Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. A Bitcoin-themed watch limited to 100 pieces has been added to Jacob & Co.'s Epic X Bridges collection through a partnership with Bitcoin mining company GoMining. GoMining recently announced Epic X GoMining, a 44 mm skeleton dial Bitcoin-themed Jacob & Co. piece that also offers owners Bitcoin mining power. The launch of the watch has been confirmed by Instagram posts from Jacob & Co. Epic X GoMining, w ...

Group 1: Bankruptcy Filings - Several high-profile bankruptcies have occurred in various industries, including airlines and retail, amid a challenging economic environment [1] - Texas-based candy distributor Candy Warehouse filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2025, while British watchmaker Fossil sought Chapter 15 protection due to unpaid American creditors [2] - The clothing brand Inca Boot Company also filed for Chapter 11 protection in September 2025 [2] Group 2: LIT Boutique Bankruptcy - LIT International Group Inc., operating as LIT Boutique, has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, opting for liquidation rather than restructuring [3] - The boutique, which once had multiple locations, has seen a decline, with only one store remaining open on Newbury Street in Boston [4] - The bankruptcy filing revealed assets of $28,000 against liabilities exceeding $2.5 million, primarily owed to the U.S. Small Business Administration [6][7] - LIT Boutique is facing a lawsuit from Ciao LLC for allegedly breaching a lease contract for its North End location [8]

People & Collaboration - Phipe Defor, a master watchmaker, has a new apprentice, Daniela, who is also his 24-year-old daughter [1] - Daniela expresses a deep relationship with her father and curiosity about his work [1] Watchmaking Process & Emotion - The process involves working on something very small, requiring a loop for visibility [1] - The watchmaker experiences a "sigh of relief" upon completion [2] - Seeing the watch's heart beating for the first time evokes a feeling of creating life [2]

Industry Perspective on Mechanical Watches - The mechanical watch industry acknowledges the inherent "pointlessness" of mechanical watches in the modern era, particularly since the advent of quartz technology [1] - The industry emphasizes that the value of mechanical watches lies in emotional art and artisanship, rather than functional timekeeping [1] Company Operations and Ownership - One company's watch movement contains 364 components, and the case contains 92 components [2] - Buser's company sold a 25% share to Chanel, indicating growth and external investment [2] Sales and Customer Perception - The company interviews clients before selling watches, which can cost $250,000, suggesting a focus on exclusivity and customer relationships [2] - The company expresses annoyance at customers viewing watches primarily as investments, rather than appreciating them as art [2][3] - The company acknowledges that customers making money reselling watches is a "beautiful gift," but it should not be the primary motivation for purchase [3]

Industry Transformation & Strategy - Swiss watchmaking faced a crisis due to the rise of cheaper, more accurate quartz watches from Japan [1] - The Swiss watch industry responded by launching Swatch and focusing on the high-end mechanical watch market [1] - The industry adopted high pricing and limited supply as a business model [1] Market Share & Value - Swiss watches account for less than 2% of global units sold [2] - Swiss watches represent more than 50% of the market's overall value [2] Pricing & Value - A Richard Mille mechanical watch was priced at $2 million [2] - The watch is 1.75% mm thick [2]

Company Overview - Ja Lutra was founded in 1833 when Antoine Lutra turned his family barn into a watchmaking studio [1] - The company's watchmaking process is segmented, with each employee specializing in one of 180 crafts [1] Product & Craftsmanship - The company is known for the Reverso model, originally designed for polo players [2] - The Reverso watch features a flip face to protect it during competition [2] - The company employs artisans who reproduce masterpiece paintings on the back of watches [2] - The company pioneers complications in watchmaking, such as the minute repeater and perpetual calendar [3] - The perpetual calendar complication accounts for leap years and is precise until the year 2000 [3] - The company's timepieces are entirely mechanical, with no electronic components [4] - Some timepieces can be worth 1500000 dollars and take over a year to assemble [4]

Industry Overview - Valley Deju is a global manufacturing hub for watchmaking since the 17th century [1][2] - Swiss mechanical watches are now considered fine art pieces and appreciating assets [5] Key Players - Philippe Dufour is a revered watchmaker known for meticulously crafting watches [2][4] - Dufour's watches are priced in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and are custom-ordered [4] Production & Craftsmanship - It took Dufour over two years to make his first watch [3] - It takes Dufour approximately one year (2,000 hours) to make a watch now [3] - Dufour launched the Simplicity model in 2000, which contains 153 individual components [5]

60 Minutes overtime. >> What we create has to be reliable for decades, hundreds of years. You buy a mechanical time piece, your great great great great great grandchildren will be able to enjoy it.There is a responsibility, but at the same time, as a creator, don't take yourself too seriously. Our story for 60 minutes this week is about handcrafted Swiss mechanical watches. Max Buser is like a mad scientist who has diverted his uh creativity to watch making.His watches look like pieces of art that just so h ...

Group 1: Tariff Policy Changes - President Trump announced significant tariff cuts on various food items, including beef, coffee, and tropical fruit, to combat rising grocery prices and ease inflation concerns [2][3] - The removal of tariffs has been met with mixed reactions, with companies like Starbucks and Hormel Foods potentially benefiting from lower input costs [3][4] - The market's immediate response to the tariff rollbacks was characterized by volatility, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping nearly 800 points (1.7%) on November 13, 2025, and continuing to decline the following day [4] Group 2: International Trade Agreements - The U.S. reached a significant trade deal with Switzerland, reducing tariffs on Swiss goods from 39% to 15%, with Swiss companies pledging to invest $200 billion in the U.S. by 2028 [5][6] - Uzbekistan committed to purchasing and investing $35 billion over the next three years, potentially exceeding $100 billion in the next decade, across various U.S. sectors [6][7] - These trade agreements are aimed at increasing economic engagement and countering the influences of Russia and China [7] Group 3: Market Reactions and Economic Impact - Analysts have noted that Trump's tariffs were labeled as the largest U.S. tax increase as a percentage of GDP since 1993, projecting a 0.6% reduction in U.S. GDP [9][10] - The market experienced significant turmoil in early 2025, with the Dow suffering losses exceeding 1,500 points following the announcement of new tariffs [10][11] - The "on-again, off-again" approach to trade policy has left analysts scrambling, with some suggesting that a cessation of certain tariffs could materially upgrade growth forecasts for the second half of 2025 [11][12]

Trade Agreement Overview - The US has agreed to cut tariffs on Switzerland from 39% to 15% as part of a new trade pact, which aims to improve economic ties and support Swiss exporters [1][2] - The agreement includes a "non-binding memorandum of understanding" following bilateral talks and lobbying by Swiss firms [1][2] Tariff and Quota Details - The new deal aligns US tariffs on Switzerland with those on the European Union, providing Swiss exporters with competitive parity [3] - Switzerland will reciprocate by reducing tariffs on a range of US products, including industrial goods, fish, seafood, and non-sensitive agricultural products [3] - Specific quotas for US goods exported to Switzerland will be established, including 500 tonnes of beef, 1,000 tonnes of bison meat, and 1,500 tonnes of poultry [3] Implementation and Economic Impact - The implementation date for the new tariffs and quotas is yet to be finalized, with coordination between the US and Switzerland to ensure simultaneous customs duty reductions [4][5] - The deal is expected to encourage Swiss companies to invest approximately $200 billion in the US by the end of 2028 [6] Corporate Engagement - Leading Swiss executives met with the US President to finalize the deal, indicating strong corporate interest in the new trade relationship [6] - Rolex, a prominent Swiss luxury watchmaker, has engaged with the US administration, highlighting the personal interactions between corporate leaders and government officials [7][8]