DO WATCHES MAKE GOOD INVESTMENT?

Similar to the vintage car and furniture markets, the watch industry has seen an increase in the number of investors trying to make money by buying and selling watches over the past several decades.  The auctions of the most expensive watch models in the world mainly take place at the top auction houses.

Do Watches Make Good Investment? / ph: pexels 

In fact, most of the watches that are sold at extremely high prices come with inspirational stories, emotional connections like: owned by a celebrity, the first to travel in space or the only piece in a collection.

Furthermore, for a chance to buy one of these exclusive watches at auction, investors need a lot of money and good relationships.  A personal item always has an invisible link with the person who created them or used them, so its value is sometimes even higher than an investment fund is earning tens of %.

Watches are not only tangible objects but also carry sentimental value which is why they are less susceptible to economic ups and downs.  In the watch world, time seems to move more slowly without shocks or hasty deals.  This is especially true for beloved and limited-edition classic watch models.  Collectors who already have such precious timepieces rarely make the decision to sell, but once they do, it is a rare opportunity for latecomers.  So what is the decision?  The answer is “Buy at all costs!”.

For someone who does not consider a watch as an investment or is not a collector, a watch is just to wear it as an accessory or to watch the time.  In that case, you may be interested in models in an accessible price range and preferably unchangeable price for a long time.

In contrast, a handful of watch brands offer their owners rare and vintage value that has been proven over the years.  With vintage timepieces, every part of which is a testament to craftsmanship excellence, designs that have become the brand’s icon or technologies that represent a significant change in the watch industry.  watches and create stories that link people and watches.

Rolex sports watches are a prime example.  If you're trying to get your hands on a new Rolex Submariner, Daytona, Sea-Dweller or GMT-Master II, you'll have to wait in a long queue.  But patience and a little luck will pay off, as these models always stay the same or increase in price over time, almost without exception.  Needless to say, they are a pretty safe long-term investment.

A few other models also classified as potential investment are Omega Speedmaster Professional, Patek Phillippe Calatrava, Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso or Audemars Piguet Royal Oak - These watch icons represent the revolution in watch design and technology.  Surprisingly, when it was introduced in 1972, the Royal Oak was not a huge hit, however the ratings have slowly changed over the period of the last 5 decades, and now this watch is one of the biggest icons in the luxury watch industry.