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10 Of The Best Luxury Watch Brands That Hold Value Over Time

If you are a regular reader of our ‘Chronicles’ collection, you will see that we mention a wide variety of brands. While every brand we mention is worth its horological weight in gold to us, not all of them glean potential financial returns upon resale. Unfortunately, this is just the way it goes in the watchmaking world! It’s like buying a MINI or a Lambo. Sure, we’d all love to own a Rolex Daytona or Patek Tiffany 5711. But there are many brands out there that can also give as much as they get.

The general principles behind luxury watches that hold value comes in the form of supply and demand. Essentially, the less supply and more demand there is for a timepiece, the higher the retail price and more coveted the watch is. Using Rolex as an example, the low supply and high demand would result in luxury watches like the Rolex Daytona having a waitlist of at least 5 years. Yep half a decade time peeps, we kid you not.

Of course, we don't expect anyone to wait 5 long years for a timepiece, meaning more people will find themselves looking for the same model on the secondary market. This in turn means retailers can bump up the prices sky high as more collectors or enthusiasts will be willing to part with more cash, especially if they can quickly get their hands on their desired timepiece.

This is why, for the investors of this world, we have curated a list of the 10 best luxury watch brands that hold value over time. So, kick back, relax and join Chrono Hunter as we guide you on what has the potential to be the best investment decision of your life.

Patek Philippe

Brief History of Patek Philippe

Founded in 1839, Patek Philippe was and has become one of the most established timepiece brands globally.

Henry Graves Supercomplication - Source - CNN

They have continually strived for innovation and expert precision since their inception and it's fair enough to say they’ve got enough evidence to prove it! They created the immensely complicated Henry Graves Complication which instantly became the most complicated mechanical model in the world with a mere 24 complications in 1933. This remains one of the most expensive pocket watches ever sold at auction at a price of nearly £20 million. The Grandmaster Chime 6300A-010 is given two dials on the front and back, with 20 complications and sold for an astonishing £24 million.

But they did not rest on their laurels either.

Like Simon Cowell’s appearance, Patek Philippe continued to evolve, patenting the Gyromax balance in 1949, a tourbillon movement which is unbeaten to this day and released the Calibre 89 in 1989. The latter became the most complicated mechanical model ever beating the Henry Graves Complication with 33 complications.

Does A Patek Philippe Watch Hold Value?

It can usually be assumed that most Patek Philippe timepieces will hold value.

Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime - Source - Patek Philippe

This is due to a number of factors, including their exclusivity and the level of craftsmanship that goes into each timepiece. Patek Philippe makes around 70,000 luxury watches per year, meaning the level of supply is vastly underneath the level of demand. In fact, the demand is so high because the models are already given an incredibly high reputation. This is due to their long standing history and solid number of quality timepieces!

There are also some luxury watches which will surpass their value upon resale. Take for example the immensely rare Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime 6300A-010. Given 20 complications, this model was released to raise money for the ‘Only Watch’ charity auction in 2019. As the only steel Grandmaster Chime, it’s argued that this is the most complex wrist model from Patek Philippe.

As if the model wasn't valuable enough, Patek Philippe engraved the words ‘The Only One’ onto the timepiece. They certainly know how to generate as much hype as Just Stop Oil! The timepiece eventually sold for around £25 million. Unfortunately, you can no longer buy a Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime 6300A-010 at retail due it to being discontinued.

We could even argue that some of the common Patek Philippe models yield an excellent return! Their very impressive Nautilus collection is extremely popular and has the potential to yield some positive returns upon resale. How about The Nautilus 7118/1A, with its stunning octagonal shape and iconic horizontally embossed dial just for starters. You can buy a Patek Philippe 7118/1A at retail for £25,720 but sell it on the secondary market for upwards of £50,000 at the time of writing.

Best Vintage Patek Philippe Watches

Vintage Patek Philippe watches do exceptionally well. The Patek Philippe 1527 Perpetual Calendar is crafted out of 18K rose gold and oozes vintage classicism. Its slightly curved lugs and bulbous diameter of 37.6mm all hark to its original production date in the early 1940s. Selling for a whopping £4.6 million in 2010, you can no longer buy a Patek Philippe 5711 at retail due to it being discontinued.

The Patek Philippe Calatrava 570 spans from 1938 to 1972 and comes in a variety of highly regarded materials like rose, white and yellow gold. Capped at around 2000 pieces ever made, the piece represents the pinnacle of Patek Philippe dress watches with the minimalist curricular dial and lack of complications on the dial. You can buy a Patek Philippe Calatrava 570 on the secondary market for upwards of £25,000.

Vacheron Constantin

Brief History of Vacheron Constantin

Established in 1755, Vacheron Constantin joins Patek Philippe in the revered world of The ‘Holy Trinity’. We will mention the final elusive member next!

Vacheron Constantin 57260 - Source - The New York Times

As part of such an exclusive club to rival Studio 54, we can instantly assume the instantaneous greatness of the brand. Deemed to be the oldest watchmaking company of all time with a heritage stemming back more than 260 years, the brand has gone from strength to strength, even dabbling in a little art along the way! The Métier d’Arts collection shows the incredible technical brilliance behind Vacheron Constantin’s high level of craftsmanship. Take a look at the Métier d’Art Year of The Rabbit for an example of such stunning artwork inspired by the Chinese New Year.

It’s not all glitz and glamour however. Vacheron Constantin worked tirelessly behind the scenes, creating highly innovative pieces of work. From creating the world first model complication in the form of a day and date in 1790, producing the world's thinnest minute repeater named the Calibre 1755 in 1955 and creating the most complicated mechanical model of all time with 57 complications, named the Vacheron Constantin 57260 in 2015, the list is exhaustive. Time for a rest yet? You must be joking as we have plenty more in store.

Do Vacheron Constantin Watches Hold Their Value?

Do Lambos cost the equivalent of a mortgage? Timelords, what a silly question. Of course they do!

King Fuad - Source - Montres Publiques

Vacheron Constantin is extremely exclusive and only releases a low amount of 20,000 luxury watches annually. Combine this with the vast heritage and demand behind Vacheron Constantin, and you have a recipe for an excellent resale figure!

The standard models from Vacheron Constantin’s collection don't do too badly either. The Traditionelle collection follows the design codes stemming back to the 18th century. A perfect example is the Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Chronograph. The iconic railroad minute counter surrounding the periphery of the dial and circular construction of the model pays homage to the brand’s heritage. You can buy a Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Chronograph at retail when you request a price whilst you can sell it on the secondary market for upwards of £155,000.

How about some of Vacheron Constantin’s other collections? The Historiques collection harks back to the incredible model designs throughout the brand's history. The Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 is a re-interpretation of the phenomenal 1970s model that remains one of the brand’s iconic pieces. Well, if Brad Pitt can waltz around in LA with a yellow gold one slapped on his wrist, you know how on trend this timepiece is.

It follows the classic monobloc tonneau case design and integrated strap. You can buy a Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 at retail for £66,500 and sell it on the secondary market for upwards of £75,000 at the time of writing. Of course, it all starts from the Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921.

As a model launched in 1921 for the American market, the luxury watch is extremely unorthodox with its crown between one and two o’clock and the dial face which is slanted at an angle to allow you to tell the time without having to turn your wrist. You can buy a Vacheron Constantin Historiques aAmerican 1921 at retail for £38,900.

Best Vintage Vacheron Constantin Watches

Vintage timepieces also fare very well under Vacheron Constantin’s name. The Vacheron Constantin King Fuad I was created for the man himself, King Fuad of Egypt in 1929, following their independence from Great Britain in 1929.

Incredibly complicated, the model powers a perpetual calendar and a moon phase/indication, among other elements. If you have a little spare change, you can buy a Vacheron Constantin King Fuad I for just over £2 million. I wonder if they take AMEX…

The very rare models and vintage do exceptionally well. The Vacheron Constantin Kallista is one such model that yields incredible results. Crafted in 1979, this one off piece is encrusted with 118 diamonds which required 6000 hours of work to place them into the timepiece. Are you really shocked that you can buy a Vacheron Constantin Kallista for just under £9 million? We'll take two.

Audemars Piguet

Brief History of Audemars Piguet

Founded in 1875, Audemars Piguet is one of the very few brands that are still owned by the original family making them as original as a Puccini opera. While this may not seem too important, it allows them to be creatively independent and essentially go crazy while firing out their selection of striking models.

Carbon Concept - Source - Sotheby’s

The helm of the Audemars Piguet collection is of course the iconic Royal Oak, a piece designed by legendary creator Gerald Genta in 1972. While we won't expose this collection too soon, it has an evergreen presence in Audemars Piguet’s horological stable.

So just how important are Audemars Piguet? Well, their innovations are endless! From creating the exceptionally thin automatic tourbillon timepiece named the calibre 2870 in 1986 to paving the way for carbon in 2007 by developing the first timepiece which utilises carbon in both the case and movement as seen in the Royal Oak Carbon Concept.

Still developing terrific luxury timepieces today and retro throwbacks including the new Royal Oak Offshore End of Days launch, they also are responsible for Marvel mashups as per the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore “Spider-Man”. Completely skeletonised in a grade 5 titanium case, the white gold Spider-Man figurine stands loud and proud in the centre of the dial. We suppose it would do since each figure takes 50 hours of work each! Capped at 250 pieces, you can buy an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore at retail for around £175,000.

And even creating the world's thinnest automatic perpetual calendar in 2019 - the Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin.

Do Audemars Piguet Watches Hold Their Value?

As the final member of the elusive “Holy Trinity” with Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet models have every chance of doing well in terms of resale.

Titanium Grand Complication - Source - Sotheby’s

Rarer models such as the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Titanium Grand Complication are exceptionally hard to get hold of, but yield fantastic results at retail. Capped at only 3 pieces, this particular titanium model is skeletonised, contains a minute repeater, perpetual calendar plus many more complications.

You can no longer buy an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Titanium Grand Complication at retail due to it being discontinued but it does sell on the secondary market for upwards of £600,000 at the time of writing.

Listen up time peeps. You may have noticed a pattern here… It’s all Royal Oak! As Audemars Piguets most prized collection, even the standard models have every chance of gleaning a phenomenal figure. Again, The Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph in 18K pink gold and the quality Grande Tapisserie dial is a great spokesperson for the collection. You can buy an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph at retail for £65,300 or buy it on the secondary market for upwards of £115,000 at the time of writing.

Maybe, for some unknown reason or if you are up in space with the Speedmaster and the Royal Oak collection doesn’t float your horological boat, how about the avant-garde inspired Code 11:59 which might take your fancy.

In particular, The Code 11:59 Starwheel is a stunning example of this collection. Given a modernised construction of the wandering hours complication as well as two tone white gold and black ceramic casing, the model is as majestic as King Charles on Coronation Day.

You can buy an Audemars Piguet Code 11:59 Starwheel at retail for £49,700 or buy one on the secondary market for around £120,000 at the time of writing.

Best Vintage Audemars Piguet Watches

The vintage models by AP are rather successful too, including Gerald Genta’s very own Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. Dating back to 1978, it’s highly unique due to it featuring a gold bezel on the usual stainless steel construction. You can buy an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ‘Gerald Genta’ for around £1.75 million at the time of writing.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Day Date 25594 was created in 1987 and represents the pinnacle of Haute Horologie and excellent design. Crafted out of yellow gold, the Royal Oak design houses a day, date and a moonphase complication. You can buy an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Day Date 25594 for around £40,000 at the time of writing.

Rolex

Brief History of Rolex

Dating back to 1905, Rolex is one of those luxury brands which puts family first! We doth our cap Mr. Wilsdorf.

Donald Trump sporting the Rolex Day-Date - Source - The Times of Israel

Upon its founder, Hans Wilsdorf’s unfortunate passing in 1960, The Hans Wilsdorf Foundation immediately took over the brand, ensuring the family is involved with the brand in every single stage. On that note, did you know that Rolex have now reached the point where they are almost entirely in-house?

By using their own foundries and materials such as Cerachrom and Everose gold, the brand is able to craft its own timepieces from start to finish, without relying on third parties. How self-sufficient of them!

Not only did they create the first waterproof model named the ‘Oyster’ in 1926, Rolex was the first brand to achieve a Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision in 1910 and a class ‘A’ precision certificate just 4 years later. From former US Presidents like Barack Obama with his Rolex Cellini and Donald Trump’s Rolex Day-Date to the highest celebrity clientele. Take a gander at both Jay-Z and Ed Sheeran’s Rolex collections below. Trust us time peeps, this ain’t fake news.

Jay Z Watch Collection

Daytona 116505
Daytona 116500
Day-Date II 218206
Sky-Dweller 326938

Ed Sheeran Watch Collection

Does Rolex Watches Hold Their Value?

We don’t have to think long and hard about that horological conundrum. Yes, yes and yes again.

Bao Dai - Source - Financial Times

Rolex models are very exclusive, despite the fact they manufacture around 1 million pieces per year. This is due to their cultural prevalence as they are adorned on most celebrities' wrists, their immense brand reputation as a highly regarded yet very difficult to attain timepiece and their exquisite craftsmanship.

A status symbol for many including newbie Gen-Z enthusiasts new to the timekeeping table, Rolex is one of those very rare examples wherein although there are a significant number of models released per year, they still garner incredible waiting lists.

Fearing the strong supply of Rolex’s will impact their ability to hold value? Not to worry, Timelords, they can still certainly hold value! The GMT-Master II collection has all the stunning GMT functions you would expect of a Rolex timepiece.

Meanwhile, The Rolex GMT-Master II 26713GRNR is crafted with the added allure of both the formidable Oyster Steel and desirable precious metal, yellow gold. You can buy a Rolex GMT-Master II 126713GRNR at retail for £13,850 and buy it on the secondary market for upwards of £23,000 at the time of writing.

The classic Rolex Daytona collection is without doubt one of the timekeeping jewels in the brand’s continually glistening crown as king of Swiss models. Due to its strong association with Paul Newman, Daytona watches will always carry great investment potential due to exotic dials found on references 6263 and 6241 among others.

Take a look at the new Rolex Daytona Le Mans which celebrates 100 years of the great racing event and houses a vintage dial with strong Paul Newman inspiration due to its exotic allure. You can buy a Rolex Daytona Le Mans 100th Anniversary at retail for £43,000 from the 1st July.

The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 126509 is one such model which represents what the collection is all about. Sportiness runs through the timepiece's veins in the form of three sub dials and a tachymetric scale that measures speed. Crafted out of white gold, there is genuine air of luxury refinery to this timepiece.

You can buy a Rolex Daytona 126509 at retail for £35,800 whilst you can purchase it on the secondary market for upwards of £40,000 at the time of writing.

Best Vintage Rolex Watches

In particular, the rarer models from Rolex’s portfolio tend to do very well. For example, The Bao Dai is a timepiece which was sold to the last emperor of the Nguyen dynasty in Vietnam in 1954. Suffice to say, it's a timepiece that only the highest echelons of society can get their hands on!

Crafted out of yellow gold and adorned with diamonds on the indices, the timepiece is capped at just 3 pieces. You can buy a Rolex Bao Dai at retail for the modest price of £4 million! Of course, due to Rolex’s strong history, they boast a number of vintage timepieces to drool over. One example is the Rolex Antimagnetique 4113.

Released in 1942, the timepiece represents the only split-seconds chronograph ever released from Rolex. As such, its numbers are low at 12 pieces made, making it extremely desirable. You can buy a Rolex Antimagnetique 4113 for just over £2 million.

Cartier

Brief History of Cartier

For those enthusiasts who know their Cartier, you will have grown to understand that the brand is immensely successful. Two words…Princess Diana.

Rami Malek Cartier Francaise - Source - ELLE Singapore

Founded in 1847, Cartier has built up a luxury empire like no other and a name which is synonymous with wealth, opulence and timelessness. Iconic celebrities who wear Cartier’s luxury watches include;

Mick Jagger, who wears the Cartier Francaise.
Jake Gyllenhall, who has sported a Cartier Santos
Rami Malek (current Cartier ambassador), who adorns a Cartier Francaise.
Royals like Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton who wear the Cartier Francaise and Carter Bleu Ballon respectively. No handbags at dawn, ladies!

As the official purveyor of luxury timepieces to the Royal Family in 1904, Cartier has been able to amass a fortune of around £8 billion according to Forbes. While the brand’s main collection is the highly influential Cartier Santos-Dumont due to it being the first timepieces ever made, Cartier has a heck of a lot more to offer hungry horophiles.

Does Cartier Watches Hold Their Value?

Cartier watches do reasonably well in terms of resale.

Cartier Tank Solo - Source - Collector Square

Cartier, as a brand, are highly respected and have a phenomenal clientbase with mounds of celeb allure, allowing their reputation to be constantly expanded. As such, Cartier has become a symbol of wealth, luxury and prestige over the years, further increasing its desirability.

In addition, the brand has a few models which come into the realms of rarity or being vintage. This means that due to their scarcity, these luxury watches are increasingly desired due to their low numbers.

An example of one such vintage timepiece is the Cartier Tortue Minute Repeater. Deemed to be the only minute repeating timepiece made by Cartier during the Art Deco period, the timepiece was crafted around 1929 and would be sold in 1931. Crafted out of yellow gold and featuring a slide on the left of the case which chimes the gong functions. You can buy a Cartier Tortue Minute Repeater for just £900,000 as shown when it was sold at auction in 2002.

The rare Cartier timepieces also do very well for themselves. The Cartier Phoenix Decor Secret Timepiece is a strong example of extreme rarity correlating to a vast resale, past the hold value. Crafted out of 18K white gold and plated with rhodium, the luxury watch is made out to look just like a Phoenix.

The eyes are made from emeralds and the total diamond count is a mindblowing 3010! With only one model made, you can buy a Cartier Phoenix Decor Secret timepiece for just under £2 million at the time of writing. Think this is the only gem in the Cartier collection? We could spend years regaling about The Cartier Tank and its epic symbolism, inspired by the WWI Renault F-17 machines. More on that in good time.

But what about the quirky Cartier Crash as owned by Kanye West, Tyler the Creator and Jay-Z. This is another wonderful timepiece that is extremely tasteful in its unorthodox slanted design and Salvador Dali style dial. You can buy a Cartier Crash in all its 321 brilliant-cut diamond glory for £147,000 at retail…at the time of writing.

The standard models unfortunately don't fare too well in terms of holding value. The Cartier Santos-Dumont models are one of their biggest collections due to their associations with wealth and strong heritage dating back to 1904 as their first ever wristwatch. You can buy a Cartier Santos Dumont in rose gold and with 52 brilliant cut diamonds for £21,400 at retail but sells on the secondary market for around £16,000 at the time of writing.

Other popular collections like the Cartier Tank, inspired by the Renault F-17 design as seen on the battlefields in 1917, tend to be designed to look just like the birds eye view of a tank. Unfortunately, just like the Cartier Santos-Dumont, the Cartier Tank performs in much the same way.

You can buy a Cartier Tank in a steel case and with the typical ‘brancards’ construction for £4,500. It sells on the secondary market for just under £4,000 at the time of writing meaning slightly diminished value, unlike vintage Cartier’s luxury watches. Own one of these babies and you captured a moment in time.

Best Vintage Cartier Watches

Vintage Cartier watches cannot be overstated enough in terms of value. Take for example the Cartier Cloche. Featuring a peculiar case construction with an even stranger dial design, the earliest release date was the 1920’s.

If you find a model pertaining to the 1920’s chances are you can buy a Cartier Cloche for upwards of £200,000. That’s not all. The Cartier Cristallor Jumbo is another example of a watch that time has treated very nicely.

The layered case in either yellow or white gold enhances its luxury and its size covers the petite lugs, allowing for the watch to have a seamless, ‘stamped on’ design. Created during the mid 1970s and stopped during the 1980s you can buy a Cartier Cristallor Jumbo for around £7,000 at the time of writing.

Jaeger-LeCoultre

Brief History of Jaeger-LeCoultre

Founded in 1833, Jaeger-LeCoultre was and has had a somewhat fascinating yet eclectic history to date.

Hybris Mechanica à Grande Sonnerie - Source - One Million Pound Blog

In its initial phase, the brand was the first to start meddling about with complication and calibres, eventually uniting the two in 1866. By 1891, the chronograph and minute repeater complications would eventually be combined into a double complication calibre. It sure does take two baby!

This set the perfect scene for Jaeger-LeCoultre's advancements into the ‘Grande Complications’, or those calibres which featured 3 or more complications. Lest we mention the absolutely stunning Hybris Mechanica à Grande Sonnerie, released in 2009 which featured 26 impressive complications?

The movements became smaller than Donald Trump’s net worth, eventually resulting in the Swiss powerhouse releasing the world's thinnest movement, the calibre 145, at a mere 1.38mm thick in 1907. JLC has since been associated with those from the past like Charlie Chaplin and Pablo Picasso, to the names we know and love today like Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert Downey Jr.

Oh and then there’s the interesting hook up with rock star Lenny Kravitz as their new 2023 brand ambassador. We told you they were quirky. It’s probably best that we also mention that they were on the wrist of Queen Elizabeth II and Edward VIII by the way!

Do Jaeger-LeCoultre Watches Hold Their Value?

Jaeger-LeCoultre timepieces have strong associations with celebrity clientele as well as a rich history and exquisite craftsmanship to support their horological case. Aside from their physical timepieces, they have the honour of being the only brand to produce ebauche movements for “Holy Trinity” members, Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet.

Source - Jaeger-LeCoultre - Gyrotourbillon Multi-Axis

Jaeger-LeCoultre novelties are subject to an immense amount of hours and quality control. This relates to the standard of the movements and the high level of design that goes into each timepiece. Bringing it back to the Hybris Mechanica à Grande Sonnerie, this novelty has every component hand crafted by artists in Atelier Des Métiers Rares, even down to the micro-painting and enamelling.

As per every horological brand, the rarer and older models tend to perform better in terms of the piece attempting to hold value. And don’t forget that old adage of supply and demand. Take for example the very rare Jaeger-LeCoultre Gyrotourbillon I. As the first ever multi-axis tourbillon, this luxury watch counteracts gravity to an astonishing degree, ensuring precision all the time.

The timepiece itself looks svelte while its avant-garde construction features a partially skeletonised tourbillon and small dial face between 12 and 1 o’clock. With 75 pieces released upon its debut in 2004 and 20 models released annually from that point onwards, the model is extremely rare. You can buy a Jaeger-LeCoultre like this at retail for around £320,000 at the time of writing.

Vintage watches perform just as well. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso is one of the brand's main selling points. The Reverso was crafted in 1931 for British soldiers who wanted to play polo in India without breaking their beloved models. As such, the brand cleverly introduced a mechanism which allowed the timepiece dial to be turned on its back, thus protecting the dial's face from completely shattering.

With such an ingenious concept, in 1947, a model was made out of steel with a red lacquered dial. You can buy a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso for around £33,605 as that's the value it was sold for at auction in Geneva in 2012. It must be noted that just like Cartier, the standard models do not perform as well as their rarer counterparts. Take for example the very same Reverso collection.

The Reverso Classic Monoface is crafted out of stainless steel and features a striking blue leather strap and follows the same construction as the Reverso’s of the past. Although, you can buy a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Classic Monoface at retail for £6,550, it yields an average value of just under £5,000 on the secondary market which means it doesn't hold value too well.

Other collections outside of the Reverso follow the same trends. The Master Ultra Thin collection conjoins classic complications with a timeless refinement in the form of stunning design in clean lines and elongated hour markers.

The Master Ultra Thin Small Seconds is crafted out of pink gold and is set with 60 diamonds on its bezel. You can buy a Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Small Seconds at retail for £25,500 but can buy it on the secondary market for just under £20,000 at the time of writing.

It’s not all doom and gloom however. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Memovox Timer is one such timepiece which has the potential to be a solid investment piece. Capped at 100 pieces, the timepiece harks to its original 1950 release.

Designed with stunning concentric circles on the dial with the timer at the epicentre, keep your eyes and ears peeled for the red hand which indicates how long is left until the alarm sounds.

Why not go nuts and try and source a Calibre 101? As such a revered piece, it was gifted to Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 as a celebration of her 60th anniversary on the throne. Deemed to be the smallest calibre for almost a century. The ‘Snowdrop’ edition features 904 diamonds and is harder to get your hands on than the Roadrunner! You can buy a Jaeger-LeCoultre on the secondary market for upwards of £320,000 at the time of writing.

What Is The Rarest Jaeger-LeCoultre Watch?

The luxury watch that instantly springs into our minds is the Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox 3161. Crafted out of platinum as opposed to its steel counterparts, and given the highly collectable alarm complication, the timepiece is as unique as it is classy. Circular in design and styled up with a platinum bracelet, this piece shines with the glory of Haute Horologie!

Its nickname is the ‘Voice of Memory’. First released in 1950, it represented the most reliable alarm watch at that period of time. Complemented with two separate crowns, the user could set the alarm without having to alter the general timekeeping.

While the limited edition nature of the luxury watch is unconfirmed, you can buy a Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox 3161 on the secondary market for around £50,000 at the time of writing.

Breitling

Brief History of Breitling

Founded in 1884, Breitling has been pumping out the good stuff to us horological fiends!

US Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association - Source - AOPA

From creating the whole concept of a chronograph timepiece with pushers to stop, reset and instantly start the time again in the early 19th century, Breitling have continued literally pushing onwards with their watchmaking innovations.

With the fabulous Navitimer collection released in 1952, it quickly became the timepiece which every pilot adorned due to its associations with the US Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association in 1952, utilising the legendary slide rule bezel.

This allowed for quick calculations such as fuel consumption and distance until landing. Breitling would release the first ever automatic chronograph in 1969, continuing their tireless pursuit of the next invention.

Do Breitling Watches Hold Their Value?

In comparison to other brands like Rolex and Audemars Piguet, Breitling are nowhere near the level of resale return. We can only say they are the equivalent of buying a new car and taking it off the showroom forecourt…it instantly does not hold value, even before you have turned the ignition on or pushed that chronograph button. We estimate the diminished value to be in the region of 10%-30% depending on the model.

This is predominantly due to Breitling not having the same levels of exclusivity and high quality as their horological counterparts. That does not mean, however, that Breitling offers the capability of releasing some more expensive, sought after or limited edition luxury watches.

Breitling Cockpit B50 Orbiter - Source - Breitling

The rarer watches tend to perform the best in Breitling’s timekeeping portfolio. For example, The Breitling Cockpit B50 Orbiter epitomises Breitling’s rarer timepieces. Released to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Round The World Balloon Quest as performed by Breitling sponsored Betrand Piccard, the model is capped at 213 pieces as an ode to the number of days the trip took.

You can buy a Breitling Cockpit B50 Obiter at retail for £6,740 and buy it on the secondary market for upwards of £8,000, showing how the timepieces do hold value. This isn't the only example either. The Breitling Bentley Flying B J28362 is a great example of two brands coming together and releasing a quality collab. Crafted out of white gold and adorning a dazzling diamond bezel, this timepiece is capped at 50 pieces. You can buy a Breitling Bentley Flying B J28362 for around £250,000 at the time of writing.

Star power alert! Breitling also have their pieces strapped around Prince Harry’s wrist. The Breitling Aerospace is a luxury watch with strong military heritage and relates personally to Prince Harry. His model features an attack helicopter at 3 o’clock and the Army Air Corps Wings at 9 o’clock and was granted to him by the military for his courageous service as a combat pilot of an Apache helicopter. You can no longer buy a Breitling Aerospace at retail due to them being discontinued.

Breitling’s standard models do not perform as well as their rarer variations. While they are still good timepieces, you can expect to lose at least 10%-30% of your watches value the moment you buy a Breitling at retail. Sadly, this is the watchmaking business and not all pieces hold their value.

Some models which are fresh off the horological press like the 2023 Top Time B01 Ford Mustang do potentially have the chance of yielding good figures. Its association with the famous sports car and strong green dial means you can buy a Breitling Top Time B01 Ford Mustang at retail for £6,250 and buy it on the secondary market for around £6,500 - at the time of writing.

This isn't indicative of all new models, however. You can get your hands on a Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 with an 18K rose gold case and brown alligator leather strap at retail for £16,600. However, you can buy a Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 on the secondary market for around £13,000 at the time of writing.

The Navitimer Automatic 41mm is a boutique edition and is crafted out of 18K red gold and has a premium brown alligator strap. Even with the Navitimer’s phenomenal heritage, you can buy a Breitling Automatic 41mm at retail for £11,950 but on the secondary market it is around £10,000…at the time of writing.

Best Vintage Breitling Watches

The Breitling SuperOcean 1004 is a classic option for high quality Breitling vintage luxury watches. Appearing from the 1950s, the 1004 SuperOcean was the first reference that brought forth the spectacular SuperOcean collection. You can buy a Breitling Superocean 1004 for around £20,000 at the time of writing.

The Breitling ChronoMatic 2110 was one of the first references to get their fingers on the calibre 11, a project which was initially a joint effort between TAG Heuer and Breitling. Given orange hands, the automatic calibre and excellent dial legibility allows this 1970s piece to shine. You can buy a Breitling Chronomatic 2110 on the secondary market for around £4,000 at the time of writing.

Omega

Brief History of Omega

Established in 1848, Omega has gone on to achieve fame and success, cementing their place in time as a pop icon and as one of the most popular luxury watches for men. Although 2023 may go down in timekeeping history as an annus horribilis.

This follows the Frankenstein watch which appeared at auction. Named the 1957 Speedmaster “Broad Arrow”, it was auctioned in November 2021 with a guide price of around £70,000 to £105,000. Suffice to say, it blew the guide open and sold for around a whopping £2.75 million, bought by Omega themselves.

It was confirmed this year that the timepiece is a “Frankenstein” and was created from a mixture of different vintage parts. A plot was allegedly cultivated by members of the Omega Museum and the brand heritage department, Omega has been ransacked by its own staff! An investigation will no doubt ensue but watch this space.

Buzz Aldrin wearing the Omega Speedmaster - Source - Luxeferity

Omega has a clientele and a pop culture following that is unparalleled when compared to other brands. From being the first timepiece on the moon with the Omega Speedmaster on Buzz Aldrin’s wrist to its associations with James Bond since 1995, Omega’s name is plastered all over some of the biggest events and cultural references in most folks' lifetimes.

Of course, they couldn't have attained any of this if it wasn't for a little magic behind the scenes. From partnering with Audemars Piguet in 1892 to create the first minute repeating wristwatch to creating the world's first movement with magnetic resistance of over 15,000 gauss (take that, Rolex Milgauss!) Omega has put in a lot of leg work to be linked with these highly impressive horological feats.

Does Omega Watches Hold Their Value?

Omega is an exceptional brand with an even better track record of releasing luxury watches which have boomed in value. Take for example the 7,007 piece limited edition Omega Seamaster 300 SPECTRE, which you can buy from upwards of £8,000 on the secondary market.

How about the 2,012 piece Omega Speedmaster “Speedy Tuesday” which you can buy from upwards of £13,000 on the secondary market. This does not mean however that their standard models yield such impressive results.

Omega is estimated to produce 500,000 luxury watches per year which is rather sizable. While Omega are pretty desirable for many would-be collectors and enthusiasts, they don't attract the same pull as the major luxury big boys like Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe. As such, they do not hold value as well as them.

Omega Constellation Baguette - Source - TimeZone Forum

Omega’s rare models do exceptionally well, however, like The Omega Constellation Baguette. Dolled up with 459 Top Wesselton diamonds which are invisibly set into an 18K white gold case and bezel, the luxury watch even features a diamond star at 6 o’clock on the dial. You can buy an Omega Constellation Baguette for around £650,000 at the time of writing.

There are some standard models which do well upon resale. The Omega Speedmaster “Silver Snoopy Award” 50th Anniversary retails for £9,800 but you can buy it on the secondary market for upwards of £16,500 at the time of writing meaning it holds value exceptionally well.

While these rare luxury watches do yield sublime resale figures, the standard watches are not so profitable. The popular Seamaster collection represents the zenith of Omega’s dive watches. The Omega Seamaster 300m dates back to 1993 and is crafted with a black ceramic bezel and stainless steel construction.

You can buy an Omega Seamaster 300m Co-Axial Master Chronometer at retail for £5,500 but it is around £4,000 at the time of writing on the secondary market. Even if we venture to the extremely well known Speedmaster collection, the results tend to be pretty much the same.

The Moonwatch Professional has a heritage which relates to being on the moon on all six landings. It features hesalite glass on the front and a classic Seahorse emblem on the case back. You can buy an Omega Speedmaster at retail for £6,400 but buy it on the secondary market for around £5,000. However, vintage Omega models that perk many enthusiasts' interests include The Speedmaster 105.003 “Ed White” which you can buy on the secondary market for around £13,000 and The Speedmaster CK 2998 which sells for around £25,000 for the model stretching back to 1959.

Moonswatch

And then there’s the infamous Moonswatch. Where do we begin? The queues, the full moon, the hordes of flasks and tents.

Combining both the innovative minds of Omega and Swatch, the Speedmaster chronograph has seen a delightful update to its classical design. All of the timepieces are crafted out of bioceramic which blends durability with style.

With a deluge of models all pertaining to the ideas of space, you can find yourself on a ‘Mission to Mercury’ or even a ‘Mission to the Sun’. Remember to pack your sunscreen! Feeling blue? Get to Neptune. Got white on your mind? Get to Pluto! Each planet links directly to the colour of the timepiece.

At the time of the latest 2023 Omega Swatch Mission To Moon Watch Gold, secondary prices surged to six times past the original retail value of £250. All that was changed was the seconds hand in a stunning coating of Omega’s very own 18k gold alloy. They have further developed on this, releasing the pink lume edition, released as the Mission to Moonshine Gold: Pink Full Moon.

It offers a pink coloured lume tip on the second hands, indicating that each luxury watch was made under the pink full moon in April… very spooky, Timelords. You can buy the Mission to Moonshine Gold: Pink Full Moon at retail for £250. If you can find one.

Simply put, don't sleep on the Moonswatch. From celebrity collaborations with folks like Ed Sheeran and the good old laws of supply and demand, the Moonswatch has propelled itself into economic history, with Morgan Stanely stating that the Moonswatch may have provided more than £103 million in revenue within twelve months. Crikey!

The Best Vintage Omega Watches

Omega Flightmaster 145.013 Gold - Created around 1969, the piece has jolts of green, blue and red throughout. Its unique case design with its bulbous case is certainly a talking point. Only 120 pieces are made out of gold on the case and bracelet. You can buy an Omega Flightmaster 145.013 on the secondary market for almost £30,000.

With such an eclectic history, it only makes sense that they have a number of vintage models! The Omega H6582/D96043 is another timepiece which has the history and rarity factor. Previously owned by Elvis Presley and retailed by Tiffany & Co, the timepiece has ‘Tiffany & Co’ referenced on the dial and is crafted out of white gold with a diamond set bezel.

You can buy an Omega H682/D96043 for £1.65 million as shown at a Philipps auction in 2018.

TAG Heuer

Brief History of TAG Heuer

Founded in 1860, TAG Heuer has been highly influential on the world of luxury watches through their energetic spirit, racing heritage and robust novelties that have stood the test of time.

Mikrograph - Source - Jewellery Editor

Creating the oscillating pinion in 1887, it essentially allowed push buttons to engage and disengage the chronograph start or stop functions. Every time you see a chronograph with pushers, remember TAG Heuer.

TAG Heuer would release the Mikograph in 1916 which was the first stopwatch with a great accuracy of 1/100 of a second. Talk about precision. In 1963, the legendary Carrera collection would be released, representing the turn from TAG Heuer towards motorsport themed watches.

Does TAG Heuer Watches Hold Value?

TAG Heuer crafts about 400,000 luxury watches a year which is quite a lot given the levels of demand the timepiece encounters.

The TAG Heuer Mikrogirder 2000 - Source - Flickr

Don't get us wrong, TAG Heuer is a worthwhile brand and resides with the best in the business. Unfortunately, their competitors like Rolex and Vacheron Constantin are just far too iconic and successful for TAG Heuer to reach the same level of demand as opposed to supply. Don’t let your heads drop too fast, Timelords. They still have some watches which perform well at resale!

We’ve mentioned that TAG Heuer pride themselves on speed, right? The TAG Heuer Mikrogirder 2000 beats at a truly astonishing 1/2'000th of a second. For some context, the average tempo of a timepiece is 4Hz. This bad boy is pulling 1000Hz! By utilising 10 patents in the movement, the timepiece is a speed freak, we love it! You can buy a TAG Heuer Mikrogirder 2000 for around £100,000 at the time of writing.

The Monaco defines TAG Heuer’s highly revered collections. Steve McQueen and all. Originally released in 1969, it has come a long way since its classic square shape and dual square sub dial build. In fact, it's come such a long way that concept versions of the collection have started to be released! The TAG Heuer Monaco V4 was released to the public in 2009.

The timepiece took apart the common construction of mechanical movements, replacing it with driving belts and ball-bearings rather than standard wheels and other components found in ‘normal’ watches. This showed TAG Heuer’s dynamic thinking in creating movements outside of the norm. What’s our view? This timepiece looks nuts! Capped at 200 pieces, you can buy a TAG Heuer Monaco V4 for around £60,000 at the time of writing.

The standard watches, while obviously very well crafted, do not have the same allure as these rarer timepieces. Recently released at Watches and Wonders 2023, the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph is part of the racing inspired Carrera collection. Given striking smatterings of colour on the gradient ring to counteract the deep blue dial, the timepiece looks stunning and runs like a dream due to its 80 hour power reserve and 4Hz beat.

While you can buy a TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph at retail for £5,000 you can buy it on the secondary market for around £4,500 at the time of writing. This trend follows across all the collections, even the beloved Monaco. The TAG Heuer Monaco Automatic Chronograph is designed exactly like its square-faced predecessor.

Built with the fantastic Heuer 02 movement, these watches have a strong power reserve of 80 hours and a speedy beat of 4Hz. You can buy a TAG Heuer Monaco at retail for £6,500 or buy it on the secondary market for around £4,700 at the time of writing.

The rarer TAG Heuer models do quite well upon resale. A one off red Silverstone Calibre 11 Chronograph with its vintage TAG Heuer logo and Jack Heuer signature marks the 150th anniversary of TAG Heuer in 2010. It promptly sold at a Bonhams auction for £12,000.

The TAG Heuer Carrera Red Dial Calibre Heuer 02 is capped at 600 pieces and follows the design codes of its Carrera predecessors. Its classic circular case and domed sapphire relate to the prestige of the collection. You can buy a TAG Heuer Carrera Red dial at retail for £5,900 and sell it on the secondary market for around £7,000.

Best Vintage TAG-Heuer Watches

There is a multitude of solid options to choose from when you are looking for a vintage TAG-Heuer.

TAG Heuer Monaco 1133B - Made famous by Steve Mcqueen when he wore it on the set of Le Mans and just an all round beauty of a timepiece. You can buy a TAG Heuer Monaco 1133B on the secondary market for around £30,000.

TAG Heuer Carrera 1553S McLaren World Champions 1974. Capped at 10 pieces and given to the senior pit crew during the 1974 Formula 1. You can buy a TAG Heuer Carrera 1553S on the secondary market for around £15,000.

TAG Heuer Complete Calendar Chronograph 2543. One of the most advanced watches of its time, the watch was highly influential for the Carrera which would arrive in 1963. You can buy a TAG Heuer Complete Calendar Chronograph 2543 on the secondary market for around £6,000.

Richard Mille

Brief History of Richard Mille

Richard Mille are the new kids on the block since their foundation in 2001.

Bubba Watson RM038 - Source - USA Today/Reuters

Just as big as an Oasis reunion, Richard Mille stormed the horological gates, releasing several quirky watches which wouldn't look out of place at a Blue Man group live show. The subsequent timepieces have achieved astonishing feats of success. Take for example the RM 031 which has an incredible frequency of 36,000VpH and an accuracy of up to 30 seconds per month.

Not enough? How about the Rafael Nadal Tourbillonwhich was capped at 50 pieces and became the lightest tourbillon ever made upon its release in 2013. Take a gander at the RM 27-03 for a timepiece which can withstand 10,000g of force due to its Carbon TPT construction. It’s absolutely immense!

Do Richard Mille Watches Hold Their Value?

With a yearly output of just 5000 watches, Richard Mille is unbelievably exclusive.

RM11-03 McLaren - Source - ArtJewelleryWatches

With clientele featuring all manner of sporting greats like Bubba Watson and Rafael Nadal, to celebrity clientele like Pharell Williams, Kevin Hart and Terry Crews, the desirability is shared amongst people all over the wealth spectrum! They’ve become so associated with the exorbitantly wealthy that the wearers are nicknamed the ‘Billionaire’s Handshake’. Now how do we get into that club?

By having such low production numbers, the watches are instantly rare in their own regard and sell out instantaneously or dropped into the waiting hands of the glitterati. However, there are some models which actually are deemed to be ‘limited edition’.

The RM11-03 McLaren is one such model. Released in 2018, the timepiece is crafted from Carbon TPT which offers extreme lightweight properties and relates to the racing industries. It is given orange tinges that are closely associated with the McLaren racing colours.

Limited to 500 pieces, you can no longer buy a Richard Mille RM11-03 due to it being discontinued. You can buy it on the secondary market for around £475,000 at the time of writing. Even the ‘cheaper’ (in huge quotations) sells for incredible figures.

The Richard Mille 016 is an automatic, extra flat timepiece that is fitted with all the latest tech and materials associated with Richard Mille. From the case being crafted from grade 5 titanium which has been treated with Titalyt to the extremely thin construction of the piece, its description has enough scientific terminology to fill a textbook.

Yes, Richard Mille. We know that your timepieces are brilliant! You can buy a Richard Mille 016 for around £55,000 at retail and sell on the secondary market for around £70,000 at the time of writing.

The RM030 is another timepiece that represents the zenith of Richard Mille’s technological advances. Crafted out of grade 5 titanium, the watch is capable of 50 hours power reserve and running at a hardy 28,800VpH. This is due to the INCABLOC shock protection as well as the elinvar by Nivarox balance spring which ensures the timepiece's stability.

You can buy a Richard Mille RM030 on the secondary market for upwards of £180,000 at the time of writing.

Conclusion

Time’s up. We’ve run through the top 10 luxury brands that we think have the potential to make your wallet very happy! Of course, actually getting these watches is easier said than done but we digress…

From the exceptionally avant-garde pieces from Richard Mille to the stunning classicism of Vacheron Constantin, these are the brands which have the potential to yield phenomenal results upon resale.

It must be noted however that if you want to get the best out of your investment, it may be worth looking into timepieces which are either rare or vintage. Now you’re asking, our top vintage picks include The Breitling Navitimer 806 which links back to the 1960s, The Zenith El Primero which spans the 70s through to the 90s, The TAG Heuer Autavia and The Omega Seamaster 600 ProProf, created in the late 60s.

Oh, and then of course there’s the highly coveted Daytona and its epic association with Paul Newman. The scarcity element plays a pivotal role, making them more desirable to the collector or enthusiast. After all, everyone likes something to make them feel unique.

As mentioned, not all of these brands will hold such fantastic resale values across the board. TAG Heuer and Omega are superb brands but will never reach the resale numbers of say Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe.

That’s one of the sad facts of horology. Nevertheless, get your hands on a rarer model and you may be in with a shout!

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