Pre-Owned Luxury Watches Outperform New Sales: Market Shifts

A steel Rolex Daytona, once a coveted new luxury item, now carries a price tag exceeding $16,000, according to Watch and Jewelry Exchange. This elevated pricing for new models directs many consumers toward certified pre-owned options, where luxury brands themselves are increasingly active.

Luxury brands have historically prioritized the exclusivity of new products. Yet, they now actively expand and legitimize their own certified pre-owned programs. This shift marks a strategic pivot for an industry traditionally focused on primary market control.

The certified pre-owned luxury watches and jewelry market will become an integral and profitable segment for luxury brands. It could outstrip new luxury sales growth in certain categories as consumer preferences shift towards value and sustainability.

HOOK

The Rolex Daytona's price above $16,000 creates a significant barrier for many luxury consumers. This pricing strategy for highly coveted models makes certified pre-owned alternatives increasingly attractive. Aspirational buyers, previously priced out of the new market, find brand-backed CPO programs offer a legitimate and often more accessible entry point. This allows brands to segment their market, capturing value from both primary and secondary channels while maintaining brand integrity.

The Billion-Dollar Shift: Pre-Owned Outpaces New Luxury

$22 billion — Preowned watch sales reached this figure in 2021, according to Web-assets Bcg.
3% — Sales of preowned watches rose by this percentage, also noted by web-assets.bcg.com.
$16.9 billion — The new luxury watch market size was valued at this figure in 2025, as projected by Grandview Research.

The secondary market for luxury watches, valued at $22 billion in 2021, already surpasses the projected $16.9 billion size of the new luxury watch market for 2025. This 2021 data is now outdated. Preowned watch sales rose by 3% in 2021. This data is now outdated. The divergence between the secondary market's $22 billion valuation in 2021 and the projected $16.9 billion for the new market in 2025 signals a major industry transformation: the pre-owned segment is not merely a niche but a substantial and growing force. It presents an immense financial incentive for brands to engage directly with certified pre-owned offerings.

Metric	Status/Trend	Source
Rolex CPO Program	Significantly grown	Bossip
Audemars Piguet CPO Launch	Planned for 2026	Bossip
Lab-Grown Diamond Sales	80% from new demand	TradingView
Watches of Switzerland U.S. Business FY26 Sales	$1.24 billion (51% of group sales)	TradingView

Rolex's significant CPO growth and Audemars Piguet's planned 2026 launch, reported by Bossip, demonstrate a strategic shift. Luxury brands are no longer just selling watches; they are creating a brand-controlled ecosystem for their products. This ensures they capture value throughout the entire lifecycle and dictate authenticity. The success of lab-grown diamonds, generating 80% of sales from new demand according to TradingView, indicates a broader consumer willingness to embrace alternative forms of luxury. This paves the way for watch brands to legitimize certified pre-owned as a premium entry point. Watches of Switzerland's projected U.S. business sales of $1.24 billion by FY26, representing 51% of group sales, further underscores the market's readiness for robust secondary luxury channels.