Usually people buy watches for daily use - maybe to tell time, or as an accessory; but now there is another type of people in the market, because the market price of some popular watches is rising, so they hope to make a fortune by investing in the right watch and selling it at a high price. However, no matter what the purpose of buying a watch is, if we spend a lot of money to buy a high-end watch, we often hope that its value will not drop too fast or too much. After all, when you buy a product and find that its market price drops sharply soon after you go home, anyone will feel depressed. However, sometimes it is very strange that some watches do have depreciation rate problems. After buying them, the value of the watch decreases as the time of ownership increases. However, some watches are in high demand in the market and are usually hard to find. At this time, the value of the watch will not decrease but may even increase.
So what is the reason for a watch to have good value retention? This blog collects big data and finds out the five common conditions of watches with high value retention.
Usually people buy watches for daily use - maybe to tell time, or as an accessory; but now there is another type of people in the market, because the market price of some popular watches is rising, so they hope to make a fortune by investing in the right watch and selling it at a high price. However, no matter what the purpose of buying a watch is, if we spend a lot of money to buy a high-end watch, we often hope that its value will not drop too fast or too much. After all, when you buy a product and find that its market price drops sharply soon after you go home, anyone will feel depressed. However, sometimes it is very strange that some watches do have depreciation rate problems. After buying them, the value of the watch decreases as the time of ownership increases. However, some watches are in high demand in the market and are usually hard to find. At this time, the value of the watch will not decrease but may even increase.
So what is the reason for a watch to have good value retention? This blog collects big data and finds out the five common conditions of watches with high value retention.
1. Well-known brands and models
If you really care about the high value retention of watches, then you must definitely target brands with a long history and their popular series. In terms of the current market trend, Rolex Submariner, PP Golden Eagle and AP Royal Oak are the watch industry superstars whose value has risen most significantly in recent years.
These three watches are classic masterpieces among classics. They have been on the market for at least 40 years. In addition, they are from big brands, including solid craftsmanship, reliable movements and exquisite quality, which give watches a hidden aura. Global politicians and business celebrities can hardly resist the charm of these three giants. Generally speaking, high popularity and high-profile watch products mean that they are less likely to be outdated, which helps to maintain the market demand for watches. According to Chrono24, it is difficult to find other models that have the same stable and growing value retention potential as these three watches.
2. Low production and market demand is higher than brand supply
If you are dedicated to pursuing classic styles of big brands, this can indeed ensure that the value retention of the watch is at its peak, but as mentioned above, the star products of Rolex, PP or AP are wanted by everyone, so now it takes years to get these watches through normal channels. When the demand for a product is high and the brand's supply is relatively limited (not necessarily limited edition, but related to the brand's annual production), this will cause the price of the watch to soar in the secondary market. In recent years, Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A can be used as a reference example. Since the brand announced the discontinuation of this watch in early 2021, consumers have a "I can't buy it in the future" mentality, which has stimulated the market's motivation to pursue this watch.
As a result, the price of the watch in the secondary market continues to rise. However, there are still a few works that can reach the level of Nautilus 5711/1A. Usually, watches will not have a significant price increase in a short period of time. It is not recommended to pursue such extreme cases if you want to find a watch with high value retention. As long as the secondary market price of the watch is not too much lower than the set price, it is considered a good performance of value retention. Instead of pursuing difficult targets, it is better to focus on more practical objects.
3. Watches with high appearance acceptance and timeless design style
Although everyone's aesthetic standards are different, it is certain that the more special things look, the more likely they are to attract polarized comments. High value retention watches often do not make people feel too fancy or strange in appearance design, and even at first glance they will not feel too eye-catching. Everyone thinks it looks OK. In fact, this is also a key to the high value retention of watches-the design does not need to pursue specialness but classic and durable.
In recent years, the market has also been very interested in Cartier's Tank, a masterpiece that has been developed for more than a hundred years. Even though the two sports watches of Double P were criticized when they were first launched, their beauty has long been generally accepted by the market as time goes by, and they have become classic models recognized by watch fans. As for Rolex, it goes without saying that their watches often give people a feeling of being able to cope with changes. The development history of each series is almost very long. Even if adjustments and changes occur in the process, the main design essence will not be greatly changed. This relatively stable and plain design has become the key to the high value retention of watches.
4. Brand-made watch movement
Some collectors not only pay attention to the appearance of the watch, but also the pedigree of the internal core. Compared with watches equipped with universal movements, movements independently made by the brand are often considered to have higher craftsmanship.
Looking at several evergreen self-made movements on the market, such as Omega's 321 movement, Zenith's El Primero movement, etc., and Jaeger-LeCoultre's 920 movement, which was later provided to AP and PP, is also highly regarded by watch fans. Another type of homemade movement popular among collectors requires high complexity, gorgeous decorative craftsmanship or wonderful creativity. The movements of brands such as Lange or RICHARD MILLE meet the above conditions. Watches with movements that have sufficient design sense and technical strength can maintain their value at a certain level over time.
5. Is the watch in good condition and are the original accessories complete?
The value retention also affects the second-hand value. Generally speaking, the better the condition of the watch, the higher the price the buyer is willing to pay. If the owner who intends to sell the watch has well preserved the accessories such as the watch box, certificate and warranty card provided by the original factory, such a product with a complete box and warranty will often be easier to sell than a product with only a watch in the secondary market, and the price will also be more attractive.
According to Chrono24, if a watch still has the box and warranty, the market demand will be 20% higher than that of a watch only. Therefore, if you have anticipated that you may resell it in the future when you buy the watch, it is recommended to maintain the condition of the watch as much as possible and keep the watch box and the documents inside.
In Conclusion
If a watch can meet the above five conditions at the same time, congratulations to the seller who is preparing to sell it, because this means that the resale value of the watch will not be too bad. At least it can definitely ensure that when you resell it, the price will not drop too much compared to when you first bought it.
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