- Pre-owned luxury watches are seeing a boost in demand this year, according to The RealReal.
- The luxury consignment shop said that the watches people are most searching for vary by generation.
- The Rolex Datejust is popular among boomers, while millennials go for the Rolex Day-Date.
Everyone is into watches these days, but which brand or style you gravitate toward could depend on your generation.
A new report from The RealReal, a luxury consignment shop, found the number of new watch buyers on its platform rose by 46% in the first seven months of 2025 compared to the same time period last year.
The pre-owned luxury watch market got a boost earlier this year in response to tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, as some watchmakers announced they were increasing retail prices partly due to import costs.
The United States in August placed a 39% tariff on some goods from Switzerland, where many luxury watchmakers are based. Some resellers said they saw an increase in demand for secondhand watches in the wake of the tariffs and higher retail prices.
The RealReal found that interest in secondhand luxury watches was not limited to any generation, but that each generation was searching for different brands and styles. Here's how it broke down.
Boomers
The report found that boomers, ages 61 to 79, were most interested in long-standing watch brands. They purchased the Rolex Datejust, which is The RealReal's most popular watch for both men and women, more than any other generation.
The Datejust is often considered an entry point into luxury watches. A reseller told Business Insider last month it was one of the top styles shoppers were purchasing pre-owned as they sought to avoid price hikes.
The report found the Rolex Datejust was also one of the smarter investment pieces, noting the resale price of the classic watch on The RealReal had increased 17% since 2021.
Sales for legacy brands like Audemars Piguet, Chopard, and Chanel also doubled among baby boomers this year, The RealReal found.
Gen X
Gen X shoppers buy more watches than any other generation, according to the report.
The most bought watches for Gen Xers, ages 45 to 60, were Rolex Daytonas and Bvlgari Tubogas, for men and women, respectively.
The Rolex Daytona is an iconic watch for the brand, always in demand and often cited as a good investment piece.
Millennials
Millennials are especially interested in gold watches, with searches for the term up 30% compared to last year, the report found.
The most bought watches among millennials, ages 29 to 44, were Rolex Day-Dates for men and Patek Philippe Nautiluses for women.
The Rolex Day-Date was one of the styles the brand raised prices on at the top of the year, before the new tariffs were announced. The price hike was potentially driven in part by the surging price of gold.
The Patek Philippe Nautilus is another style that some consider a good investment, as it often sells for above its retail price
Gen Z
The report found that Gen Z was the most likely generation to seek out less typical brands. The generation, ages 13 to 28, searched for the Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer 105% more this year compared to last year, the sharpest search increase for any brand or age group.
Omega sales have doubled among Gen Z, while Audemars Piguet and Gucci sales increased by 117% and 35%, respectively.
Gen Z's interest in luxury watches has been credited with boosting the secondhand market, as the generation in general has been found to buy more pre-owned items than its older counterparts.
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