ChronoPulse: Pre-owend watch market cools down - decline of almost 25 per cent compared to peak in 2022

ChronoPulse: Pre-owend watch market cools down - decline of almost 25 per cent compared to peak in 2022

The secondary market for luxury watches has reacted noticeably to the economic uncertainties and cautious consumer sentiment. According to the ChronoPulse watch index (based on real sales data) from the online marketplace Chrono24, prices for high-quality timepieces fell by an average of three percent in the first quarter of 2025.

While the overall market is under pressure, individual brands have nevertheless recorded price increases.

The current price decline follows a largely stable development in 2024. Compared to the peak of the ChronoPulse watch index in March 2022, the decline now amounts to 23.9 percent.

In the long term, however, the trend remains positive, according to Chrono24: Over the past five years, the secondary market for luxury watches has grown by around 25 percent overall. Even compared to its low point last year on October 12, 2024, the market recorded an increase of 2.2 percent at the end of March.

Price development varies significantly between brands

Of the 13 leading brands individually represented in the ChronoPulse watch index, four manufacturers recorded increases in value in the first quarter of this year.

This applies to Rolex sister company Tudor (+1.7 percent), Audemars Piguet (+0.8 percent), Patek Philippe (+0.5 percent) and Hublot (+0.3 percent).

Industry leader Rolex, on the other hand, recorded a decline of 2.9 percent, in line with the market average. Significant losses were recorded by TAG Heuer (-3.4 percent), IWC (-4.9 percent), and Breitling (-6.5 percent).

Balazs Ferenczi, Head of Brand Engagement at Chrono24, comments on the current market situation:

"After a largely stable year in 2024, the market is currently experiencing a slight correction – understandable given the global economic environment. At the same time, we see that long-term interest in high-quality timepieces remains unbroken."

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About the ChronoPulse Watch Index

The ChronoPulse Watch Index is the only watch index based on transaction data, not just supply data. Based on a points system and data from more than 600,000 transactions, ChronoPulse analyzes the performance of 14 watch brands—and over 140 watch models—with the highest transaction volumes on the secondary market worldwide. This provides insights into the price development of watches since January 2019.

The watch brands analyzed include Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, Cartier, Hublot, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Omega, Panerai, TAG Heuer, Tudor, and Vacheron Constantin. Grand Seiko watches are also included in the ChronoPulse watch index, although there is no separate brand index for Grand Seiko.