Swiss exports rose by a real 12 percent in June, helped by healthy demand from Asia and the Americas and defying a rally in the Swiss franc against the euro.

Exports from Switzerland rose to 17.2 billion francs ($16.37 billion), the Federal Customs Office said on Tuesday. Overall Switzerland ran a merchandise trade surplus of 1.77 billion francs in June.

The Swiss franc rallied more than 10 percent against the euro between early January and the end of June, as investors took refuge in the currency from worries about the euro zone.

But exports to the European Union, Switzerland's largest trading partner, grew 15 percent in June.

"Until now (the stronger franc) hasn't limited exports," said Alexander Koch, an economist at UniCredit, adding that surveys showed exports would suffer more if the franc rose past 1.35 per euro.

"At the moment, as for most countries, the revival in demand, particularly from Asia, is very important and that is the driving factor and not foreign exchange developments," he said.

The recovery was particularly marked in exports of metals, which surged 34 percent, and in watch exports, which rose 35 percent.

Exports of Swiss timepieces to Hong Kong, their biggest market in terms of value, were up 59 percent while the United States, the second most important destination, rose 31 percent.

Watch exports have surged since the beginning of the year after a slump last year due to the global economic downturn.

"The inventory overhang of very high end watches, which account for the bulk of exports, has been worked off and that is why you are seeing such strong growth," Kepler Capital Market's Jon Cox said. (Reuters)