SWISS watchmaker Swatch clocked up a “positive trading year in 2011”, according to its annual report, published this week.

Swatch Group Ireland has posted double-digit growth against a decline in the overall market of 5 per cent, it states, without giving any specific financial details.

“This positive trend was experienced across all brand categories with considerable gains in market share across luxury, prestige and mid-market categories,” the report adds.

Its presence here was strengthened by the opening in March last year of a Swatch store in Terminal 1 of Dublin airport. This increased “considerably” Swatch’s travel retail sales here, the company said.

Omega has also boosted its presence here, launching the first of a programme of “planned shop-in-shop developments” on Grafton Street in Dublin.

The launch of Certina in October “reaffirmed the strength of the group in the mid-market”, while Certina and Tissot joined Swatch and ckwatch jewelry in the “creation of a multi-brand concession” with Arnotts.

Recession or not, these results indicate that Swatch isn’t just marking time here.