Pre-owned Luxury Watches Market – Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Type (Automatic, Manual), By Distribution Channel (Online, Offline), By Region & Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 27.84 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	9.45%
Fastest Growing Segment	Online
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 47.87 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Pre-owned Luxury Watches Market will grow from USD 27.84 Billion in 2025 to USD 47.87 Billion by 2031 at a 9.45% CAGR. The global pre-owned luxury watches market is defined as the secondary trading ecosystem for high-end timepieces, encompassing the purchase and sale of previously owned models ranging from vintage collectibles to recent releases through auction houses, online platforms, and specialized dealers. The expansion of this sector is fundamentally supported by the rising consumer prioritization of the circular economy and the recognition of horological assets as investment vehicles capable of retaining value. This secondary liquidity is heavily reliant on the primary market's production; according to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, in 2024, the industry recorded a total export value of 25.9 billion Swiss francs, ensuring a continuous influx of high-value inventory into the resale ecosystem.

A significant challenge that could impede further market expansion is the prevalence of sophisticated counterfeit goods, which undermines consumer trust and necessitates rigorous, costly authentication processes. The lack of a unified, industry-wide standardization for verifying provenance and condition creates friction in transaction efficiency, effectively limiting the speed at which institutional capital can enter this asset class.

Key Market Drivers

Supply constraints and extended waitlists in the primary retail market act as the fundamental catalyst propelling the global pre-owned luxury watches market. With authorized dealers frequently unable to fulfill sustained demand for sought-after models from major brands, consumers are compelled to utilize pre-owned channels to bypass multi-year waiting periods. This inventory scarcity effectively establishes the secondary ecosystem as the primary access point for immediate acquisition, drastically increasing turnover velocity and validating premium pricing structures. According to the Watches of Switzerland Group PLC, June 2024, in the 'Preliminary Results for the 52 Weeks Ended 28 April 2024', the retailer reported that revenue from its pre-owned category doubled year-on-year during the fourth quarter, reflecting this structural shift in consumer procurement channels toward the secondary market.

Simultaneously, the rising perception of watches as alternative investment assets has solidified the sector's financial legitimacy. Investors increasingly view high-provenance timepieces as tangible stores of value capable of portfolio diversification distinct from traditional equities. This confidence is evidenced by the robust liquidity observed in high-value auction environments, where rare assets command significant capital. According to Phillips, May 2024, in the press release for 'The Geneva Watch Auction: XIX', the event realized a total sales value of approximately 36 million Swiss francs, confirming the continued capital allocation toward investment-grade horology. Moreover, buyers are strategically identifying value beyond traditional leaders to optimize returns; according to Bloomberg, in 2024, data from the Subdial Watch Index indicated that Cartier models appreciated by 2.4% over the prior year, demonstrating how asset performance metrics are directly influencing purchasing behaviors.

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Key Market Challenges

The prevalence of counterfeit goods and the absence of uniform authentication standards constitute a substantial impediment to the expansion of the global pre-owned luxury watches market. This issue creates significant market friction, as the constant risk of acquiring fraudulent assets compels dealers and trading platforms to implement rigorous, capital-intensive verification procedures for every transaction. These elevated operational costs directly erode profit margins and reduce the velocity of trade, effectively discouraging institutional investors who demand efficiency and absolute certainty regarding asset provenance before committing capital.

The magnitude of this illicit activity fundamentally undermines consumer confidence and distorts valuation mechanisms within the secondary ecosystem. The saturation of high-quality fakes necessitates slower processing times, thereby limiting the market's liquidity. According to the 'Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry', in '2024', targeted anti-counterfeiting operations in specific high-demand regions resulted in the seizure of over 130,000 counterfeit Swiss watches, illustrating the massive volume of fraudulent inventory attempting to infiltrate the supply chain. As long as this uncertainty persists, the market struggles to transition from a niche collector activity to a fully matured financial asset class.

Key Market Trends

The Proliferation of Brand-Authorized Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Programs is fundamentally altering the market structure by shifting trust and revenue control back to manufacturers. Luxury maisons are increasingly bypassing third-party dealers to offer authenticated inventory directly, addressing the consumer need for provenance in a landscape traditionally plagued by verification risks. This vertical integration allows brands to command significant premiums over the grey market by leveraging their official warranty and servicing capabilities, effectively bifurcating the market into "certified" and "standard" pre-owned tiers. According to WatchPro, January 2025, in the 'Rolex CPO Programme Keeps Growing And Prices Are Coming Down' article, the brand's network of approved retail partners expanded quadruply from 25 to 107 worldwide during 2024. This aggressive expansion validates the commercial viability of manufacturer-led resale channels, forcing independent dealers to compete on price or specialized inventory while establishing a new, higher pricing baseline for investment-grade assets.

Accelerating Market Entry of Gen Z and Millennial Consumers is reshaping demand patterns, driving a departure from traditional sports models toward smaller, design-centric timepieces. These younger cohorts view watches as vehicles for individual expression rather than just status symbols, heavily utilizing digital platforms for discovery and transaction. This demographic shift is rapidly elevating specific non-traditional categories, particularly dress watches and neo-vintage styles, which were previously overlooked by older collectors in favor of larger tool watches. According to Chrono24, October 2025, in the 'New Chrono24-Fratello Report: Gen Z Disrupts Secondary Watch Market', Cartier’s share of total purchases among Gen Z consumers increased four-fold from 1.7% to 6.8% over the last seven years, significantly outpacing the brand's overall market growth. Such data indicates that the purchasing power of younger buyers is now sufficient to dictate broader asset performance trends, compelling vendors to diversify inventory beyond the standard market leaders.

Segmental Insights

The Online segment is currently recognized as the fastest-growing category within the Global Pre-owned Luxury Watches Market, driven by the rapid professionalization of digital marketplaces. This expansion is primarily attributed to the widespread implementation of rigorous authentication services and Certified Pre-Owned programs, which effectively mitigate consumer risks associated with counterfeit products. Furthermore, digital platforms offer superior transparency regarding pricing history and condition reports, fostering higher trust levels compared to unorganized offline channels. Consequently, collectors are increasingly shifting toward online venues to access a broader global inventory of rare timepieces within a secure and verified transaction environment.

Regional Insights

North America maintains the leading position in the global pre-owned luxury watches market, driven primarily by high disposable income and a robust e-commerce infrastructure. The region benefits from a mature digital marketplace where major platforms offer certified authentication, which is essential for building consumer trust in secondhand transactions. Furthermore, the United States fosters a strong culture of collecting timepieces as alternative investment assets. This combination of economic stability, secure online retail channels, and sustained demand for high-value goods secures North America’s dominance in the sector.

Recent Developments

• In June 2024, eBay expanded its luxury consignment service to include high-end watches, building on the program's initial success with designer handbags. The global commerce platform partnered with a specialized luxury goods seller to offer a white-glove service that handles the entire selling process, from photography and pricing to listing and shipping. This move was designed to encourage casual sellers to consign their luxury timepieces by providing a streamlined, trustworthy, and professional selling experience. By broadening the eligible categories for consignment, the marketplace aimed to increase the volume of authenticated, high-quality pre-owned inventory available to its buyers and further solidify its position in the circular luxury economy.
• In May 2024, the Watches of Switzerland Group reported that its sales of pre-owned timepieces had doubled in the fourth fiscal quarter compared to the previous year. The UK-based retailer highlighted exceptional performance in the United States, where the market for certified pre-owned luxury watches continued to show strong momentum. The company’s Chief Executive Officer noted that the pre-owned category was a key driver of growth, helping to offset softer demand in other regions. This surge in sales was attributed to the successful rollout and expansion of the retailer's certified pre-owned programs, which have increasingly attracted customers seeking authenticity and quality assurance in the secondary market.
• In March 2024, The 1916 Company, a prominent luxury watch and jewelry retailer formed from the merger of a major pre-owned platform and several authorized jewelers, announced a significant retail expansion. The company revealed plans to open new showrooms in key locations such as Baltimore and Philadelphia, aiming to create dedicated spaces for collectors to engage with both new and collectible pre-owned timepieces. This initiative was part of a broader strategy to unify its digital and physical presence, providing clients with a seamless experience for buying, selling, and trading high-value watches. The expansion underscored the retailer's commitment to combining authorized dealership standards with a robust secondary market offering.
• In January 2024, Chrono24, a leading global online marketplace for luxury watches, appointed a new Chief Executive Officer to guide the company through its next phase of expansion. The new leader, who previously held a senior executive role at a major European fashion e-commerce platform, succeeded the company's co-founders as they transitioned to board positions. This strategic leadership change was implemented to leverage the incoming executive's extensive experience in scaling digital marketplaces and to drive further innovation in the pre-owned sector. The company emphasized that this transition would strengthen its ability to serve its growing community of watch enthusiasts and professional dealers worldwide.

Key Market Players

• Chrono24 GmbH
• WatchBox Holdings US, Inc.
• eBay Inc.
• CME International, LLC dba
• Crown & Caliber LLC
• Watchfinder.co.uk Limited
• TrueFacet, LLC
• Govberg LLC
• The Watch Club Limited
• Watches of Switzerland Group

By Type	By Distribution Channel	By Region
Automatic Manual	Online Offline	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Pre-owned Luxury Watches Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Pre-owned Luxury Watches Market, By Type:

• Automatic
• Manual

• Pre-owned Luxury Watches Market, By Distribution Channel:

• Online
• Offline

• Pre-owned Luxury Watches Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE