has not yet been able to assess the extent of the damage. The police first had to collect evidence, and the company had not yet been allowed to enter the boutique.
The watchmaker says it can absorb the blow. "We are insured and we have the necessary means. For small shopkeepers, it is a disaster," said Georges Kern.
No one was injured. "Fortunately, the riots took place at night: there were no staff in the boutique," the chief executive added.
Tighter security and boutiques closed in case of threat
Breitling has stepped up security at its points of sale in France. If new riots threaten, the boutiques will stay closed.
Staff remain free to come to work or not. According to Georges Kern, there is nevertheless "a strong will to work and to stand up against this trend".
The CEO, who has German and French roots, says he is shocked and saddened. Personally, he sees the riots as an explosive mix of social problems: a housing crisis, inflation and a lack of prospects for young people. He believes, however, that extremist groups and anarchists have hijacked the protests for their own ends.
A fear for Christmas, not yet a finding
Georges Kern fears a drop in sales during the Christmas period, which is decisive for the watch industry. This is a fear expressed by the CEO, not a published sales figure.
Signs of an economic impact are nevertheless piling up. In Paris, numerous hotel night cancellations have already been reported, according to the interview carried by Keystone-ATS. The head of Breitling says he hopes the situation will calm down quickly.
Financial markets had already reacted to the tensions. On 19 October 2026, the euro was down 0.28% against the dollar at midday, after a weekend of protests marred by violence, as 2clics noted in its coverage of the euro against the Swiss franc.
The French watch market: a weight to put into perspective
France is one of the major European outlets for the Swiss watch industry. According to Jean-Philippe Bertschy, an analyst at the bank Vontobel, France and Italy together form the sector's second-largest export destination.
The analyst had already sounded a warning before the Breitling CEO's remarks. In a note, he observed that "the ongoing unrest in France and Italy adds to the uncertainty surrounding local consumption and tourism" in these two markets.
The latest figures from the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH) show a spectacular jump in exports to France in September 2026. The FH itself, however, cautions against drawing hasty conclusions, as detailed in our article on September's watch exports.
| Indicator | Value | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Watch exports to France, September 2026 | +128.2% | "Atypical situation" according to the FH, which points to flows shifted from other countries |
| Watch exports to the European Union, September 2026 | +15.5% | Overall increase, to be read with caution according to the FH |
| Swiss watch exports, third quarter of 2026 | 6.7 billion francs (+4.7%) | Figure from the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS) |
Two readings coexist. The first sees these increases as a sign of a sector recovering since June. The second, put forward by the FH and Vontobel, points out that the French figure may reflect shifted flows rather than stronger local demand.
Moreover, these September exports predate the damage suffered by Breitling. They therefore say nothing about the effect of the riots on in-store sales.
A sector already under pressure
The unrest in France is hitting a Swiss watch industry with mixed results. Bertschy expects a divergence between the major houses and the market as a whole.
In Le Locle, the Zenith manufacture, owned by the LVMH group, has opened a consultation on a possible collective redundancy. According to internal sources, up to 200 jobs under threat at Zenith could be affected. The brand cites in particular the strong franc, US tariffs and geopolitical tensions.
What we do not know yet
- The amount of damage at the Breitling boutique in Marseille, which Georges Kern cannot yet put a figure on.
- The real impact of the riots on Breitling's Christmas sales in France: only a fear has been expressed.
- The number of Breitling boutiques in France and the duration of any closures.
- The situation of other Swiss watch brands present in France: the sources mention no other store affected.
- France's exact share of Swiss watch exports, which the sources do not break down separately from Italy.
Sources
- Swissinfo (Keystone-ATS): "Breitling CEO: Business devastated by unrest in France", 24 October 2026
