Pre-owned Watch Price Rally Loses Momentum
The luxury pre‑owned watch market experienced a six‑month rally that peaked in April, with overall prices rising 3.2% over the past year and 4.9% in the last six months. However, the momentum cooled as April saw a 0.4% month‑on‑month decline, reducing the annualised increase to 2.1%, meaning investors would have been better off keeping money in the bank than buying second‑hand luxury watches during this period. Brand performance varied: Patek Philippe slipped 0.7% after a near 9% yearly gain, Cartier fell 5.8% following a 4% rise, and Rolex flattened after a 5.5% six‑month increase. Only TAG Heuer (+3.2%) and Omega (+2.8%) managed to rise in April, while other brands, including Breitling, continued to trade at significant discounts, reflecting broader market softness and unchanged structural drivers such as limited speculator activity and tariff pressures.
Buying Time Analysis: The story highlights the cooling of the pre‑owned luxury watch market after a year‑long price rally, signaling that investors can no longer rely on continued price gains and must reassess the value of these assets.
