10 Luxury Watches Worth Considering for Investment

Watch investing isn't as simple as buying anything with a famous name on the dial. After secondary-market prices peaked in mid-2022, resale values across the industry slid for eleven consecutive quarters, and even now the market rewards selectivity far more than enthusiasm.

Still, certain references have consistently defied that broader slump — holding their value, and in many cases trading well above retail. Here are ten worth knowing about.

1. Rolex Submariner

The Submariner remains arguably the most liquid watch in the entire luxury market. Its dive-watch design has changed only incrementally in decades, and that consistency, paired with a permanent shortage at authorized dealers, keeps steel models trading reliably above retail.

2. Rolex Cosmograph Daytona

The Daytona is one of the hardest Rolex references to secure at retail price, and ceramic-bezel models routinely resell well above their original cost. Rare colorway variants have sold for two to three times retail, driven by the model's motorsport pedigree and enduring scarcity.

3. Rolex "Pepsi" GMT-Master II

Rolex officially discontinued the steel and white gold Pepsi-bezel references at Watches & Wonders Geneva in 2026, and prices have climbed sharply in the months since — a reminder that discontinuation is often the single biggest catalyst for a watch's resale value.

4. Patek Philippe Nautilus

Since Patek discontinued the steel Reference 5711 in 2021, the Nautilus line has become something close to the benchmark for watch investing, with unworn pieces changing hands for multiples of retail. New anniversary editions unveiled at Watches & Wonders 2026, honoring Gerald Genta's original design, are already drawing serious collector interest.

5. Patek Philippe Aquanaut

The Aquanaut has quietly become one of the more consistent performers in the Patek lineup, with certain references commanding well over double their original retail price on the secondary market, benefiting from the same scarcity dynamics that drive the Nautilus.

6. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak

The Royal Oak's octagonal bezel remains one of the most recognizable silhouettes in watchmaking, and its combination of brand prestige, mechanical complexity, and constrained production keeps it firmly in investment-grade territory alongside Patek's core sports models.

7. Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch

As the first and only watch worn on the Moon, the Speedmaster carries a rare combination of historical significance and relative accessibility — the steel Professional Moonwatch (Reference 310.30.42.50.01.001) remains available at a fraction of what comparable heritage pieces from other brands command, making it one of the few genuinely attainable entries on this list.

8. Cartier Santos / Tank

Cartier doesn't chase the secondary-market spikes that define steel sports watches, but that's part of its appeal as a long-term holding — its value tends to build steadily over decades rather than swing with hype cycles, appealing to collectors more interested in quiet, enduring value than short-term flipping.

9. Vacheron Constantin Overseas

As one of watchmaking's oldest continuously operating manufacturers, Vacheron Constantin brings genuine horological pedigree to the modern sports-watch category, and limited production numbers relative to Rolex or Omega help support stronger long-term value retention on well-chosen references.

10. Richard Mille Sports Models

Sitting at the far end of the price spectrum, Richard Mille's ultra-limited production runs and celebrity-driven demand have made select references some of the fastest-appreciating watches at auction in recent years — though the brand's high entry price point makes it a far less accessible pick than most others on this list.

What Actually Drives Watch Investment Value

Across nearly every model on this list, a few consistent patterns emerge. Discontinued or limited references tend to outperform watches still in active production, since scarcity is one of the strongest predictors of resale demand.

Original box and papers matter significantly to resale price, often affecting value by a meaningful margin on their own. And market concentration is real: Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet alone account for roughly two-thirds of secondary-market watch value, meaning most serious investment activity clusters around a relatively small number of brands.

A Realistic Note on Watch Investing

It's worth being clear-eyed about this category. Even with these standout performers, the broader watch market has spent the past several years in a prolonged correction, and not every "investment-grade" purchase pans out — buying purely because a piece is trending on social media, without checking whether the specific reference is genuinely in demand, is one of the most common ways collectors lose money.

Watches can be a legitimate way to diversify beyond traditional stocks and bonds, but like any collectible asset class, they reward patience, research, and selectivity far more than impulse buying.