Despite a steady increase in their market prices, these watches are still valued under retail – and some of them significantly so
It seems that now is a better time than ever to buy watches on the second-hand market. We get it, it’s always a struggle to choose whether to enroll in a waiting list with your favorite brand and sit tight in the hopes of snagging that coveted model all your friends seemed to somehow get their hands on, approach one of the authorized dealers, or buy pre-owned. But, if the data on our ever-comprehensive and up-to-date Wristcheck Index is to be believed, it seems that there are plenty of opportunities to invest in a watch – be it your collecting debut or an attempt to build upon your already expansive collection.
The first thing that jumped out to our experts when crunching the numbers (and you can sign up for a newsletter here to get news from them firsthand) was the intriguing performance by Tudor. Over the past 12 months, for example, Tudor ref. 79500-0013 Black Bay 36 Stainless Steel Silver Dial has steadily increased in market value yet is still trading under the retail price. Patek Philippe Gondolo ref. 4972/1G-001 is another great example of a watch that’s been trading consistently below retail over the past 90 days, with a price premium of -19.8%.
Of course, there are a lot of interesting observations one can read from the Wristcheck Index, like the three Rolex Sky-Dwellers (ref. 336934-0005, ref. 336934-0003, and ref. 336934-0001) losing on their premiums over the past 12 months yet still managing to trade above the retail price.
But, as we mentioned earlier, the purpose of this piece is to highlight the watches under retail.
Tudor Black Bay 36 Stainless Steel Silver Dial
The ref. 79500-0013 has been experiencing a steady increase in its market price over the past three months. The model experienced an uptick around May, which took it from around US$ 1,600 to 1,776. As of July 2nd, it traded at US$ 2,313, which is about 27.8% lower than its retail price of US$ 3,200. Several other members of the Black Bay family exhibited similar behavior over the past 1.5 months. For most of those, the market prices began dropping around 2021 and picked up again earlier this year.
Patek Philippe Gondolo Serata 27 White Gold Diamond Mother of Pearl Dial
Not often one witnesses a member of the big three (Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet) trading under retail on the secondary market. The PP Gondolo Serata, ref. 4972/1G-001 is a fascinating example. Currently, the market is valued at US$ 46,919, which is almost 10k lower than its retail price of US$ 58,500. In 2023, the model experienced a prolonged dip in its market value, from which it only recovered in 2024, while over the past three months, it reached a new high of US$ 47,087.
Cartier Tank Must 22 Stainless Steel Black Dial
A rather volatile model currently on the market – Cartier Tank Must, ref. WSTA0071 – has been steadily trading under retail for the past five years. Sometime this May, however, the price of this watch began climbing from US$ 2,808 up to US$ 3,192 in early June before falling slightly. While it’s not particularly likely that this Tank variant will reach the low point it experienced in May 2024, it still trades about 200 US$ under retail, at US$ 3,124.
Bvlgari Octo Solotempo 41 Ultranero Red Stainless Steel Black Dial
While we do consider ourselves to be above encouraging our audience to hunt for deals, recent market performance of a certain watch did raise our eyebrows. We are talking about the Bulgari Octo Solotempo, ref. 102738, of course. As of July 2nd, the model trades at US$ 5,523, which is nearly 2k below its retail value. Compared to a plateau experienced by the model from February to March 2024, its behavior can only be described as turbulent since May.
Omega Specialities 39 Stainless Steel Silver Dial
After experiencing a no-doubt painful drop in its value in August 2022, the Omega Specialities ref. 511.12.39.21.99.002 has not recovered. Over the past three months, the watch has been attempting to climb back to the days of its former glory, however, after reaching a peak on June 25th at the value of US$ 6,474, nearly equal to its retail price, it dropped again on July 2nd to US$ 6,308.
