It’s a question watch collectors ? especially new ones ? always want answered, and one we at Fratellowatches have heard often: What brands offer watches that tend to increase in value over time" I’ll attempt to provide guidance on this, not so much from facts and figures but based on experience, and on opinions that I have heard through the years.
There are two answers here, of course, the short version and the long version. The short version is simple: Rolex and Patek Philippe.
The longer version is a bit more complicated, as there are a number of aspects that play an important role. I am not talking about the annual price increases that many brands are carrying through with, using all sorts of lame excuses. Aspects such as brand recognition, heritage, exclusivity, availability, and ? perhaps the most influential of all ? demand are important when it comes to the development of a watch’s value over time. Patek Philippe Nautilus
Rolex is, of course, one of those brands that is highly in demand (by both watch enthusiasts and non-watch enthusiasts); has a wonderful heritage, including an impressive list of celebrities and VIPs that wear and have worn Rolex watches; has a high level of recognition; and is widely available. It seems that the right mixture of these ingredients make most Rolex watches increase in value over time. The same is more or less true of Patek Philippe, although the accessibility of new Patek Philippe watches is more restrained due ...