2025 Watch Market Review: Stability Returns, Speculation Fades, and "Elegance" Becomes the New Driver of Growth

1. Design Shift: "Dressy" aesthetics outperform sport models; Rectangular cases (+9.3%) and Champagne dials (+7.9%) see sharpest rise.
2. Brand Performance: Vacheron Constantin (+13.4%) dominates high-end growth; IWC (+14.4%) stages a massive comeback.
3. Market Stability: Rolex volume normalizes (-3.3%), signaling a healthier, collector-driven market.
4. Regional Strength: US market prices show resilience with a +8.43% increase year-over-year; Europe remains steady (+0.28%).

Karlsruhe, Germany (Feb 2, 2026) – The global luxury watch market has successfully transitioned from a volatility-driven asset class to a stable, collector-focused economy. Chrono24, the world’s leading marketplace for luxury watches, today released its 2025 Market Recap. Based on data from millions of transactions, the report confirms a decisive shift in collector's focus: While sport models remain a volume pillar, the dynamic growth is moving beyond the pure tool-watch aesthetic toward sophisticated, elegant design.

1. The "Elegance" Data Points

In 2025, collectors moved away from the "bigger is better" trend. The data shows a clear preference for refinement over ruggedness:

• Shape Matters: Demand for rectangular case shapes increased by 9.3% compared to 2024, challenging the ubiquity of round designs.
• Color Palette Shift: While standard blue and black dials remained flat, "jewelry-adjacent" colors surged. Green dials (+9.5%), Champagne (+7.9%), and Gold (+6.5%) were the fastest-growing attributes, indicating watches are increasingly viewed as style statements.
• Classic Complications: The moon phase saw a 15.3% surge in popularity – a clear sign that mechanical details are once again being valued for their aesthetic appeal rather than just pure functionality.
• The "Dress" Anchor: Cartier capitalized on this trend with 8.3% YoY growth, driven not by new releases, but by sustained demand for the classic Santos and Tank silhouettes.

2. Winners in High-End & Mid-Luxury

While the broader market stabilized, specific heritage brands saw double-digit breakouts:

• High-End Winner: Vacheron Constantin outperformed its "Holy Trinity" rivals (Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet) with a 13.4% growth in market share. The Overseas collection alone surged by 17.3%, successfully capturing the demand for versatile luxury.
• Comeback of the Year: IWC recorded a 14.4% increase, largely fueled by the Pilot’s (+10.0%) and Ingenieur’s (+90.9%) watch collections. This double-digit swing suggests a renewed appreciation for engineering-focused heritage brands that offer availability without excessive premiums.
• The Consistent Performer: Tudor continued its expansion with 8.7% growth, validating its strategy with the Black Bay line as the go-to option in the <$5k segment.

3. The "Rolex Correction" & Innovation

Rolex remains the undeniable market leader by volume, but 2025 brought a necessary normalization. The brand’s market share dipped slightly by 3.3%, a healthy indicator that the frantic flipping of earlier years has subsided. However, the brand proved it still dictates industry conversation: The launch of the Land-Dweller collection immediately triggered search spikes, proving that mechanical innovation - rather than mere color updates - is what activates the core collector base.

4. Economic Resilience: US vs. Europe

Despite global economic headwinds, the secondary market demonstrated low correlation to volatile equities.

• United States: The strongest region globally. Average transaction prices on the US market climbed by 8.43% (Q4 2024 vs. Q4 2025).
• Europe: Showed conservative stability with a 0.28% price development (Euro basis). (Note for editors: US data reflects Dollar-based transactions; EU data reflects Euro-based transactions.)

Balazs Ferenczi, Head of Brand Engagement at Chrono24: "The numbers tell a clear story: The 'Tourist Investor' has left, and the 'True Collector' is back in charge. We see this in the data - a 13% jump for Vacheron or a 9% rise in rectangular watches happens because enthusiasts are refining their tastes, not chasing quick flips.

Looking ahead to 2026, we expect this to deepen. The trend is moving back to wearable sizes and vintage influences, but with a twist - collectors are showing more confidence in bold colors and alternative materials. Furthermore, sustainability is no longer just a 'nice to have.' Whether it’s recycled materials or supply chain transparency, ethical standards are becoming a baseline expectation, especially for the younger generation entering the market."

Methodology:

This report is based on an analysis of transactions conducted on Chrono24’s global marketplace. Brand- and collection-level performance is measured using market share derived from completed transactions. All other categorical insights are based on the share of units sold. Unless otherwise stated, all percentage delta values reflect year-over-year percentage change, not percentage-point change. Regional pricing insights are calculated using average transaction prices in local currencies of the top 100 best-selling watches.