EXCLUSIVE: Watches aren’t a ‘get-rich-quick’ investment but could be ‘better than gold or cash’ by 2026.

“Think of watches like stocks and like tangible assets. They work better as a store of value that has the potential to appreciate over time, not as a quick investment,” said Robertino Altiero, CEO of WatchGuys.com, in an exclusive interview with. Arabian business.

According to experts, the market now rewards choice over speculation and values ​​over hype. For investors in the Gulf region where wisdom and long-term wealth preservation have short-term benefits, the current environment presents both challenges and opportunities.

“If you want real value, you’ll need to have a watch for at least 120 years,” he said.

The global luxury watch market reached US$53.9 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to US$59.97 billion by 2025, reaching US$134.53 billion by 2032 at a CAGR of 12.23%.

However, these aggregate figures hide significant regional and product-specific differences that define the real market situation.

For investors, experts suggest that watches are unlikely to perform as well as conventional stocks but can do well if the ‘right watches’ are bought at the ‘right price.’

“I don’t think luxury watches will outperform traditional goods as a whole. But the right watches, bought at the right price, can do really well – sometimes better than gold or silver when inflation is taken into account,” explains Altieri.

Luxury watch shipments reflect mixed styles

Swiss watch exports are set to reach CHF25.9 billion (US$32.62 billion) by 2024, according to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, but stability has proved difficult throughout the year. Swiss watch exports fell 2.8 percent in 2024 to CHF26.0 billion (US$32.75 billion) following three years of strong growth, suggesting a slowdown in demand for luxury personal items, especially among aspirational customers.

The 2024 deal was driven mainly by China and Hong Kong. China fell by 25.8 percent while Hong Kong fell by 18.7 percent, which is close to its 2019 results.

North and South America was the strongest market with growth of 5.4 percent, accounting for a fifth of Swiss watch exports in 2024, with the US strengthening its position as the leading market for the sector with growth of 5 percent.

The secondary market which has been in decline since March 2022 started to show signs of recovery in 2025. The WatchCharts Overall Market Index, Rolex Market Index and Patek Philippe Market Index are all in good stead for 2025 with the second half of the year seeing many brands stabilize and recover following three years of strong decline.

“During the time of COVID, people believed that almost any metal watch would increase in value,” Altieri recalls. “That trend is gone and now watch collectors are more strategic and knowledgeable about their collecting. I’ve seen a return to buyers choosing the rarity, condition and resaleability of the watches they buy.”

“We can expect to see the most reliable watch brands continue to have long-term growth rates, including Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet,” Altieri said. “These products will always do very well in the secondary market.”

“However, I think Audemars Piguet is about to overshadow us,” he added.

Rolex remained the backbone of the secondary market in the second half of 2025, prices remained almost flat, down 0.2 percent, following an increase of 0.4 percent in the first quarter.

GCC consumers are shaping global trends

The GCC markets are in a unique position in the global luxury watch industry. “Middle Eastern consumers tend to buy fewer watches but choose the best models and hold on to them the longest,” notes Altieri. “I see a lot of expensive pieces and a lot of Richard Mille being worn by Middle Eastern customers.”

“GCC collectors influence global price trends, but quietly. They don’t research or send online as we see in the US market. They buy and hold, which reduces global supply and has the potential to support the long-term value of their watches,” he explained.

In 2023, the Middle East grew by 6 percent, while the UAE grew by 12.2 percent while Saudi Arabia saw a modest growth of 2.6 percent. The Swiss watch industry sees the region as increasingly strategic.

Richard Mille’s Middle East revenue increased from CHF95.3 million (US$120.08 million) in 2023 to CHF102.2 million (US$128.78 million) in 2024. In 2024, Richard Mille’s Riyadh boutique alone saw sales increase by 34 percent.

Additionally, the luxury watch market in Saudi Arabia was worth US$270.11 million in 2024 and is expected to reach US$318.52 million in 2030, increasing at a 2.85 percent compound annual growth rate.

According to the World’s Wealthiest Cities Report 2025, Riyadh experienced an increase of 65% of billionaires between 2014 and 2024, the Saudi capital is now home to more than 20,000 people with investable assets of US $ 1 million or more, including 77 centi-millionaires and 5% of witnesses and 5% of billionaires.

Drawing a comparison to the booming real estate market, Altieri said, “I just saw a great video by Grant Cardone about the potential percentage of real estate, which is about 10 percent. You have to pay expenses to maintain the property, pay property taxes, pay someone to look at the house, utilities, etc. There’s a lot of maintenance that eats up all the profit.”

“See [watches] it’s a great investment with low maintenance compared to real estate,” he said.

Prices and styles

In 2026, experts point to a buyer’s market versus a seller’s market suggesting that enthusiasts are still buying watches, leading to an increase in prices.

“The seller is still those who are looking for profit, who get their first watch from Rolex, not people who are afraid of the market. But the population is also high-end customers, and these people tend to have money,” he explained.

The trade policy emerged as a major market disruption in 2025 when Trump’s tariffs affect more than 100 countries including Switzerland whose tariffs will reach 39 percent on August 7, 2025.

The immediate impact was dramatic. Compared to September 2024, Swiss watch exports to the US market decreased by 55.6 percent in September 2025, from CHF355 million (US$447.5 million) to CHF158 million (US$199.17 million).

However, the long view reveals strategic flexibility. The brands that have sent the most watches to their subsidiaries based in the US, are increasing the startups to meet the demand of consumers for several months and the first nine months of 2025 the overall performance of the American market shows a growth of 10.4 percent compared to 2024.

The US and Switzerland reached an agreement in November 2025 to reduce tariffs to 15 percent from 39 percent.

“I think that big factors like the war, or the imposition of a trade percentage on exports to other countries have the potential to hurt you. Although, even if we increased by 39 percent in traffic, we did not see that the US market was harmed that much. Business continued as usual. People found other ways to do business. They finally ended up making a deal after all, the Swiss watch purchase has now decreased to 15 percent,” explained Altieri.

A market correction creates a buying opportunity

For early investors, he cautioned against ‘buying the hype.’

“Buy timeless pieces that hold their value. This also means don’t just buy watches because they’re trendy,” he explained.

Retail prices continued to rise in 2025 while secondary market prices fell significantly, leading to an increase in the number of watches now trading below retail. Adjusted for inflation, which was more than 25 percent in the US over the past five years, many watches are now cheaper in real terms than they were five years ago.

The market correction has created what some analysts view as a historic buying opportunity. Speculation has declined, value retention has weakened for many brands, and inflation-adjusted prices are at record lows.

When asked to invest in the one-of-a-kind watch category this year, Altieri said, “Discontinued steel sports watches that people really love to wear are the best investments going into 2026. Original and rare or discontinued watches are the best buys.”

“Watches are always a store of value, an asset of love, and a kind of treasure. They make sense – if bought correctly,” he concluded.