Are Luxury Watches a Good Investment in 2026?

By CJ Horn, President of Happily Ever Timepieces

Let’s get this out of the way early: If you’re asking whether a luxury watch is a guaranteed investment in 2026, the answer is no.

If you’re asking whether a luxury watch can be a smart place to park money while enjoying something beautiful on your wrist, then welcome: pull up a chair, grab a loupe, and let’s talk.

Let’s break this down honestly without hype, without Instagram gurus, and without pretending every Rolex is the next Bitcoin.

First: What Do We Mean by “Investment”?

When most people say investment, what they really mean is:

“Will this watch be worth more later than what I paid for it?”

That’s fair. But investing in watches is not the same as investing in stocks, real estate, or even gold. Watches are:

• Semi-liquid

• Condition-dependent

• Trend-sensitive

• Emotionally priced

And yes, occasionally very profitable.

Think of watches less like a stock and more like a collectible asset with upside potential. One you can wear to dinner instead of staring at on a spreadsheet.

Do Luxury Watches Hold Value in 2026?

Some of them.

And this is where people get tripped up.

The Watches That Tend to Hold or Appreciate

• Rolex (Daytona, Submariner, GMT-Master II — no surprises here)

• Patek Philippe (Nautilus, Aquanaut, select complications)

• Audemars Piguet (Royal Oak — especially classic references)

• A handful of historically important or limited-production pieces

These watches benefit from:

• Brand dominance

• Controlled production

• Global demand

• Strong secondary markets

They’re not immune to market cycles, but they’re resilient.

The Watches That Usually Don’t

• Fashion-driven limited editions

• Brands without consistent collector demand

• Anything bought purely because someone on YouTube said “it’s a sleeper”

Luxury does not automatically mean investment-grade.

What Actually Drives Watch Value in 2026

Let me simplify years of market watching into a few truths:

1. Scarcity Matters, But So Does Desire

A watch can be rare and still unwanted. Scarcity only matters if people actually want it.

2. Brand Power Is King

You can fight this all you want, the market doesn’t care. Brand recognition drives liquidity, and liquidity drives value.

3. Condition Is Everything

Scratches tell stories… but they also tell buyers to offer less.

4. Box & Papers Are Not Optional Anymore

Think of them like a watch’s birth certificate. Missing them won’t kill value — but it definitely wounds it.

The Pre-Owned Advantage (Yes, I’m Biased, But Also Right)

In 2026, pre-owned is often the smartest entry point.

Why?

• Someone else already paid the retail premium

• Depreciation (if any) has already happened

• You’re closer to “true market value”

Buying pre-owned doesn’t mean compromised quality, it means better math.

At Happily Ever Timepieces, we see it every day: buyers who enter smartly pre-owned often do far better long-term than those chasing brand-new hype.

So… Are Luxury Watches a Good Investment in 2026?

Here’s my honest answer:

Luxury watches are a good value-preserving asset with upside, not a guaranteed investment.

The best outcomes happen when:

• You buy right

• You buy quality

• You think long-term

• And you actually enjoy the watch

The worst outcomes happen when:

• You chase hype

• You overpay

• You expect fast flips

• Or you buy something you don’t even like wearing

Final Thought (From Someone Who Actually Does This for a Living)

In 2026, the smartest watch buyers aren’t asking, “Will this double in value?”

They’re asking, “Would I still be happy owning this if it didn’t?”

Because when passion and patience meet, that’s when watches truly become worth the investment — financially and personally.

And if it happens to look incredible on your wrist while you’re at it? That’s what I call good timing.

— CJ Horn President, Happily Ever Timepieces ⌚