The global pre-owned luxury watches market was valued at USD 32.3 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 35.7 billion in 2026. The market is projected to expand substantially to USD 85.4 billion by 2033, representing a 13.3% CAGR from 2026 to 2033.

North America was the leading regional market in 2025, accounting for 33.6% of global revenue. Meanwhile, the Middle East & Africa is expected to record the fastest regional growth during the forecast period.

The market is transitioning from an informal resale environment into a more structured global ecosystem supported by certified pre-owned programs, professional authentication, digital marketplaces, transparent pricing, specialized retailers, and luxury auction houses.

Key Market Indicators

Source: Grand View Research, IR Documents, Primary Interviews, Paid Databases

What Is Driving Market Expansion?

Several structural changes are accelerating demand for pre-owned luxury timepieces.

1. Limited availability of new luxury watches
   Restricted production and constrained availability of highly sought-after references from brands such as Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet are encouraging buyers to enter the secondary market. Pre-owned channels provide access to discontinued, limited-edition, and highly allocated models without the long waiting periods associated with certain new watches.

Models such as the Rolex Daytona, GMT-Master II, and Submariner continue to attract strong secondary-market interest because of their brand recognition, scarcity, collector demand, and resale potential.

2. Professionalization of the secondary watch ecosystem
   The secondary market is becoming increasingly institutionalized. Certified pre-owned programs offered by luxury brands and authorized retailers provide buyers with authentication, servicing, condition verification, and, in some cases, manufacturer-backed warranties.

Rolex introduced its global Certified Pre-Owned program through its authorized dealer network in 2022. Other industry participants, including Bucherer, Watches of Switzerland Group, and Tourneau | Bucherer, have expanded their certified pre-owned activities across major markets.

3. Greater trust in digital marketplaces
   Online platforms are making luxury watch transactions more accessible by combining authentication, escrow payments, condition grading, pricing information, and buyer protections. Platforms such as Chrono24, WatchBox, and eBay's Authenticity Guarantee have contributed to greater transparency in the secondary market.
4. Growing collector and investment demand
   Luxury watches are increasingly perceived as collectible assets in addition to wearable products. High-net-worth individuals, experienced collectors, and newer investors are showing interest in watches with strong brand equity, scarcity, provenance, and potential value retention.
5. Changing preferences among younger consumers
   Millennials and Generation Z are contributing to the expansion of the circular luxury economy. Younger buyers increasingly value sustainability, heritage, uniqueness, and resale potential, making pre-owned luxury watches an attractive alternative to purchasing new timepieces.

Social media, online collector communities, and specialist auction houses have also helped introduce younger consumers to watch collecting.

Download a free sample report or claim your copy of this full market intelligence report

Market Segmentation: Where Is Demand Concentrated?

The market demonstrates clear differences across product type, price tier, and distribution channel.

• By type: Automatic pre-owned luxury watches represented the largest revenue share at 83.4% in 2025.
• By price tier: Mid-luxury watches accounted for the largest share, representing 41.2% of revenue in 2025.
• By distribution channel: Online marketplaces led with a 39.0% market share in 2025.
• Fastest-growing price tier: Ultra-luxury and collectible watches are projected to expand at a 15.4% CAGR from 2026 to 2033.

The strong position of automatic watches reflects continued consumer interest in mechanical craftsmanship and traditional watchmaking, while the rapid expansion of online marketplaces highlights the industry's shift toward digital discovery, comparison, authentication, and purchasing.

Regional Market Perspective

North America remained the largest regional market in 2025, with a 33.6% global revenue share. The U.S. dominated the North American market, accounting for 82.9% of the regional share in 2025. High purchasing power, an established luxury-goods ecosystem, strong collector communities, and mature online resale infrastructure support regional demand.

The Middle East & Africa is expected to achieve the fastest CAGR during 2026–2033. Rising wealth, expanding luxury consumption, growing high-net-worth populations, and increasing interest in collectible assets are contributing to the region's growth potential.

Looking for more in-depth data focusing on specific segments or regions? Get this report customized with inclusion of custom data sets to suit your exact business needs.

Investment Appeal Strengthens Secondary-Market Demand

Investment-oriented purchasing has become an important market dynamic. Collectors and investors increasingly assess luxury watches based on brand reputation, historical significance, scarcity, condition, provenance, and resale performance.

The Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index indicates that luxury watches generated cumulative returns of approximately 125% between 2013 and 2023, highlighting their appeal within the broader collectible-asset landscape.

Iconic references have also demonstrated significant secondary-market price appreciation. The Rolex Submariner "Hulk" (Ref. 116610LV), for example, reportedly increased from approximately USD 11,000 in 2020 to around USD 19,000–22,000 in subsequent years. Similarly, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin (Ref. 15202ST) increased from approximately USD 39,000 to more than USD 68,000 over the same period.

Greater access to historical pricing and transaction information through platforms such as Chrono24, WatchCharts, and specialist auction houses is helping buyers make more informed purchasing decisions.

Competitive Landscape

The competitive environment includes digital marketplaces, specialist pre-owned watch retailers, authentication-focused platforms, and established luxury resale companies.

Key companies profiled in the market include:

• Chrono24
• The 1916 Company
• eBay Inc.
• Bob's Watches
• Bezel, Inc.
• Watchfinder & Co.

Explore the full list of profiled companies operating in this market with recent strategic initiatives

Explore our dedicated business services:

• Brainshare Consulting – End-to-end business consulting services including Opportunity assessment, GTM support, Competitive intelligence, and Consumer Analytics.
• Custom Research – Get a market intelligence report tailored to your specific requirements and aligned with your business goals.
• Consumer Insights – Capture real, evolving consumer sentiment and behavior to help you make data driven strategies.
• Horizon Databooks – Access the world’s largest portal of Market Reports & Statistics
• Investment Insights – Make investment decisions with data driven insights, powered by domain and technology
• Signal (Pricing Intelligence) - Commodity price intelligence to drives strategic advantage.

About us:
Grand View Research, a market research and consulting company, provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. Grand View Research database is used by the world's renowned academic institutions and Fortune 500 companies to understand the global and regional business environment. Our database features thousands of statistics and in-depth analysis on 46 industries in 25 major countries worldwide.