Can the watch tied on your wrist give better returns than your bank FD, shares or real estate? The latest figures from the luxury watch market seem to be pointing in this direction. An interesting trend has emerged from the report of online watch marketplace ‘Chrono24’. That trend is that mid-range luxury brands like Cartier have given better profits compared to expensive and high-end watch models Rolex and Patek Philippe. According to the report, during the period from 2018 to 2026, the price of the ‘Tank Vermeil’ watch of Paris-based jeweler company Cartier saw an increase of about 300%. Interestingly, not a single Rolex model could make it to the list of top-20 watches giving the highest profits. The value of Rolex’s best-selling Datejust 41 has increased by only 59 percent from 2018 till now. This list includes 10 models from Cartier, 5 from Omega, and 2 from Jaeger-LeCoultre. According to this report, watches whose prices increased over the long term (2018-2026) remained strong despite the market decline after 2022, and their value continued to increase consistently. However, experts say that Rolex models were already at their peak value by 2018. After the price surge during the COVID pandemic, the market is now stabilizing. On the other hand, watches like Cartier, which were available at much lower prices a few years ago, have now become collectors’ first choice due to their iconic design. The reason for the increase in mid-range watch prices is ‘low base effect’ and ‘organic demand’. This means prices have risen sharply compared to a few years ago. Additionally, during the Corona period, some people bought watches not as a hobby, but solely to make profits and started selling them at high prices. In contrast, the demand for affordable and iconic design watches remained strong among collectors. This resulted in a steady increase of up to 200% in their value. Balazs Ferenczi, associated with the study on this changing trend, says, ‘The special thing about watches is not their price, but their classic design and sustained demand, which is based on actual collector value, not on any waiting list.’ Cartier Tank Vermeil emerged as cheapest most successful investment Watch Model 8-year Growth Special Feature Cartier Tank Vermeil: 299%; cheapest and most successful investment Cartier Panthre (Gold): 218%; Classic design and heavy demand Omega Speedmaster: 119%; Omega’s reliable model Rolex Datejust: 41 59%; high demand and limited returns Post navigation ‘Govt to meet airlines soon over rising flight ticket prices’:Following jet fuel hike, IndiGo revises fuel charges by up to ₹10,000
