Secondhand luxury watches - statistics & facts

Regional outlook for the secondhand luxury watches market

With its immense potential for the overall luxury goods consumption, Asia accounts for the largest market revenue for secondhand luxury watches. Its closest runner-up Europe was estimated to account for one-third that of Asia, but still ahead of the North American market. Europe’s weight in the global secondhand luxury watch market is a testament to its long history of craftmanship. Rolex, Omega, Philippe Patek, Cartier have all come out of European expertise and taste in luxury watches.

How valuable are luxury watches?

Luxury timepieces are among collectors’ favorite items. As quick, short-term win purposes, luxury watches are not what they used to be for the secondhand market. Yet as long-term investment pieces, on average, and on a 10-year scale, luxury watches are reported to yield attractive returns, not only preserving their original retail price but also adding up more in value. The most lucrative returns for luxury watches come from classic vintage models though, like special edition Rolex. Some references, as the special edition Daytona Paul Newman, are auction houses’ most prized articles. Data show that these luxury timepieces appreciate more than five times in price over the period of a decade.

The future of secondhand luxury watches

With the boom of the pandemic area left behind, the market revenue for secondhand luxury watches is projected to grow at a subdued rate over the next few years. As the decade draws to a close, the slowdown in luxury watches is expected to eventually cause luxury watches to fall behind luxury leather goods as the most valuable secondhand market segment.