Best City for souvenirs/shopping

Grocery stores.

With Jewelry, make sure that you keep it in your personal item bag.

I am not familiar about Swiss travel so I don't know if any expensive jewelry can be claimed for a VAT refund. Hopefully someone with experience will pop on.

Oops sorry, your original post inquires about an inexpensive watch.

please check the restrictions about bringing back food products.

I think if the cheese is wrapped in the cryovac, it should be okay. Don't know 100%.

I think the Swiss army knife needs to be in your checked bag. I don't think they would allow it in a carry-on.

if you buy one just make sure that you wrap a carefully inside your clothes in your checked. You never know curious fingers.

I have had a few Swiss Army knives confiscated by TSA. :( Needs to go in checked bag

If you want to get a lot of chocolate (and who wouldn't), grocery stores are best, as JS said. Maybe cheese too, although I wouldn't want to carry that around for a few days. You can conveniently buy most of this stuff at the airport, including the cheap watch. The price of knives seems to be pretty much the same wherever I looked. We always check a bag on the return flight so anything like a knife goes in that bag, or if you buy it after security, remember to transfer it to your checked bag after landing and before going through any security check in the US.

It cost me a good chunk of change once to mail my souvenir Swiss Army knife back to myself. The very nice security guard walked me over to a handy little station with mailing envelopes and postage and waited while I dropped it in the handy slot. I guess they'd done it a time or two. Most airports are unlikely to be so well equipped for tourists.

Were in CH last month.
Otto's in Interlaken had excellent prices.
Coop, Migros and Aldi stores through out the country for good chocolate prices.
Swiss army knife prices are pretty much identical from store to store.

hey hey cheryl
another souvenir are cowbells. "le retour des alpages" return of the cows and sheep from the alpine hills to the valley, grazing down before winter sets in.
the town celebrates with a parade and festival for the animals with bells and flowers on, local products and crafts, music and food. everyone having a great time.
my mom grew up on a ranch in hawaii and thought what a great gift for memories. i'm sure you can find them in gifts shops around town. we will be in geneva and anncey mid september but miss the festival/parade. happy travels
aloha

We used the rest of our Swiss francs to buy chocolates at the Coop store at the Zürich airport before flying home!

Laurie

Walk from Interlaken Ost station away from the town center. You'll come to Landi's. It's a general merchandise store where locals shop. You'll find a variety of bells, cow bells, sheep bells, goat bells. They are the kind farmers buy for their herds, not the fancy tourist things. Also skis, blue jeans, cordless drills, wine. Everything a Swiss farmer would need.

Remember, whatever you buy has to be hauled around for the rest of your trip. That's why we buy heavy stuff ONLY at the last city and put it in the bottom of a to-be-checked roller bag for the trip home.

I like princess pupule's and Sam's suggestions about a cow bell or whatever bell you may fancy.

The touristy / gift shop ones may have little designs or hand paintings on them, but sometimes, an original looking brass one can be just as pretty - simple, understated, natural.

What I like about souvenirs such as those, is they can be a conversation piece when family or friends come to visit.

They can be a fun festivity at holiday gatherings - ring a call bell to gather at the dinner table, lol.

They can add an unusual dimension sitting on top or aside a few books in your bookshelf.

Or, you could simply use it as a decorative, cute paperweight on your home office desk.

I looked up the Landis (Landes) name, some pretty interesting history about Hans and Jacob to name a couple.