• Roger Federer Makes an Unexpected Rolex Choice: Tennis Legend Steps Out in One of the Brand’s Most Talked-About Watches

  Roger Federer knows how to make an entrance — and not just on the tennis court. At the ceremony celebrating his induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, the tennis legend chose an unusual Rolex that immediately caught the attention of haute horlogerie enthusiasts...

• Swiss Exclusive for OpenAI: Why Sam Altman’s Watch Is Being Called the New Status Symbol

  Silicon Valley has no shortage of ways to flaunt wealth and status. A home overlooking San Francisco Bay, a Cybertruck — and, of course, an expensive watch, which has long been an essential accessory for influential figures across industries, the Wall Street Journal reports...

• Patek Philippe to Open Its Largest Watch Exhibition in History in Milan

  In the world of luxury goods, immersive events are becoming the leading trend, and watch brands are interpreting this concept in their own way. Moving beyond simple watch displays, watchmakers are hosting everything from hands-on watchmaking masterclasses to exclusive events with brand ambassadors—ranging from extreme activities with mountaineers and freedivers to closed-door meetings with global gastronomy and music stars, writes Robb Report...

• The Melted Clock Effect: How the Cartier Crash Became a $2 Million Art Object

  The Cartier Crash, once considered little more than a curiosity in the horological world, is now shattering auction records and completely reshaping the vintage luxury market, the Financial Times reports...

• Louis Vuitton Unveils the Most Complex Pocket Watch in the History of La Fabrique du Temps

  Created as a nod to the brand’s historic philosophy—the "Art of Travel"—the watch completely lacks traditional hands on the dial. Instead, a mesmerizing miniature theater unfolds before the viewer, requiring hundreds of hours of manual engraving and enameling to create...

• At an Altitude of 9,900 Feet: Rolex Opens the World’s Highest Boutique—But You Still Can't Buy a Watch There

  Rolex has opened what is arguably the most unusual boutique in its history, a location a world away from the luxury shopping avenues typically associated with the Swiss watchmaking giant's retail empire. Perched at 3,020 meters (9,908 feet) above sea level atop Mount Titlis in Central Switzerland, this shop is officially recognized as the brand's highest boutique in the world...

• Rolex raises prices again, doubling down on the ultra-wealthy

  Rolex has increased retail prices on its gold models for the second time this year, targeting the ultra-wealthy consumer market—a demographic completely unfazed by the current economic climate. This aggressive mid-2026 price hike aligns perfectly with the brand's global strategy to elevate the status of its most exclusive offerings, Hypebeast reports...

• Gold Rush: Why Premium Vintage Swiss Watches Are Being Sent to Melting Furnaces en Masse

  The scrap value of gold in watches has begun to outpace their market price on the secondary market. Prices for the precious metal have doubled compared to 2024 averages, leaving iconic mid-tier luxury models (such as Omega and TAG Heuer) facing the threat of destruction, Reuters reports...

The era of insane hype in the secondary watch market is gradually becoming a thing of the past. According to a new report from online platform Chrono24, Rolex's sales share has dropped to 30.5%, although during the pandemic peak in 2022, this figure reached 44%. In fact, the brand has returned to its pre-Covid positions, Robb Report writes.

King of the Market, But with a Smaller Margin

The decline in market share does not mean Rolex is losing its throne at all. In the second quarter of this year, the brand still generated 31% of total sales on the platform. By comparison, its closest rivals lag significantly behind:

• Omega holds 11% of the market.

• Patek Philippe accounts for 6%.

In the $10,000 to $20,000 segment—a key category for the brand, which includes the iconic Submariner, GMT-Master II, and steel Daytona—Rolex still reigns supreme, capturing 61.4% of sales. However, in the ultra-luxury category (over $20,000), the brand's share has decreased by 5.8% over the past three years (down to 38,6%), losing ground to players like Patek Philippe (23.1%), Audemars Piguet (13.8%), and the rapidly rising Vacheron Constantin (5.6%).

Youth Chooses Classics and the Datejust

Interesting shifts are also occurring in consumer preferences. While the market previously relied on speculative interest in sports models, today audience tastes are shifting toward more classic and elegant options.

• The most lucrative watch for Rolex on Chrono24 unexpectedly became the Datejust, which now accounts for 28% of the platform's revenue.

• Younger buyers (under 30) eagerly choose the Datejust as their "entry ticket" into the world of luxury watches before moving on to models like the Daytona.

Nevertheless, it is the younger demographic that is cooling fastest to the brand's monopoly. While buyers under 30 spent about half of their entire watch budget on Rolex in 2022, today that figure has dropped by about 30%.

As Balázs Ferenczi, Head of Brand Engagement at Chrono24, notes, modern buyers have become more conscious in allocating their funds. Tastes are shifting away from hype-driven sports models toward classics, which allows more room for growth for brands like Cartier, Patek Philippe, and Vacheron Constantin. Rolex still sets the tone in the market, but the market itself is becoming more diverse.

Follow NEWS.am STYLE on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram