Leading watch brands based on return on investment value 2021

A Rolex could accrue almost half as much its original retail price for its owner, according to a recent research looking into the investment value of luxury timepieces. The U.S. brand Timex and Swiss watchmakers Rolex were the most valuable luxury watch brands based on their average price premium. The source defined average premium as “a measure of how much more a new, unworn item currently sells for, as compared to its original retail price”.

Rolex and the Swiss watch industry

Other than Rolex, many other Swiss watch brands, such as IWC and Omega, emerged as good investment pieces. The Swiss watch industry is known for its unprecedented excellence and heritage, and Rolex is its crown jewel, with the highest market share in 2020. The brand value of Rolex is not bound by its industry either: in 2021, the Swiss watch company was among the most valuable luxury brands, among which were Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Gucci.

Luxury watch exports

Swiss watchmakers are matchless when it comes to providing the world with some of the most recognizable and valuable timepieces. In 2020, Switzerland was the leading exporter of watches in terms of value, with 18.2 billion U.S. dollars worth of exports. Over the past decade, the value of Swiss watch exports was generally stable, but the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic meant that the industry saw one its worst perfoming years in exports in 2020.