Anyone who wants to buy watches as an investment is naturally interested in which models are expected to increase in value. Logically, after all, the desire to be able to sell the watch one day for more money than you paid for it yourself is behind the investment. For people who are considering investing in watches for the first time, the watch market often seems confusing and correspondingly unpredictable. Then it makes sense in any case to deal in detail with the topics of value appreciation and value retention, as well as with the price trends of sought-after watch models, before making a purchase. In this article, we present major watch brands that have attracted attention in the past due to increasing values in their models, and go into detail about individual luxury watches that have maintained their value and past price developments.
Which watch brands are increasing in value?
People who want to purchase watches as an investment should definitely take a closer look at vintage watches, collectibles and wristwatches from the current range of these brands:
Rolex
The traditional Geneva-based manufacturer Rolex has fans all over the world and as a brand is virtually a symbol of impressive craftsmanship, unsurpassable precision and pure luxury. One or the other Rolex model can be found in almost every major watch collection and the exquisite watches amaze hobby collectors, investors and dealers alike. Rolex is certainly one of the absolute leaders among watch brands and today looks back on a company history of about 100 years, which is unparalleled, especially in terms of success and popularity. It is therefore hardly surprising that Rolex is reliably brought into play when there is talk of a lucrative watch investment.
Price development of Rolex watches
Many vintage models, as well as newer watches from the Rolex brand, caught the eye in recent decades with immense price increases that made the savvy buyer a winner almost overnight. Whether Rolex Submariner, Explorer, GMT Master II or Rolex Daytona "Paul Newman": the range of Rolex watches is full of icons that every watch lover would love to wear on his wrist. Especially the popular models are available from the manufacturer only after a long waiting period, if at all. Because: the demand is much higher than the supply of watches that the manufacturer produces. Accordingly, financially strong fans turn to the secondary market and invest sometimes horrendous sums to be able to call a certain Rolex collector's item their own. In combination with the renowned brand name and the incomparable quality, the high demand ensures an outstanding value stability of the Rolex models. Consequently, buying a Rolex watch as an investment presents itself as quite an attractive investment option.
Rolex watches without loss of value
There is far more than one example of Rolex watches that have appreciated in value and for which the risk of depreciation in the near future can be considered very low. All of the great classic Rolex watches can be resold in good condition well above list price, and in many cases their value tends to continue to increase. Among others, the stainless steel models of the Rolex Submariner and the exquisite Rolex Daytona Vintage watches are considered to be particularly stable in value. A 2020 Submariner is listed at Rolex for €8,550 after all, but sells for €14,000 and more on the open market. The Explorer II, formerly listed at just under €8,000 and now only produced in a new edition, changes hands on the secondary market for an average of €12,000. This does not suggest that the luxurious models will lose their great popularity any time soon.
Patek Philippe
If you are looking for a watch as an investment, sooner or later you will probably notice Patek Philippe. In addition to wristwatches in many noble variations, the Swiss-based watch manufacturer also carries elegant pocket watches that clearly fall into the "luxury watch" category. It is a fact that Patek Philippe is one of the most successful watch brands around. But does that also mean that the sinfully expensive watches are good as an investment? With regard to many of the models, the answer is clearly yes.
Price development of Patek Philippe watches
To buy a watch from Patek Philippe, you need the necessary "small change", that's for sure. But you also need time and patience, at least if you want to buy a model directly from the manufacturer. You can wait several years for such a watch - if you have the chance to buy it at all. Because: Only pre-selected regular customers can enjoy some collections. This creates an exclusivity that drives up the considerable price. As is the case with many brands, one of the reasons for the significant increase in value of Patek Philippe is the scarcity of sought-after products. For example, prices for the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 rose from just under €30,000 list price to an interim €135,000 on the secondary market after the end of production of this model was announced. The Nautilus was thus able to multiply its value within a very short time and thus turned out to be an extremely satisfactory investment.
Patek Philippe watches without depreciation
Of course, not all models of Patek Philippe record such immense increases in value. Nevertheless, quite a few of the brand's watches can be expected to yield a hefty return. Investors have previously enjoyed increases in the price of certain Aquanaut, Calatrava, or Ellipse d'Or references, for example. Most investors would probably agree with the following: If one is willing and able to invest ample money in a watch as a value investment, and seek expert assistance in choosing a promising model, a Patek Philippe watch certainly qualifies as an appealing value investment option.
Audemars Piguet
Audemars Piguet is a name familiar to every true watch fan. We are dealing with a brand whose high reputation is sometimes a result of an impressive spirit of innovation. In the 1890s, for example, Audemars Piguet succeeded in creating the smallest movement with minute repeater at that time, and the first wristwatch with this complication was also launched by the Swiss manufacture. As an absolute high-end supplier, the watch manufacturer naturally has numerous watches in its assortment that are eligible for investment.
Price development of Audemars Piguet watches
Audemars Piguet is at the forefront of the brands that are making a name for themselves on the secondary market with price increases for their models. No wonder, after all, the manufacturer is known for high-quality timepieces whose designs in many cases master the balancing act between timeless classicism and modern highlights. Accordingly, the value of a watch from this brand often increases the moment the proud new owner purchases the watch from the manufacturer. However, this is first of all quite clearly a rather large investment, which also requires patience. Often, a purchase is only possible after months or even years of waiting. And the prices for coveted models start at €30,000 according to the manufacturer's list - limits open upwards. Accordingly, the risk of such a watch as an investment is quite objectively considered comparatively large. If it weren't for the price trend, which suggests a convincing chance of a rich return on Audemars Piguet timepieces. Depending on the model, it is possible to "earn" good money in the long run with an investment in such a high-priced luxury watch.
Audemars Piguet watches without loss of value
In the field of watches as an investment, the Royal Oak collection from Audemars Piguet is very interesting. The versatile series, which ranges from the gold automatic model to the delicate bicolor watch for ladies to the skeletonized masterpiece, combines a variety of attractive models, some of which feature sophisticated complications, such as minute repeater or perpetual calendar. Even some Grande Complication luxury watches with complications from three categories can be found here - naturally at a handsome price. But despite the initially huge investment, Audemars Piguet is an excellent place to start for a watch as an investment. The Royal Oak models in particular are incredibly popular and still in high demand on the secondary market. Since the manufacturer produces only 26,000 new watches per year, supply is significantly lower than demand, resulting in astronomically high secondary market prices correspondingly quickly. In a sense, an Audemars Piguet (vintage) watch is a rarity, and that alone makes it extremely interesting for investors as an investment.
A. Lange & Söhne
A. Lange & Söhne is the prime example of first-class watches "made in Germany. Based in Glashütte, Saxony, the manufacturer has been enriching the watch world since the middle of the 18th century with pocket watches and wristwatches that leave nothing to be desired on both a technical and an optical level. A. Lange & Söhne has long been one of the "big names" among luxury watch brands and is often mentioned in the same breath as Rolex, Patek Philippe, Tag Heuer, Vacheron Constantin and others. Therefore, it is only logical to look around for a watch as a value investment also at this renowned provider.
Price development of A. Lange & Söhne watches
The finest materials, the best quality, fascinating complications and designs that express pure elegance: Luxury watches from A. Lange & Söhne epitomize what one imagines a truly fine watch to be. With the purchase of such a watch, one acquires a piece of the history of German watchmaking, which can add an individual, sentimental value to the material value. The current product portfolio of the Glashütte-based manufacturer includes models from the Lange 1, Zeitwerk, Saxonia, 1815, Richard Lange and Odysseus collections - all elegant wristwatches priced beyond the €20,000 mark. A hefty sum, but one that corresponds to the value of the models. What's more, many timepieces from the house of A. Lange & Söhne could be resold on the secondary market at a very high profit. Nevertheless, when buying a watch from the manufacturer, it should be borne in mind that the demand for German watches internationally is comparatively somewhat lower than is the case, for example, with watches from Switzerland. While a Rolex, for example, is missing in almost no collection, not necessarily every collector of luxury watches is interested in timepieces from German manufacturers. This in no way means that such a watch is poorly suited as an investment, but merely that the platform for resale may need to be selected more carefully to suit the target group.
A. Lange & Söhne watches without loss of value
As with the previously featured brands, A. Lange & Söhne offers a wide range of watches for a lucrative investment. Popular, for example, are the timepieces from the iconic Lange 1 collection, which the manufacturer calls the "legend among Lange watches." The attempt to combine innovation and tradition in a perfect form has definitely succeeded for the German watchmaker with this series. Whether with moon phase, perpetual calendar or without additional complication: a model from the Lange 1 collection is excellent as an investment and in good condition is highly sought after on the secondary market. The increase in value that many A. Lange & Söhne watches enjoy can also be explained by the fact that the timepieces are very limited. Only about 5,500 new watches end up on sale each year, which falls far short of saturating demand.
Tag Heuer
Similar to Audemars Piguet, Tag Heuer also secured a place among the "brands for eternity" through groundbreaking innovations, among other things. In 1882, the company founded by Edouard Heuer was awarded the first patent for a stopwatch mechanism for watches, and in 2005 it created the first wristwatch chronograph with hundredth-of-a-second measurement accuracy - just two examples that are representative of the courage to innovate for which Tag Heuer is known. Today, the company has been part of the famous luxury goods group Moёt Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA for over 20 years and can call quite a few of its models excellent investments with a clear conscience.
Price development of Tag Heuer watches
As with luxury watches of all brands, the same naturally applies to Tag Heuer models: the price trend cannot be depicted across the board. After all, the value differs from model to model, which is why some watches tend to be more suitable as an investment than others. The Tag Heuer Autavia Viceroy watch has experienced an unprecedented increase in value. The watch, which sprang from a collaboration with cigarette manufacturer Viceroy, was met with massive enthusiasm in the watch world and always sold out in no time. While the first pieces were made according to plan from selected individual parts, later batches sometimes used different parts - for example, less high-quality bracelet links and other bezel inserts. This results in a particularly high value of the "early" Autavia Viceroy watches. These collectibles are still extremely sought after today and fetch their owners a more than satisfactory price when sold.
Tag Heuer watches without depreciation
If you want to invest in popular vintage models from Tag Heuer now, you have to turn to the secondary market and pay a correspondingly high price. Of course, this also involves a certain risk, because no one can predict whether the watches will continue to increase in value. Many watch lovers therefore opt for a newer Tag Heuer watch as an investment, for example a model from the Carrera collection. Some of the sporty luxury watches are available from €3,200, which makes the investment manageable. At the same time, they certainly offer attractive prospects in terms of value appreciation, and it is unlikely that prices will fall.
Omega
Founded in 1848, Omega joins the list of traditional Swiss watch manufacturers. The name Omega is symbolic of "completion", as Omega is the last letter of the Greek alphabet. A metaphor for the consummate quality and precision that characterizes an Omega watch. Formerly founded by Louis Brandt, the company is now part of the Swatch Group, but has remained true to its roots and still produces timepieces that recall the company's history as a manufacturer of watches for special purposes.
Price development of Omega watches
Most connoisseurs of the watch industry should agree: Omega watches are tangible assets that are ideal as investments. The brand enjoys an excellent reputation and comes up with numerous models that amaze watch fans. The Omega range is full of watches that have more than earned the designation of an icon. Just think of the Seamaster as the epitome of a highly functional diving watch, not to mention the Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch. The latter watch was on Buzz Aldrin's wrist when he set off on a walk on the moon in 1969. The Moonwatch is thus the best example of a watch that went down in history. With this in mind, it's no surprise that well-preserved Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch watches consistently sell for twice their list price - a promising value investment.
Omega watches without depreciation
Special editions of proven models from Omega have proven to be even more profitable in the past. The limited edition Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday, for example, multiplied its value in a very short time after its release. In addition, many other models from the Seamaster and Speedmaster collections offer a watch that is an attractive investment and, from a purely technical point of view, can clearly compete with popular timepieces from other major brands, such as Rolex.
IWC
The "International Watch Company" IWC looks back on a company history of almost 150 years and has been part of the Richemont Group since 2000, which also counts A. Lange & Söhne and Vacheron Constantin among its subsidiaries. The watch manufacturer is located in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, and produces watches in a fairly wide price range. From automatic diver's watches starting at €6,000 to luxury pilot's watches for over €40,000, the IWC range covers the entire upper price brackets. Accordingly, IWC is a good address for people with generous to very large budgets who want to buy a watch as an investment.
Price development of IWC watches
If you are looking for a watch that has stood out for its value stability over the past years and decades, you should definitely take a closer look at the IWC range. Models that focus on the essentials and do without additional complications are particularly suitable for people who do not want to invest tens of thousands of euros in a watch as an investment, but still do not want to make any compromises in terms of quality. Such an IWC watch may not promise a horrendous return within a very short time, but it is a solid value investment option.
IWC watches without depreciation
If you take a closer look at IWC's product portfolio, you can't help but notice the great variety of high-quality watches. One of the most popular collections is certainly the Pilot's Watches series. This includes classic pilot's watches, some of them equipped with a chronograph function and date display, which show a successful balance between elegance and sportiness in their design. While the Portofino collection consists of chic dress watches for men and women, the Aqua Timer product line is made up of functional diving watches. IWC thus presents customers with a nice range of timepieces for every taste and every (larger) budget.
Nomos Glashütte
Rolex, IWC, Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe and many other "big names" among watch brands have one thing in common: they have been around for many, many decades. Nomos Glashütte is a different story. The company was only founded in 1990 and is thus extremely young by direct comparison. It is therefore all the more astonishing that the manufacture is already playing among the "big boys" and has managed to win over the watch scene - including some prestigious awards - in just a few years. Reason enough to take a closer look at the Saxon watch company, also with regard to the topic of the watch as an investment.
Price development of Nomos Glashütte watches
One thing is certain: it is anything but easy for a newcomer to hold its own next to the tried-and-true, tradition-steeped watch giants. One of the reasons Nomos Glashütte has been able to master this challenge with seeming ease is the impeccable quality of the Saxon company's products. Nomos Glashütte predominantly manufactures watches without a lot of "bells and whistles" and supplements the selection with enormously limited special editions that are extremely interesting, especially for collectors. For example, the Tangente "Super 30" Limited Edition was limited to only 100 pieces per color. Accordingly, you have to be lucky to get hold of such a rarity for expensive money. But the classic watches from Nomos are still gaining in popularity and are in great demand. Even if losses in value - as always in the watch market - cannot be ruled out, the acquisition of a watch from Nomos Glashütte in many cases sets the course for a lucrative return on investment.
Nomos Glashütte watches without loss of value
The fresh company originally focused on four watch models: Tangente, Orion, Ludwig and Tetra. These classic Nomos Glashütte watches are still "up to date" today, but meanwhile there are several other model families, including Metro, Club, Lux and Lambda. All of the brand's watches are kept quite minimalist, presenting clean lines and simple elegance. They sometimes come in the more extravagant square design typical of the Tangente series, sometimes with a large Lambda dial and sometimes in a colorful Lux look, while the high quality always remains the same. Due to the rather short company history of Nomos Glashütte, there are no real vintage watches in the conventional sense to buy from this brand (yet). After all, even the oldest models are only around 30 years old. However, if you invest in a Nomos watch now, you can use it wonderfully as an investment and, in the long run, possibly sell it very profitably in the vintage segment.
Which watch has the highest increase in value?
If there were a particular watch that could be singled out as the one with the highest increase in value, watches as investments would be a somewhat less complex topic, at least on the surface. But it's not that simple, because it's not possible to point the finger at a chosen watch when asked which tangible assets increase in value the most. After all, the market is constantly evolving, new models that may be suitable as investments are released almost daily, and future developments in terms of demand and pricing on the secondary market are always uncertain to some degree. While the "big players" in the watch industry, such as Rolex, Vacheron Constantin, Audemars Piguet and others, are predominantly in the top ranks of the watches with the most stable value and most attractive for investment, surprising "newcomers" and models from lesser-known brands also appear from time to time. This is what makes timepieces so exciting as an investment, and at the same time makes it essential to take a close look at the market before buying.
Why should you invest in watches?
We are living in times when many people are longing for sensible ways to invest their money. Inflation is a major contributor to this, fueling financial uncertainties and the need to be prepared for "even worse times". Watches are a wonderful example of values in which investing is now becoming interesting even for people who previously had little to do with timepieces.
Thanks to the historically low interest rates, investing in a watch with stable value is by no means only an option for investors who can put the purchase price on the table in cash. Loans at favorable conditions, i.e. with low interest rates, appeal to investors with smaller budgets and enable them to make a lucrative investment without having to shoulder the large financial burden all at once. In this way, this valuable investment comes within reach for a much larger group of people.
In the past, watches have often proven to be a worthwhile investment. From the Rolex Daytona "Paul Newman" to legendary models such as the Nautilus or even the Moonwatch, timepieces have given investors terrific returns. This makes investing in watches tempting and motivates even newcomers who have not been in the watch scene for too long to acquire one or another promising investment option from this category.
Despite all the arguments that speak for the purchase of watches as an investment, the risk of the investments must also be pointed out at this point. There is no guarantee that the value of a watch will increase. Basically, losses in value are always possible. Like almost every investment, the watch investment is therefore not risk-free. This means that you should definitely consider the purchase carefully and not buy "blindly". If you are not very familiar with the market and do not have a good overview of it, it is a good idea to seek professional advice and tips from an expert. But even if you are well informed and analyze the market in detail, you can still be wrong. There is simply no absolute certainty regarding the development of watch prices on the secondary market.
Conclusion on the subject of watches without loss of value
Watches are undoubtedly interesting investment objects, some of which offer excellent opportunities for returns and a wide range of possible investments. They are considered tangible assets in which investing can be worthwhile not only for die-hard collectors, but actually for every considered investor. For a successful investment, it is essential to obtain information in advance, to observe the watch market closely and to assess how the values of certain models might develop in the future. The better you know the market and the more detailed your market analysis, the greater your chances of making a real "lucky strike" that will bring you rich returns.