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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesUsually, no—not if “investment” means a dependable way to make money. Independent watches can attract strong resale demand, especially at the market’s upper end, but segment growth does not predict the return on a particular watch. Before buying, check completed sales for the exact reference, estimate the costs and time involved in selling it, and be prepared to own it even if its value falls.
What recent sales say—and what they don’t
EveryWatch’s H1 2026 Secondary Market Report, covering January 1 through June 30, 2026, puts independent-brand secondary sales value at $633.82 million, up 89% from the comparable period. The provider says its report aggregates transaction data from 650 dealers and 472 auction houses. These are segment-wide transaction figures, not the return earned by an owner.
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The report’s figures are concentrated at the high end. F.P. Journe secondary sales rose 196.88% to $201.6 million across 608 watches in H1 2026. It also notes new price thresholds for Rexhep Rexhepi and Kari Voutilainen. Those results show attention and trading activity for particular makers; they do not establish similar performance for other makers, references, or purchase prices.
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For scale, EveryWatch reported $10.5 billion in sold value across the whole secondary watch market in H1 2026, up 37.2% year over year, with 795,000 watches sold, up 18.7%. Yet median reported time to sell increased from 39 days in H1 2025 to 43 days in H1 2026. A market can grow in value and volume while selling takes longer; neither figure predicts how quickly a specific independent reference will find a buyer.
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The report also says that at the June 2026 close, only three of the eight major brands it analyzed had positive average value retention against retail: Patek Philippe (+75.40%), Audemars Piguet (+35.73%), and Rolex (+6.12%). These are major-brand comparisons, not a measure of independent watches as a class, and they answer a different question from total sales growth.
Why growth in sales is not the same as investment return
A segment’s total sales value measures money changing hands across many watches. An individual buyer’s return depends on the price paid for one watch and what remains after selling costs. The share of references trading above retail, average value retention, total sales, and time to sell are distinct measures; none by itself proves that your watch will appreciate or produce a profit.
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Past declines are a reminder that resale prices can move down as well as up. Deloitte’s 2023 Swiss Watch Industry Study said the Subdial50 and WatchCharts indices it referenced had fallen approximately 15% over the preceding year as the pre-owned market cooled after prices normalized in 2022. That is historical, broad-market context—not a current forecast for independent watches.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →EveryWatch co-founder and H1 2026 report author Giovanni Prigigallo characterized owning an independent watch as feeling like “the first days of a new asset class,” and said scarce supply meant prices had “room to run.” That is an attributed opinion in a commercial market-data provider’s report, not a neutral finding or guarantee. Scarcity alone does not establish future demand, resale value, or profit.
The available figures do not establish an independent-watch-specific long-term return after costs. Without that, a precise expected net return for an independent watch would be unsupported.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to assess the resale prospects of a specific watch
- Pin down the watch. Record the maker, model, exact reference, production generation, and any meaningful variation. Maker-level comparisons can conceal very different resale markets.
- Find completed sales for close matches. Use several comparable transactions where possible. Separate completed auction results from dealer asking prices, and record each result’s date, geography, and currency. Check whether an auction figure is the hammer price or includes the buyer’s premium.
- Compare those results with your actual buying price. A watch trading above its original retail price can still be an unprofitable purchase if your entry price is higher than realistic resale proceeds. Do not treat a maker’s overall growth or a high headline sale as a substitute for reference-level evidence.
- Allow for the cost and effort of exiting. Consider selling fees, shipping, insurance, taxes, servicing, and the time and work required to find a buyer. The cited reports do not quantify these costs for independent watches, so they cannot support a net-return estimate.
- Check the individual watch, not just its model. Review condition, service records, provenance, and original accessories. Arrange authentication through qualified expertise and confirm that repair or servicing support exists. The cited sources do not quantify resale premiums for these factors.
- Assess liquidity separately from price. Market-level median days to sell is not a forecast for an individual reference. Where reliable transaction or sale-speed data is thin, treat that as uncertainty—not as proof that scarcity will make the watch easier to sell.
How to compare two independent watches
Compare like with like at the exact-reference level rather than relying on broad claims about a maker or the independent segment.
| What to compare | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Realized prices and sample depth | Several completed sales of the same reference, with dates and transaction route; note when evidence is sparse. |
| Price position | Your proposed price against current realized sales, original retail where relevant, and earlier realized prices. |
| Sale route and costs | Whether the comparison is an auction result or dealer transaction, and which premiums, fees, and other exit costs affect your proceeds. |
| Liquidity evidence | Sales volume and time-to-sell information for the reference, if available; market-wide figures are not a substitute. |
| Condition and ownership record | Condition, provenance, service documentation, and accessories for the specific watch. |
| Ongoing support | Whether qualified authentication, servicing, and parts support can be established. |
When buying one can still make sense
A watch can be worth buying for the pleasure of wearing, collecting, or supporting an independent maker, even if it does not appreciate. The sensible test is whether you would still want it if resale value fell and selling took longer than expected. If future appreciation is necessary to make the purchase affordable, the available evidence does not justify relying on it.
Quick Recap
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