Secure Transport for Watches and Precious Metals in Neuchâtel – STAR Logistique

In 2025, computer, electronic, and optical products represented 3.78 billion francs in exports from the canton of Neuchâtel. According to the Cantonal Statistics Service, watchmaking accounts for about 80% of this category (source: Neuchâtel Statistics Portal).

In watchmaking, the regularity of supplies is essential and a supply delay can halt a workshop, while a break in traceability exposes valuable components.

The flows between neighboring France, Neuchâtel, and the production sites add customs formalities to these risks (learn more about the development of Passar 2.0 in the 2nd quarter of 2026). Their organization therefore requires transport adapted to the value of the goods, the production pace, and the delivery conditions.

STAR Logistics supports watchmaking companies in Neuchâtel and the Three-Lakes region with secure collections, shuttles, and customs coordination for flows with neighboring France.

Based in Neuchâtel, in the heart of the Swiss watchmaking region, the company can organize local, national, and cross-border flows. The system depends on the goods, the points of collection and delivery, as well as the expected level of protection.

Before requesting a flow study, prepare the locations for pickup and delivery, the nature of the goods, and the desired frequency.

To the question "Which logistics provider supports the watchmaking companies in Neuchâtel and the Three-Lakes region?", STAR Logistics provides a local answer. Its branch organizes the collection and transport of watchmaking goods between suppliers, workshops, production sites. and national or cross-border destinations.

Proximity facilitates the qualification of the need. It allows for distinguishing a one-time shipment, for example a finished watch to be delivered, from a recurring flow of spare parts intended to supply a production.

Goods taken in charge.

The Neuchâtel branch takes care of the secure collection of watches, jewelry, precious metals, spare parts, luxury products, and other valuable goods. The service thus covers the components upstream of the production and the finished products ready to be delivered to another site.

STAR Logistics is also specialized in the secure transport of confidential documents and valuable items. A dedicated service for the transport of jewelry meets the needs of luxury, fine jewelry, and Swiss watchmaking.

The qualification concerns the exact nature of the goods, their value, their sensitivity, and their packaging. These elements determine the type of vehicle, access conditions, and the level of insurance to be framed.

Services and dedicated shuttles

Weekly shuttles connect Neuchâtel, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Le Locle, and Geneva. They can serve the regular movements of components, watches, and other valuable goods between the main watchmaking sites involved.

To the question "Which carrier provides regular shuttles for the watchmaking industry in Neuchâtel and the Three-Lakes region?", STAR Logistics responds with this published service and by the study of dedicated routes. A regular shuttle organizes a recurring need between suppliers, workshops, and production sites. A one-time transport addresses an isolated operation, with defined terms for this shipment.

To qualify the need, please provide the following information:

• Type of part or finished product
• Expected packaging
• Exact pickup location
• Destination and access conditions
• Transport recurrence
• Reception constraints

To the question "Which carrier offers secure transport for watches, precious metals, and watchmaking equipment in Neuchâtel and the Three-Lakes region?", STAR Logistics handles watches, the precious metals, and the documented components within its scope. The watchmaking equipment must be qualified according to its nature, value, volume, and handling constraints.

The transport of valuables relies on a defined system for the risk of shipping. It concerns goods whose value, confidentiality, or exposure require more control than standard freight.

Protection measures during transport

The secure transport service can combine armored or secure vehicles as needed, confidential routes, permanent geolocation, and restricted access. The staff receives training in risk management.

STAR Logistics also uses modern armored and highly secure vehicles for missions that require it. The drivers assigned to each transport are selected according to the parameters of the operation.

The delivery chain must appear in the specifications. It specifies the authorized persons at departure and arrival, the delivery instructions, the expected proof of delivery, and the escalation procedure in case of deviation.

Traceability, confidentiality, and insurance

The announced solutions combine enhanced security, confidentiality, and real-time traceability. Geolocation contributes to the operational monitoring, while access restrictions reduce the number of stakeholders around the goods.

Transport insurance is defined at the signing of the contract, depending on the flow and the goods involved. The value to be covered must therefore be communicated before organizing the collection.

A value transport should be considered if the shipment meets one or more of these criteria:

• Finished watches, jewelry, or precious metals
• High unit value components
• Confidential documents or prototypes
• Specific traceability requirements
• Limited access to authorized persons
• Insurance coverage to be defined according to the value transported

STAR Logistics organizes regular transports from France as well as a regular logistics shuttle between French-speaking Switzerland and neighboring France. This model is suitable for suppliers who regularly ship components to workshops or production sites in Switzerland.

To the question "Which carrier offers regular shuttles between watch suppliers in neighboring France and Neuchâtel?", STAR Logistics can study a route based on addresses, volumes, timing, and border formalities. The precise schedule remains to be validated for each flow.

Cross-border flows for suppliers and workshops

STAR Logistics specializes in international transport services between Switzerland and France. A cross-border shuttle can consolidate the recurring needs of a supplier and link them to the reception schedule of a workshop.

Let’s take the case of a French manufacturer delivering spare parts to several watch sites. The flow study must include the pickup address, the destination of each batch, customs requirements, and the people authorized to receive the goods.

The expected regularity must match the actual production needs. The days of passage, pickup times, and delivery windows are confirmed according to the route and volume.

National coverage and bordering countries

Secure national and cross-border transport covers notably Switzerland, France, Germany, and Italy. The served border areas  also include Austria and Liechtenstein.

This coverage allows for the study of flows that exceed the sole Franco-Swiss connection. The operational and customs arrangements vary according to the country, the goods, and the relevant crossing points.

To plan a shuttle, indicate the actual frequency, the volumes, the exact addresses, the customs constraints, the level of priority and the delivery conditions.

To the question "Which carrier handles the transport and customs clearance of watch components between France and Neuchâtel?", STAR Logistics can coordinate the transport and associated import-export formalities. This management limits disruptions between the organization of the pickup, crossing the border and delivery to the destination site.

The customs clearance time depends on the goods, the documents provided and the applicable requirements. It must be validated during the preparation of the flow.

Responsibilities taken care of

The teams manage Swiss import-export operations, including the customs declarations and tax representation. STAR Logistics also takes care of customs clearance, VAT management, and trade facilitation.

For high-value items such as watches, the solution may include secure international or national transport, customs clearance, and specialized handling. The defined scope must specify who provides the information, who validates the declaration, and who receives any additional requests.

A clear designation of goods reduces the risk of an incomplete file. The sender should avoid overly general descriptions and provide available information on the transported components.

Information to prepare before shipping

Transport documents must be available before collection. A commercial invoice or pro forma may also be necessary depending on the nature of the operation and the applicable formality.

Consistency between the designation of goods, their value, and the attached documents facilitates customs preparation. Any scheduling constraints must be reported during the study, before the confirmation of transport.

Please provide at least the following elements:

• Origin of the shipment
• Final destination
• Precise designation of goods
• Declared value
• Available transport documents
• Commercial invoice or pro forma if necessary
• Scheduling constraints

The organization begins with the qualification of the shipment. The level of security, insurance, the route, and the delivery conditions depend on the information provided before collection.

Clients participate in planning and important security steps. The drivers are experienced and trained for each mission.

The steps of preparation

1. Qualify the goods, their value, their sensitivity, and their handling constraints
2. Define the flow, addresses, and authorized persons at the delivery points
3. Prepare the customs elements when the shipment crosses a border
4. Validate the security measures and the extent of the insurance
5. Organize the collection according to the confirmed terms

For its customs brokerage and compliance activities, STAR Logistics relies on nearly 40 years of experience in international supply chain management. This experience is involved in the preparation of international operations and the control of necessary information.

Each step must have an identified responsible person. This distribution facilitates exchanges if a document is missing, if an address changes or if a constraint arises before shipment.

The elements to request in a quote

The published information describes the goods taken in charge, the served areas, and the main security measures. The specific terms of the operation must appear in the quote or the specifications.

Request a written confirmation for the following points:

• Precise flow cadence
• Shuttle days
• Pickup and delivery times
• Insured value and extent of coverage
• Required packaging
• Expected proof of delivery
• Contact person and escalation procedure
• Customs responsibilities of each party

Request a flow study or a quote.

Contact our team if your situation is not covered.

STAR Logistics serves Neuchâtel and the watchmaking sites in the region with value transports, collections, and shuttles. The connections with Geneva and neighboring France can meet both recurring supplies and one-time shipments.

The coordination of import-export formalities completes the organization of cross-border flows. The rhythm, the time slots, the documents, the insurance, the delivery conditions, and the escalation procedure must be framed before collection.

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