Rolex Lovers Splash Out on Used Watches Before Trump Tariffs

A pre-owned Rolex.

Photographer: Noriko Hayashi/Bloomberg

Watch enthusiasts snapped up used Rolex SA and Patek Philippe SA timepieces at the end of April, splashing out before possible tariffs from US President Donald Trump.

The watch dealer and trading platform Subdial often sees a flurry of activity after people get their paychecks at the end of each month. In April, the post-payday spike was 160% higher than normal trading levels, far above the average 112% bump experienced on other pay days over the past year.