Price Retaining Watch Brands Over the Last 10 Years

Luxury watches are not just about tell‑time or style. In many cases, they act as alternative investments. Some brands have done very well in keeping or even increasing their value over the past decade. Below I’ll break down which brands have held up best, what factors drive value retention, and what the recent trends suggest.

What Drives Value Retention in Watches

Before we look at individual brands, here are key factors that influence whether a luxury watch retains or gains value:

• Scarcity & Discontinuation: When a model is discontinued, or limited in production, demand often outstrips supply.
  
  

• Brand prestige & demand: Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet are examples where brand power allows high resale prices.
  
  

• Popular models (especially sports models, steel cases, iconic dial colors) and less popular ones diverge a lot.
  
  

• Condition + “box and papers” (i.e. original box, warranty card) matter — they significantly boost resale value.
  
  

• Macro‑economic factors: gold price, currency fluctuations, inflation, global demand, etc.
  
  

Rolex: The King of Value Retention

Rolex is widely considered the benchmark for value retention among watches. Over the past 10‑15 years, Rolex has shown some of the strongest appreciation in watch brands.

Key Stats:

• According to Bob’s Watches, average Rolex prices started around US$2,050 in 2010 and rose to about US$13,426 by mid‑2025. That’s roughly a 555% increase over 15 years.
  
  

• The GMT‑Master II model led with ~506% appreciation over the same period.
  
  

• More recently, from around 2020 to 2025, the Chrono24 Rolex Index (a data set tracking resale / market price performance) shows Rolex watches appreciated by ~28%.

• However, there has been some correction after peaks in 2022. Certain Rolex models like the GMT‑Master II and Daytona saw falls in their resale prices year‑on‑year (e.g., ‑24.1% for GMT‑Master II) even though they still retain value above retail in many cases.
  
  

What Helps Rolex Retain Value:

• Very strong global demand
  
  

• Steel sports models are highly desired (Submariner, GMT, Daytona)
  
  

• Controlled supply and regular price increases from the company itself (e.g. Rolex raising gold‑model prices when gold prices rise)
  
  

Audemars Piguet (AP): High Growth, Especially for Iconic Models

AP is another brand that in many cases outperforms expectations, especially for certain model lines.

Key Stats:

• Many Royal Oak steel / limited or discontinued models from AP sell for significantly above retail. Some models have resale premiums of 30‑100% above retail depending on model, material, and rarity.
  
  

• For example, the Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra‑Thin (Ref. 15202ST), discontinued in 2022, often sells for 2‑3× its original retail price in 2025.
  
  

• On average, in‑production AP watches (across many models) still trade slightly above retail on the secondary market — about +2.3% on average value retention over retail for many AP models.
  
  

What Helps AP Retain (and Grow) Value:

• The design and prestige of Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore lines
  
  

• Strong interest in discontinued or harder‑to‑get models (rarity)
  
  

• Limited production helps scarcity
  
  

• Collector demand for special references, ceramic, skeletonized, etc.
  
  

Omega: Solid but More Mixed Performance

Omega is a famous luxury brand, known for quality, heritage, and association with sports (diving, space, etc.). But its value retention tends to be more mixed than Rolex or AP.

Key Stats & Trends:

• Omega watches have in recent years seen strong collector interest, especially for special editions (e.g. Planet Ocean, Speedmaster). However, overall secondary market value retention has been weaker than for Rolex and AP.
  
  

• From the WatchCharts / Morgan Stanley data, as of April 2025, Omega (for in‑production models / “like‑for‑like” models) showed a decline in value retention over time compared with Rolex, Patek, AP. For example, Omega dropped ~31.6% in value retention compared with an earlier period.
  
  

Why the Mixed Performance?

• Many Omega models are produced in larger quantities, which reduces scarcity
  
  

• Collector premium & hype is often lower than for the "holy trinity" brands in many markets
  
  

• While certain editions or historically interesting models do very well, many standard models depreciate or only modestly appreciate
  
  

Other Brands & Emerging Trends

While Rolex, AP, and Omega are among the more reliable, other luxury watchmakers also display interesting behavior.

• Patek Philippe is often considered even more exclusive, with fewer units produced. Some Patek models (especially Nautilus, Aquanaut) have had very strong appreciation. From recent data, over a 5‑year period Patek saw ~207% ROI, beating Rolex in certain analyses.
  
  

• Brands like Vacheron Constantin, A. Lange & Söhne also are valued by connoisseurs and can retain value well, but their market is smaller and more niche.
  
  

• Also, global economic changes (inflation, precious metals price, supply chain constraints) have impacted pricing. For example, Rolex increased the price of gold models by up to ~8% in 2025 due to rising gold prices.
  
  

Summary & What This Means If You’re a Buyer or Collector

After looking at the data:

• Rolex remains the brand most likely to retain or increase value, especially for the right model (steel sports, discontinued references, rare dials).
  
  

• Audemars Piguet also performs very well, particularly its Royal Oak models and limited or discontinued pieces.
  
  

• Omega is good, especially for special editions, but more variable in performance.
  
  

If you are buying a luxury watch and care about retaining value:

1. Choose steel sports lines or limited/discontinued pieces over dress‑pieces with less demand.
   
   

2. Keep the watch in excellent condition, and preserve the box/papers.
   
   

3. Be aware of price peaks and corrections (e.g., many brands peaked around 2022, followed by some decline). Timing matters.
   
   

4. Understand that long‑term (5‑10 years) tends to smooth out volatility. Short‑term (1‑2 years) can be riskier.