The luxury watch market, particularly for Rolex, is showing signs of a meaningful rebound in the secondary (pre-owned) space after years of volatility. If you’ve been eyeing a bargain on a pre-owned Rolex—whether a classic Submariner, Datejust, or something more niche—now might be the time to move, but don’t wait too long. The window for genuine deals could close faster than expected.
Recent data points to a steady uptick in pre-owned prices. According to analyses from sources like Morgan Stanley, WatchCharts, and the Bloomberg Subdial Watch Index, secondary market values for luxury timepieces rose about 1.9% in the final quarter of 2025, marking the first sustained gains since the post-pandemic peak. For the full year 2025, pre-owned prices climbed roughly 4.9% across tracked models—the first annual increase since 2021. This recovery is broadening, with more brands participating beyond just the heavy hitters like Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Rolex.
What’s fueling this shift? Several factors are at play:
- Rising retail prices at Rolex: The brand implemented an estimated 6-7% increase in early 2026 (following similar adjustments in 2025), driven by higher material costs (gold prices have soared), currency fluctuations, and other production pressures. This pushes more buyers toward the pre-owned market, where many models still trade at meaningful discounts compared to new retail—often 30-40% for non-top-tier references.
- Stronger economic tailwinds: Record equity markets, Bitcoin rallies, and resilient demand in regions like the US and Middle East have bolstered buyer confidence. Richemont’s watch division, for example, reported 7% sales growth (excluding currency effects) in late 2025, signaling broader luxury momentum.
- Rolex’s own Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) program: Sales through this official channel exceeded $500 million in 2025 (up significantly from the prior year), lending greater legitimacy and appeal to the secondary market.
That said, the recovery isn’t bulletproof. The market remains sensitive to economic shocks—recent stock and bond volatility serves as a reminder. Post-2022 bubble, many buyers are more cautious and less speculative, focusing on long-term ownership rather than flips.
The market’s dynamics now span the full spectrum:
- New Rolex — Escalating retail prices reinforce exclusivity, but waitlists persist for icons like the Submariner and Daytona. The latest hikes make fresh pieces even more premium, pushing savvy buyers toward alternatives.
- Pre-Owned / Used Rolex — This is where the real momentum lies. Rolex’s Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) program exploded to nearly $600 million in sales for 2025 (over 10% of the brand’s secondary market), offering official authentication, servicing, and warranties that build unbreakable trust. Pre-owned values are resilient—some steel sports models trade near or above adjusted retail due to demand, while gold references often sit below new MSRPs post-hike, creating genuine opportunities for sovereign ownership without the full retail premium.
- Fakes / Counterfeits — The dark side of the boom: sophisticated “super clones” are proliferating, with Rolex replicas dominating the counterfeit space (often 50%+ of fakes detected). Advanced fakes blur lines so convincingly that even experts scrutinize harder, and authentication rejections remain high. This underscores the critical need for verified channels—never gamble on unproven sources when building lasting authority.
For Rolex specifically, certain models stand out as particularly attractive right now:
- Discontinued or smaller references like the 26mm Lady Datejust (from around 2015) are performing strongly, often available at roughly half the price of comparable new pieces. Trends toward smaller, gold-accented watches (think Cartier Panthère influences) are helping drive interest here.
- Popular sports models like the Submariner, GMT-Master II, and Datejust continue to show resilience, with pre-owned examples frequently trading closer to (or occasionally above) adjusted retail in some cases, but still offering better immediate availability than authorized dealer waitlists.
The bottom line for savvy buyers: Bargains still exist in the pre-owned Rolex space, especially compared to escalating new prices. But with secondary values trending upward and external risks lurking, hesitation could mean missing out. If a Rolex has been on your radar, the clock is ticking—act decisively to secure that deal before the market fully catches fire again.
