First half of 2026 Global pre-owned market review

Breguet, Blancpain, TAG Heuer, Zenith...
These luxury brands, Known for their long history, Tradition of craftsmanship and technology, And easy visibility in department stores and luxury magazines, Underperformed the market average in the first half of the year.

Glamorous pop-up stores and ambassador lineups filled with top stars. Even with these 'specs', If they fail to win over consumers, What conditions are needed to be competitive?

Based on the first half 2026 market data from the global pre-owned watch data platform EveryWatch, We examined auction, Dealer, And private transaction data for a total of 60 brands.

Sluggish New Watch Market, Booming Pre-Owned Market

Source: EveryWatch

In the first half of 2026, The global pre-owned watch market reached $10.3 billion, Up 37.5% from the previous year (approximately 15 trillion KRW based on the average exchange rate for the first half). This is in stark contrast to the new watch market, Which saw a 0.7% decline during the same period.

Source: EveryWatch,
Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry

However, Even in this favorable environment, The gap between competitive and less competitive brands became clear.
To see how this distinction is made, From here we will divide brands into four groups based on transaction volume growth and median price growth rate.

Source: EveryWatch

Group ①
- Brands with Transaction Volume and Price Growth Above Market Average

https://www.esperluxe.com

F.P. Journe, Daniel Roth, H. Moser & Cie., Bovet, Greubel Forsey are brands with overwhelming design differentiation, Craftsmanship, And rarity that even traditional high-end makers cannot offer.
The average transaction volume growth rate for these five brands was 45.1%, And the median price growth rate was 35.2%. Parmigiani Fleurier, Which has similar appeal, Also posted a 45% transaction volume growth rate and a solid 10.4% price growth rate, Slightly below average but still robust.

No other brands demonstrate more clearly that clear rarity and identity bring both price and demand.

Source: EveryWatch

Interestingly, The same principle applies even at the opposite end of the price spectrum.

Hamilton, Grand Seiko, NOMOS, Hermes recorded 30.5% transaction volume growth and 18.1% price growth. These brands, Which traded at a median price of about $2, 400, Competed with iconic design and high quality for the price.

Daniel Roth Platinum Tourbillon
https://loupethis.com

NOMOS Neomatik Worldtimer
https://timeandtidewatches.com

Perhaps what F.P. Journe and NOMOS have in common is a distinctive identity that is far from ordinary.

Group ②
- Brands with Above-Average Transaction Volume and Solid Price Growth

Patek Philippe Nautilus 5712/1A
https://www.windvintage.com

Of course, Not everyone can be as unique as F.P. Journe or NOMOS. Some brands are safe, Familiar, And perhaps predictable.
But with 'familiarity' comes a certain level of expectation that must be met.

The combined transaction volume share of Rolex, Patek Philippe, Cartier, And Richard Mille is 60.2%. Despite already holding an overwhelming share, They also achieved an average transaction volume growth of 31.4% and a price growth rate of 8.4%.

Source: EveryWatch

While not as differentiated as F.P. Journe, Their broad fan base and proven brand value are driving the entire market. This is the clearest example of the 'rich get richer' structure in the pre-owned watch market, Where large brands continue to grow even larger.

Source: EveryWatch

In the mid- to low-price range,
Tissot and Seiko, Which have clear brand positioning, Recorded an average transaction growth rate of 51.6% (notably, Tissot's 67.8% growth stands out). However, Without strong catalysts like Hamilton (closely tied to the film industry) or NOMOS (cost-effective independent watchmaker), Price movement was limited.

At the reference level, 9 out of the top 10 by transaction volume are Rolex
Source: EveryWatch

With news of discontinuation, Price and transaction volume surged
Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLRO
https://gandgtimepieces.com

Even if transaction volume increases, Prices may not rise — this is the limit of brand awareness without a catalyst.

Group ③
- Brands with Declining Transaction Volume but High Price Growth

Piaget, Which has adopted a new brand ambassador and is conducting active marketing
https://www.richemont.com

Bvlgari, Chopard, Piaget have strong brand value as jewelry makers and are also 'mainstream' watchmakers. With the recent surge in demand for jewelry (or jewelry-like watches) and accessories, These three brands recorded an average price growth rate of 29.9%.

However, The average transaction volume actually declined by 8.8%. This phenomenon, Where prices rise but transactions decrease, Is likely because, Above a certain price point, Demand shifts to Cartier, A brand with more proven value and liquidity.

In a similar context, Girard Perregaux, Ulysse Nardin, Glashütte Original, Which traded at an average of $8, 600, Have loyal fan bases but failed to convince consumers who want more established brands.

Group ④
- Brands with Transaction Volume and Price Growth Below Market Average

Of the 60 brands included in the survey, 26 brands had both transaction volume and price growth rates below the market average. Except for two or three, The rest are 'mainstream' makers that we have long seen in department stores and luxury magazines. This means that it is not unknown brands but these familiar luxury brands that are losing market attention. Despite their high recognition, Other brands such as Blancpain, Breguet, TAG Heuer, Zenith, And Oris failed to achieve even a 1% share of transactions.

Blancpain's iconic Fifty Fathoms 38mm
https://monochrome-watches.com

Breguet's 2026 Tradition Collection
https://elementintime.com

Jaeger-LeCoultre is trying various marketing strategies such as department store entry, New ambassador celebrities, And watchmaking classes
https://www.timeforum.co.kr

There is no 'luxury' watch brand without a long history, Craftsmanship, And technology. Most brands already belong to well-capitalized groups and spend heavily on marketing — glamorous events and famous celebrity ambassadors. However, Such 'safe' luxury strategies no longer open consumers' wallets.

H. Moser & Cie with a strong brand identity
https://watchesbysjx.com

As a result, Mainstream brands continue to lose market share to top-tier brands and those with a distinctive identity targeting niche markets. In the end, Even among luxury watch brands, Only a few remain as truly iconic, While most are being pushed into the category of 'just another' brand.