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Watch values increasing, are they seen as “good investments” in the current financial turmoil?

  1. stevec14 Mar 19, 2020

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    You as a private seller may not get that however. I’ve seen them struggle to sell at less than 53% over value (esp if not unworn)
     
    NGO1 likes this.
  2. queriver Mar 19, 2020

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    Watch collecting is almost always guilt-edged when you've got a spouse.
    On the other hand most watches aren't gilt-edged investments. ;)

    Take a look at Nick Hacko's video from a couple of days ago about watches as investments. He's talking about new watches; it's not about vintage.
     
    durri70, pnwyankee, efauser and 3 others like this.
  3. madjestikmoose Can’t bat, can’t bowl Mar 19, 2020

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    I wonder, did the OP ever sell that Tudor ‘Harrod’s’ and if so just how much of an investment did that turn out to be?
     
  4. Ness Mar 19, 2020

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  5. Dan S Mar 19, 2020

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    This article was widely discussed here and in other watch forums when it came out. There is no question that some heavy hitters have been speculating in ultra high-end pieces in recent years, similar to the way people invest in art, even when they have no interest in it as collectors. It's quite obvious when one sees the same rare watch bought at auction and then put in another auction a couple of years later. Basically just a game of musical chairs.
     
  6. hotwheels Mar 19, 2020

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    No never sold it!!!! And I wouldn’t say they are a good investment, lol
     
    madjestikmoose likes this.
  7. Evitzee Mar 19, 2020

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    As someone who was already collecting watches in 1987 when the market dropped 24% in ONE DAY I'll tell you what happened 33 years ago. At the time I was working in Saudi Arabia but would transit through Zurich several times a year. I was buying NOS Cartier, Patek Philippe watches in the Kingdom and selling or trading them to the top vintage dealer in Zurich, it was a nice little sideline. When the market sank I happened to travel to Zurich a couple of weeks later and I commented to the dealer that his business must have been hit hard, his answer, 'business has never been better, people exited stocks and wanted hard assets, something that would hold its value'. Now, things are a lot different today but the concept is the same, in troubled times people will seek out safe places to park their money. Good watches that are attractive and well made will remain in demand and keep going up in value as more and more people rise in developing countries and people become more familiar with mechanical watches. There will be ups and downs along the way but the constant talk by some that the market is ready to dive, maybe permanently, is overblown and not likely to happen. And the hope that SS sport watches by Rolex will suddenly appear at list prices is also not likely to happen.

    Many here say they don't care if their watches decrease in value because they don't plan to sell, but EVERY watch will eventually get re-sold, it might be after you are dead and buried, but spending good hard earned money on watches is still money that is part of your net worth. Treat it as an asset.
     
  8. hotwheels Mar 19, 2020

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    Thank you a very well informed reply
     
  9. tyrantlizardrex Mar 19, 2020

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    ::facepalm1::

    Using the word demonic probably isn't going to help your cause.
     
    nonuffinkbloke likes this.
  10. calalum Mar 19, 2020

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    "Watches are not generally a good investment..." I fully agree
    "Prices shown on C-24 are an accurate barometer of the market..." i strongly disagree.
    "Watch prices are likely to go up if we have a major recession due to Covid 19 (or otherwise..." That seems counterintuitive. And it seems to me (albeit without careful study) that a lot of desirable stuff is lingering in the FS forum.

    JMHO.
     
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  11. Hoddspur Mar 19, 2020

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    I haven’t got a cause :cautious:
     
    hotwheels likes this.
  12. tyrantlizardrex Mar 19, 2020

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    You seem to be upset that others don't share your view that watches are investments.
     
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  13. Rman Mar 19, 2020

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    Exactly right. It’s part of a variety of assets that together form what is known as “wealth.”

    But, as a wise man once said, “it’s all in the buying.”

    A few minutes ago I corresponded with a well known young artist who sold a 16” by 16” painting for $10,000 10 minutes after posting it on Instagram. Yes art, like watches can easily lose value but that $10,000 in stocks doesn’t seem so secure at the moment.
     
  14. Hoddspur Mar 19, 2020

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    I think you’re mistaking me for someone on TRF ;)
     
    Edited Mar 19, 2020
  15. STANDY schizophrenic pizza orderer and watch collector Mar 19, 2020

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    Having a lot of watches from many brands, some have gone up some have gone down.

    Did I know what would increase and what decrease. No

    Do I care what they are worth every couple of years. No

    Everything you buy is a investment, even a $2 pen
     
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  16. killer67 Mar 20, 2020

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    show us what you got and we can make give a more pointed answer, but generally speaking and as stated, don’t celebrate watch values from C24 until someone buys it from you.
     
  17. harrymai86 Mar 20, 2020

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    Watches are luxury goods, they will be the first commodity to be affected by the current turmoil for sure, like modern sport Rolex, even the factory is closed now, I dont think they can retain the big premium in the market eventually since most people prioritize other necessities, still Rolex sport will still remain above retail.
     
    Syrte likes this.
  18. ConElPueblo Mar 20, 2020

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    I think that when a large number of middleclass/higher middleclass people who only got into "collecting" a few years ago are laid off, a lot of them will be looking at their collection of modern watches in order to raise money.

    A lot of them will be disappointed to find a lot of the value they thought were there, gone.

    A brand that comes into mind for being hit massively by this is Tudor, which I think will be selling 2nd hand at large discounts once reality sinks in - that the days of standing in line for a BB GMT are over and the market now are flooded with them.

    I think that 2nd hand Rolex prices will go down as well, but not to the same degree. Most other modern watches will continue to lose value the moment they leave the store...
     
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  19. simonsays Mar 20, 2020

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    I am told it’s about supply and demand. Toilet paper is in very high demand but second hand values are terrible. It’s a complicated game
     
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  20. STANDY schizophrenic pizza orderer and watch collector Mar 20, 2020

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    Hit the nail on Tudor

    Tudor was good when you had 300 people looking at 100 watches for sale.
    Not so good when you have 100 people looking at 300 watches for sale.
     
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