High-end and designer watches have long been considered the pinnacle of personal wealth and success, with celebrities and influential individuals often pictured sporting some of the most exclusive timepieces on the market – both personally and on the big screen (Daniel Craig, we’re looking at you!)
The truth is that authentic luxury watches have solidified their place in the investment market, despite the extensive range in price and value, as well as supply and demand. However, while many outperform their retail price on the second-hand market, predicting the potential of any single timepiece is extremely difficult. And so, identifying which specific timepieces to invest in can be challenging for first-time or even veteran watch buyers.
In this blog, we introduce a number of the best watch brands to invest in, from our direct experience, sharing not only the history of each brand but which models are considered top-of-the-market purchases.
Which Watch Brands Should You Keep On Your Radar?
Before we deep dive into the best brands to invest in on the timepiece market, it’s worth noting that there are three main factors that contribute towards the potential of any timepiece.
The first is the brand – how renowned the brand is on the market, and how well connected the brand is to the investment market. The second is the demand for both the brand and the specific timepiece/model that you are looking to invest in. The third is the scarcity of materials and the product itself. The more in demand, coveted, and scarce the timepiece, the better the investment.
This is a common theme you will see running throughout all the brands explored in this blog – which includes major names in the watch industry, like Rolex, Patek Philippe, Richard Mille, and Audemars Piguet, as well as luxury accessory brands like Cartier that have branched into timepieces as part of a broader range.
Rolex
Arguably the best-known brand on the luxury timepiece market, Rolex has long been an investment staple for buyers and investors. Long waitlists surround every new Rolex release, with much of the brand’s status coming from its innovation in both design and overarching conceptualisation of each new timepiece and collection.
Rolex produced and launched the first diving watch of its ilk, before creating an extensive range of professional watches, which were uniquely designed to combine time-telling with other uses, in line with different lifestyles and activities. The Submariner model remains the gold standard in diving watches, while the Daytona model takes its design from the functionality of race car drivers, and the GMT-Master allows the user to track the time across the world in multiple time zones.
All of this, while retaining the timeless style of a watch that buyers continue to want to buy – to be aesthetically drawn towards and inspired by when looking for a stylish investment.
Richard Mille
Richard Mille is one of the most modern Swiss watchmaking brands, which was founded in 2001, and has since made a name for itself producing innovative and design-centric watches with bolder colours and eye-catching structures.
As an investment, a Richard Mille watch offers excellent returns, owing to both the innovative design and the quality of materials, which are put together to an exceptionally high standard across all timepieces and models.
Patek Philippe
When it comes to investment luxury watches, Patek Philippe is a brand that we simply can’t ignore – with the high potential of these timepieces stemming from three separate areas.
The first is the exclusivity and quality that surround every Patek Philippe watch, making it a durable piece that never depreciates in value. The second is the recognisable brand and design, which instantly elevates the status of the wearer, while the third comes from the marketing of Patek Philippe as an investment and heirloom brand – something that can be passed on from generation to generation.
Buyers interested in this brand should know that Patek Philippe watches are among the most expensive, but hold their value, combining quality materials with the craftsmanship behind each piece. Look out for the Nautilus watch collection and the Aquanaut collection – two of the most iconic and high-value.
Audemars Piguet
There are a few factors which elevate the status of Audemars Piguet on the timepiece market, with specific collections such as the Royal Oak cited as being among the most coveted timepieces across the entire luxury watch market.
Founded in 1875, and epitomising the quality of Swiss watchmakers, Audemars Piguet combines exceptional craftsmanship with brand prestige – much of which stems from the brand’s rich history and long-honed status on the watch market. The watches produced by Audemars Piguet have a distinctive design and, while costly, retain their value well for investors.
Cartier
Cartier is not a brand which exclusively operates in the watch and timepiece sector. This means that, while watches are not necessarily what you think of first when you see the Cartier brand, the brand presence itself is broad and spans the entire luxury accessories industry.
With timepieces and other accessories that attract high-value clients from across the world, Cartier’s history is steeped in quality – with the brand specifically noted for having partnered with different designers throughout its history, creating innovative and highly complex designs for the luxury market. Edmond Jaeger is one such name that elevated the quality of the Cartier watch exponentially.
Breitling
Consistency is key when it comes to the Breitling brand, with products and timepieces that deliver quality every time, and which remain stable on the investment marketplace. Though not as renowned as some of the aforementioned names, the right vintage or rare Breitling watch can prove a solid investment.