The secondary watch market in 2025 - what people are actually buying

Let’s talk about what’s really moving the needle in the secondary watch world right now. The data comes from EveryWatch’s platform, so yes - the numbers might be a bit inflated since they don’t represent the entire market. But overall? Pretty accurate. The heavy hitters are exactly who you’d expect.

And honestly, nothing here is shocking… but a few things are very telling.

The short version: the classics are still printing money, hype steel sports watches are alive and well, and the usual Swiss giants continue their victory lap.

Rolex is still the boss

No surprises here. Rolex absolutely dominates.

The Datejust and Daytona basically ran the table in 2025.

• Rolex Datejust - about €1.17 billion in transaction value
  Source: Olsberg

• Rolex Daytona - about €1.16 billion
  
  Source: Hodinkee

That’s a combined €2.3+ billion. For two models. From one brand. 

The Datejust being number one is actually the most interesting part. It’s not flashy, it’s not rare. It just works. It’s the watch equivalent of perfectly white sneakers - always appropriate, always safe, never embarrassing.

The Daytona, meanwhile, continues its long-standing career as the watch everyone wants, whether they’re into watches or not. It’s hype-proof at this point.

Then you’ve got the brand’s other heavy hitters showing up:

• Submariner
  
  

• GMT-Master II
  
  

• Day-Date
  
  

• Sky-Dweller
  
  

• Yacht-Master
  
  

• Oyster Perpetual
  
  

• Sea-Dweller
  
  

Rolex basically filled half the leaderboard.

Steel sports watches with integrated bracelets still rule

Right behind Rolex’s top two comes the category watch people never shut up about: luxury sports watches with integrated bracelets.

You know the ones.

• Royal Oak from Audemars Piguet - roughly €860 million
  
  

• Nautilus from Patek Philippe - roughly €745 million
  
  

These watches are still cultural currency. They signal taste, status, and the ability to survive waiting lists longer than some university degrees.

What’s interesting is how strong they remain even after years of hype cycles, price spikes, corrections, and endless debate about whether they’re “over”. They’re not over. Not even close.

The Royal Oak Offshore and the Aquanaut also made strong appearances further down the rankings, proving demand isn’t limited to just the poster-child models.

Patek stays elegant (and very expensive)

Patek Philippe didn’t flood the rankings like Rolex, but every appearance feels intentional.

Beyond the Nautilus and Aquanaut, complicated pieces like perpetual calendars and annual calendars still pull serious money. That tells you something important: collectors still care about watchmaking substance, not just hype or resale value.

Even the Calatrava - arguably one of the most low-key luxury watches ever made - shows up. 

Omega keeps it real

Then there’s Omega, doing what Omega does best: delivering icons people actually wear.

• Speedmaster
  
  

• Seamaster

These watches don’t rely on artificial scarcity or impossible waitlists. They’re attainable luxury with real heritage, and clearly the market respects that.

They may not generate Rolex-level transaction volume, but their consistent presence says a lot about long-term appeal.

The rest of the field - big names, smaller slices

A few other players show up lower on the list:

• Big Bang from Hublot
  
  

• Overseas from Vacheron Constantin
  
  

Both are serious watches from serious brands, but their market share looks modest compared to the Rolex–Patek–AP triangle. It’s less about quality and more about cultural dominance and recognition.

Looking at individual references - where the collectors focus

The second ranking breaks things down by specific references, which is where things get even more interesting.

The single best-performing watch reference in 2025?

Rolex Daytona 116520 - roughly €50 million in transaction value.

That’s the steel, pre-ceramic Daytona. Clean, balanced, and sitting right in that sweet spot of modern but collectible. The market clearly loves it.

Other standout references include:

• Submariner “Hulk” 116610LV
  Source: Hodinkee

• Patek Philippe Nautilus 5712/1A

Source: Wristcheck

• Multiple Daytona configurations
  
  Source: Wristcheck

• GMT-Master II “Pepsi” and “Batman” variants
  
  Source: Wristcheck

Source: Hodinkee

Notice a pattern? Steel sports watches, recognizable designs, and models with strong collector narratives. The market rewards clarity and identity.

Even Richard Mille appears in the reference rankings with RM 67 and RM 65 models - proof that ultra-modern, high-tech watchmaking still commands serious attention (and very serious budgets).

What this actually tells us about buyers

Step back and look at the bigger picture and a few things become obvious.

First - brand power still matters more than anything. Rolex alone dominating both model and reference rankings shows how much trust and recognition drive buying decisions.

Second - good ol’ design beats trends. The top performers are watches that have looked essentially the same for decades.

Third - versatility sells. The Datejust winning overall says buyers want watches they can wear every day, not just special-occasion pieces.

And finally - the luxury sports category is still the cultural center of watch collecting. Integrated bracelet steel watches remain the universal language of modern horology.

A quick reality check about the numbers

Since this ranking is based on one platform’s data, the exact transaction volumes should be taken with a grain of salt. The real global market is bigger and more complex.

But the hierarchy itself feels right. If you spend any time around collectors, dealers, or even casual enthusiasts, the popularity of these models lines up perfectly with real-world demand.

The numbers may wiggle. The pecking order probably won’t.