A Bargain Rolex Can Still Adorn Your Wrist
The secondary watch market has recovered from its nadir. But there’s still time for discerning buyers to grab some bling.
Second-hand watch prices have recovered, but a Rolex is still cheaper than it was five years ago on an inflation-adjusted basis.
Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg
Crypto bros are reaching for pricey timepieces once more. After a dramatic boom-and-bust in the values at which luxury watches changed hands over the past five years, the secondary market is past its nadir. But with persistent uncertainty about tariffs and a broader slump in the luxury sector, there’s still time to get a decent deal on a Rolex.
To recap: Interest in watches exploded during the pandemic, lockdowns prompted people to divert money they would have spent on vacations into luxury goods and the first choice for many men was a watch.