Wednesday, 11 March 2026

New Rules of the Game in the Watch Industry

In recent years, a growing trend has emerged in the watch market: the secondary market's influence has been expanding. While many previously viewed the secondary market as an adjunct to the primary market, its increasing scale and transparency have made it a crucial window into brand value and market demand. Today, many collectors, when evaluating a watch's value, consider not only the official price but also secondary market performance, even viewing it as a more accurate indicator of actual demand. Best luxury replica watches price at Repwatcheaprice, cheap watches for men and women. 

To understand the impact of the secondary market on the entire industry, Rolex is undoubtedly the most representative brand. Long considered a cornerstone of the high-end watch market, its market size and consumer demand are far greater than official revenue figures suggest. According to estimates from Morgan Stanley and LuxeConsult, Rolex's annual sales are approximately CHF 11 billion. If global retail transactions are included, the total size increases to CHF 16.1 billion. However, what truly shocks the market is the data from the secondary market. EveryWatch statistics show that Rolex's sales at global auctions and in the secondary retail market are approximately US$5.7 billion in 2025. If the total transaction volume of new and secondhand watches is combined, Rolex's overall market size in 2025 is estimated to reach approximately US$26.4 billion. This astonishing figure is almost equivalent to the combined sales of new and used watches from the seven major brands: Patek Philippe, Cartier, Audemars Piguet, Omega, Richard Mille, Longines, and Vacheron Constantin.

When the secondary market grows to such a scale, a question naturally arises: will such a massive volume of secondhand transactions, in turn, affect the sales of new watches? Based on current market observations, the answer is actually no. Rolex authorized dealers continue to have long waiting lists, and the supply shortage of many popular models has not eased significantly despite the active secondary market. Interestingly, in many cases, secondary market prices have become a significant factor driving up brand popularity. When certain popular models maintain a premium in the secondary market, it often further intensifies consumer desire for the brand, keeping demand for new watches high-end.

Of course, there are exceptions. Analysis from Morgan Stanley and WatchCharts shows that some Rolex models are now priced lower than their official retail price in the secondary market. For example, the Sea-Dweller series is on average about 22.8% cheaper than its retail price, and the Explorer series has seen discounts of around 12%. However, even with these discounts, maintaining a good relationship with official dealers remains valuable in the long run for many true watch collectors. After all, only by establishing a purchase record through official channels can one have priority access to the most sought-after and collectible models in the future. This long-term incentive means that many buyers, even knowing that the secondary market may offer easier access, will not easily abandon official channels.

If we shift our focus from Rolex to other top brands, the market structure becomes even more complex. Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe exhibit a clear price polarization in the secondary market. For example, the popular replica Audemars Piguet Royal Oak series from Audemars Piguet still commands a premium of approximately 25% in the secondary market, while the Royal Oak Offshore and CODE 11.59 series from the same brand see discounts of approximately 23.5% and 36.5% respectively. This disparity demonstrates that even within the same brand, market demand can vary significantly due to differences in design style and series positioning.

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