Reuters news recently reported that Swiss-watchmaker Chopard is cutting 13 jobs at a manufacturing plant and 23 at headquarters (out of a total 1,800 staff).  36 people out of 1,800 is not severe – just 2% of the workforce.

But what caught my attention as a much more telling “sign of the times” was this statement by Chopard CEO Karl-Friedrich Schefele in an interview with Swiss newspaper L’Agefi:

“There is absolutely no visibility, one or two months at best.”

This just goes to show you that no matter how rosy or optimistic the major watch brands are spinning the state of their business, I think that there are some very worrisome signs within the industryright now.

What do you think?

Originally reported at:  http://www.forbes.com/feeds/afx/2009/03/09/afx6141909.html

With further commentary at: http://www.luxist.com/2009/03/12/chopard-to-cut-jobs-on-low-sales-forecasts/

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